In 2023, EPA and Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy completed a five-year review of the Muskegon Chemical Superfund site in Whitehall, Michigan. The Superfund law requires regular checkups of sites that have been cleaned up – with waste managed on-site – to make sure the cleanup continues to protect people and the environment.
| City | Whitehall |
|---|---|
| County | Muskegon County |
| State | Michigan |
| Coordinates | 43.38910, -86.33400 |
Muskegon Chemical Co is a federal Superfund site in Michigan. The Superfund program, created by Congress in 1980, addresses sites where hazardous substances have been released or threaten release into the environment. EPA scores potential sites using the Hazard Ranking System; those that score high enough are placed on the National Priorities List.
Current status: Construction complete. Physical construction of the cleanup remedy is complete, though long-term monitoring and institutional controls typically continue for years or decades. Groundwater treatment systems, for example, often run long after surface cleanup finishes.
EPA has identified 5 contaminants of concern at this site, including 1,2-dichloroethane, bis(2-chloroethyl)ether, chlorobenzene. Contamination has been detected in soil, groundwater.
If you live near this site and have health concerns, your state health department can provide site-specific guidance. EPA maintains a community involvement program for most NPL sites, and site documents — including the Record of Decision, five-year reviews, and public health assessments — are typically available through EPA's Superfund site profile.