HEALTH CONSULTATION
AK ZINN
BATTLE CREEK, CALHOUN COUNTY, MICHIGAN
The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) have a cooperative agreement for conducting assessments and consultations regarding potential health hazards at toxic chemical contamination sites within the State of Michigan. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), Superfund Section, has asked the MDCH to evaluate any health risks associated with several properties included in the Brownfield Pilot Projects.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) defines Brownfields as "abandoned, idled, or under-used" industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination. Local governmental entities have asked the MDEQ to conduct environmental assessments of the Brownfield properties in their jurisdiction. The MDEQ has consulted with the MDCH concerning public health aspects of these assessments.
The MDCH health consultation for a Brownfield property includes consideration of the following fundamental questions:
The AK Zinn property is a former manufacturing and warehousing facility in Battle Creek, Michigan. Various owners and operators occupied the property from 1887 to 1990, and title to the property reverted to the City of Battle Creek for unpaid taxes in 1996. A neighboring industrial operation and a developer have separately expressed interest in the property.
In 1991, a contractor for the City found approximately 70 barrels, several areas that were stained from previous chemical spills, and asbestos-containing tiles and insulation in the buildings on the property. In 1997, the MDEQ found elevated concentrations of arsenic in the soil and lead, manganese, methylene chloride, and trichloroethylene in the groundwater on the property. The roof and first floor of the main building have partially collapsed.
The MDCH recommends that the soil areas on the property with elevated arsenic concentrations
be appropriately addressed and the groundwater in the area not be used. Within the buildings, the
asbestos-containing materials should be either removed or encapsulated and the contents of the
barrels should be sampled to determine their appropriate disposition. Then the buildings should
be repaired or demolished to eliminate physical hazards.
BACKGROUND AND STATEMENT OF ISSUES
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) has asked the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) to evaluate any health risks associated with the AK Zinn property as part of a Brownfields Project.
The AK Zinn property covers approximately 6 acres at 160 South Kendall Street, Battle Creek, Michigan (Figure 1). The property was occupied by a series of manufacturing and warehousing businesses from 1887 to 1990. In 1996, title to the AK Zinn property reverted to the State of Michigan in lieu of unpaid taxes. Later in 1996, the State transferred the property to the City of Battle Creek (1).
Immediately south of the AK Zinn property is the abandoned K&M Salvage (former Union Steel and Wire) facility. Before 1938, the AK Zinn and K&M Salvage properties were under common ownership and occupancy. Since approximately 1992, K&M Salvage has stored scrap tires in the buildings on their property. A Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR)1 investigation in February 1994 found an estimated 132,000 tires on the K&M Salvage property. The buildings are also partially collapsed. The City of Battle Creek has condemned the buildings, ordering the company to remove the tires and demolish the buildings. The company did not meet the original deadline in January 1996 (2). As of this writing, the State of Michigan and the City of Battle Creek are in the process of claiming the K&M Salvage property for back taxes, intending to remove the tires and demolish the buildings after the title is clear (3).
The AK Zinn property currently includes two wood and brick buildings and only the foundation of a third building. There is no information available as to when the third building was demolished (1).
A neighboring (to the west) active industrial operation has expressed interest in acquiring all or part of the AK Zinn property for expansion of their operations. A developer has also expressed interest in using the AK Zinn property for a new manufacturing operation (2).
In July 1991, a contractor for the City of Battle Creek conducted an Environmental Assessment/Preliminary Investigation (EA/PI) and Asbestos Inspection of the AK Zinn Property (4). In May 1997, the MDEQ conducted field work for a Brownfields Redevelopment Assessment (BFRA) of the property (1, 5). MDCH staff visited the property on October 30, 1997.
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