NEPACCO
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Chemical manufacturing |
| Founded | 1966 in Stamford, Connecticut, United States |
| Defunct | 1976 |
| Headquarters | Stamford , United States |
Key people | Edwin Michaels (President), John W. Lee (Vice President), Ronald Mills (Shift Supervisor) |
| Products | Hexachlorophene |
NEPACCO, an acronym for the "North Eastern Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals Company," was established in 1966 in Stamford, Connecticut. The firm is primarily recognized for its involvement in the hazardous materials incident at Times Beach, Missouri.
The company's main manufactured product was hexachlorophene, which began production after NEPACCO leased a chemical plant located in Verona, Missouri, from Hoffman-Taff in 1969. This manufacturing process resulted in the creation of dioxin, a toxic compound notably associated with the Vietnam War defoliant Agent Orange. Initially, the dioxin was stored at the Verona site but was later disposed of improperly both on-site and through the actions of local waste contractor Russell Bliss.
Following the prohibition of hexachlorophene in 1972, NEPACCO halted its production activities. The company proceeded to sell off all assets by 1974 and was officially dissolved by the Delaware Secretary of State two years later, in 1976.
Top company officials Edwin Michaels (President), John W. Lee (Vice President), and Ronald Mills (Shift Supervisor) were held accountable for their involvement in the dioxin contamination linked to Times Beach.