IN 2000, EPA PERFORMED A FUND-LEAD TIME-CRITICAL REMOVAL OF BATTERY WASTE AND LEAD-CONTAMINATED SOIL. COST OF THE REMOVAL WAS APPROXIMATELY $1,000,000. WITNESS STATEMENTS LEAD TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE BATTERIES WERE FROM A FORMER BATTERY FACTORY LOCATED IN DUBUQUE, IOWA, APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES FROM THE SITE. THE BATTERY FACTORY WAS OPERATED FROM 1936-1957 BY GENERAL DRY BATTERIES, INC. THE CORPORATION WAS PURCHASED BY A CORPORATE PREDECESSOR OR OF DURACELL, INC IN 1956 AND SUBSEQUENTLY SHUT DOWN IN 1957. THE BATTERIES RECEIVED FROM GENERAL DRY BATTERIES WERE CRACKED AND PROCESSED BY AN INDIVIDUAL AT THE SITE TO RECLAIM THE ZINC. THE ZINC WAS SOLD AND INCORPORATED INTO A GALVANIZING PROCESS.