The United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7 responded to a release of used vegetable oil at a grease recycling facility south of Cabool that threatened discharge to downgradient streams, including the Big Piney River. Although multiple off-site releases from facility have reportedly occurred over the past 6 months, the most recent incident resulted after heavy rainfall the previous week caused two holding ponds at the site to overflow into a drainage ditch and tributary to the Big Piney River, which is less than 2 miles from the site and flows through the south edge of Cabool. The incident was reported to the Missouri Department of Natural Resoucres (MDNR) by a local landowner.
On April 1, 2015, EPA was contacted by MDNR to request EPA open the National Pollution Fund to respond to releases of waste vegetable oil on site that threatened the Big Piney River. EPA responded to the scene and confirmed the imment threat posed by the site. The oil pollution fund was opened and MDNR was issued a PRFA to respond. MDNR has mobilized their cleanup contractor to address immediate threats posed by the site, to prevent further off-site release from threatening downgradient surface water bodies.
