On June 25, 2026, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) received a report of an abandoned container with unknown contents near a hiking trail in Clinton, Missouri. The following day, state responders investigated the container and reported elevated readings within the container. The container was secured and signage was added. State responders then requested assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 to further sample and dispose of the container's contents.
On June 26, one lead EPA Region 7 On-Scene Coordinator (OSC), an additional OSC, and contractors arrived at the site. Air monitoring instruments were used to better characterize the contents. Low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and possible sulfur-containing compounds were identified. Additional screening showed the material had a neutral pH and dissolved in water. The container was sealed with a permanent cap, removed from the site, and staged to await lab results for future disposal.
Lab results were received in late July and confirmed the material as non-hazardous. Through coordination with state agency partners, an approved landfill was identified. On Aug. 4, the material was transported to the Waste Management landfill in Johnson County, Kansas.
No additional work is warranted at this time.
