june 11 dnr letter to city of wausau

DNR Requests That Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate Be Added to City’s Testing of 1300 Cleveland Ave.


In a June 11, 2021 letter, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources conveyed to the City of Wausau that a broad analyte list is necessary to identify potential contamination at 1300 Cleveland Avenue given the historic practice of dumping hazardous substances at the site.

The DNR requested that compounds associated with lacquers and varnishes, specifically bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, be included in the ‘SIWP’ soil sample series as well as soil samples from the confirmation series.

Public records acquired from the government suggest that bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate was an ingredient in the Lacquer Sealer of Connor Forest Industries at the Wausau plant (see image below of Material Safety Data Sheet), and was supplied by Reliance Universal out of Zion, Illinois. Per government records, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate contamination had been identified at other properties of Connor Forest Industries in the past.

The full June 11 Letter from Mr. Matt Thompson of the DNR to Mr. Eric Lindman of the City of Wausau can be reviewed embedded below or through this link to the PDF on the DNR’s website.


20210611_198_Req_Addl_Info