Hazardous Waste Management

The FSA Hazardous Waste Management program uses Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funding for site investigation and remedial actions at contaminated grain storage sites for the protection of public health in the states of Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri. The USDA CCC operated a large-scale surplus grain storage program from the late 1930’s until the mid-1970s as part of USDA’s price support program for American farmers at various leased properties in Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa. Because much of the grain was stored for extended periods of time, it was necessary to fumigate the grain to control destructive pests. The fumigant mixture most used by CCC contained the chlorinated solvent carbon tetrachloride and was released into local soils and groundwater supplies at various sites. Carbon tetrachloride was used as a pesticide for stored grain until banned by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1985 and designated as a hazardous substance under CERCLA and State remediation laws.