Aero-Motive Company (Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County)

Pablo Mora, MoraP@Michigan.gov or 269-910-0136 

Aero-Motive Company located at 5688 ML Avenue, was a manufacturer of cable and hose reels. Some spools and blocks that were produced had been plated to resist corrosion. Sources of onsite pollution include waste dumped in a disposal pit; trichloroethene (TCE) used for cleaning and in a degreaser, floor drains, and other solvents dumped near the loading dock and in an onsite disposal pit. A release from a 2,500-gallon underground storage tank was reported in 1991. The contaminants detected in the soil and groundwater are volatile organic compounds, mainly the degreasing chemical TCE and associated degradation compounds. PFAS sampling was conducted by ELGE and their consultant due to the historical operations that may have involved PFAS coated or containing products and, known historical presence and migration of contaminants, and the close proximity of residential wells.

Groundwater flow is to the north, toward the Kalamazoo River. The aquifer primarily consists of sandy soil underlain by a clay confining layer.

Content posted August 2020.

12 nearby residential wells were sampled. The results indicated there were no concentrations of PFOS or PFOA that exceeded the Part 201 Criteria.

EGLE's contractor, Tetra Tech, is developing a plan to mitigate the off-site migration of PFAS and other chemicals of concern from the Aero-Motive facility.