Regal Recycling (former) (Howell, Livingston County)

Rebecca Taylor, TaylorR@Michigan.gov or 517-284-5160.

Former Regal Recycling is in a mixed industrial-commercial and residential area located at 645 Lucy Road. The facility operated from 1997 until 2019 when the property was sold to another recycler. Regal Recycling accepted metals, batteries, circuit boards and solid wastes mixed with metal and refurbishing automobiles in an outdoor setting. Numerous fires have occurred at the facility. In 2013 a large fire occurred and burned solid wastes mixed with metal. The 2013 fire report did not indicate if AFFF was used.

Information about this site was posted on the MPART website in October 2022 as an area of interest after groundwater data in a monitoring well downgradient of the property and adjacent to the Lucy Road Landfill had PFAS above criteria. This monitoring well showed higher PFAS concentrations than monitoring wells located on the Lucy Road landfill property therefore EGLE requested Regal Recycling to sample groundwater on the site.

Regal Recycling declined to sample so EGLE sampled the existing monitoring well and installed six temporary wells for PFAS on May 25, 2023.  The results showed the highest concentrations of PFAS and largest variety of PFAS came from a temporary well at the location of the 2013 fire. PFOA was detected at 440 ppt (compared to 8 ppt); PFOS was detected at 350 ppt (compared to 16 ppt); PFHxS was detected at 200 ppt (compared to 51 ppt) and PFNA was detected at 30 ppt (compared to 6 ppt).

Groundwater flows northwest towards extensive wetlands adjacent to the property. The wetlands are part of the headwaters to the Marion-Genoa Drain that flow westerly into the south branch of the Shiawassee River.

Near the wetlands at the site, PFOS is above water quality values at 130 ppt (compared to 12 ppt).

Content posted July 2023.

• Residences on the west side of Lucy Road are on a municipal water supply. One business and one residence not connected to a municipal water supply on the east side of Lucy Road did not grant access to collect PFAS samples from their wells. These water supply wells are ¼ mile to ½ mile from the facility and not in the direction of shallow groundwater flow. Well logs are not available for these water supply wells.

• The drinking water well at the site was sampled in 2022 and 2023. Both water samples had detections below criteria, however, this well will be replaced by the municipal water supply when it becomes available later this year.

• EGLE will monitor groundwater concentrations of PFAS migrating to the surface water and seasonally sample surface water where it may be discharging to the wetlands. EGLE will also confirm replacement of the water supply well by the municipal water supply and abandonment of the former well. EGLE will attempt to gain access to collect drinking water samples from one business and the residence south of former Regal Recycling facility.

• On July 29, 2022, EGLE reviewed monitoring well PFAS data from the adjacent Lucy Road Landfill property and found analytical indications that former Regal Recycling property may be contributing PFAS into the groundwater.
• On August 23, 2022, EGLE sampled a private well at 645 Lucy Road. PFAS was detected below criteria.