The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced an enforcement agreement requiring Gelman Sciences to conduct expanded cleanup of a contaminated groundwater plume in Michigan.
Under the agreement, Gelman Sciences will conduct a full remedial investigation and feasibility study, excavate contaminated soils from a former burn pit on its property, increase groundwater extraction and treatment rates to contain the plume's spread, and install additional monitoring wells.
Gelman Sciences used 1,4-dioxane in manufacturing operations from the 1960s through the 1980s, resulting in a groundwater plume that extends through parts of Ann Arbor and Scio Township. The company will also provide grant funding to help community groups hire an independent technical advisor to interpret technical reports and EPA actions.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has overseen cleanup efforts under a state consent judgment. The EPA added the site to its National Priorities List in March 2026 following state requests for federal oversight in 2021 and a reaffirmation of that request in 2025.