DEQ Investigates Unknown Liquid Dumped In OKC

The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality is investigating after multiple drums were found alongside a metro road with unknown liquid inside.

The discovery was made after Thanksgiving and reported by management across the street at Owens Corning.

Sixteen different 55-gallon drums were discovered by investigators who are still working to determine what is inside.

For DEQ officials and businesses nearby, it’s maddening.

“It’s not fair to other business owners who do things the right way and pay for proper disposal of the materials,” said criminal investigator Michael Freeman at the Department of Environmental Quality.

Freeman said nearby drinking water is safe.

“Fortunately, the property owners did build an earthen berm around the area to protect any materials from running off site,” said Freeman.

Investigators have taken several samples of the material inside the drums. Test result are expected sometime next week.

“One was like a black tarry substance, materials that actually leaked onto the ground with the consistently of road tar,” said Freeman. “Another was a thick material, almost the consistency of a real thick glue and one of the drums we opened yesterday had a material that was almost the consistency of water.”

Investigators are working several leads.

Security cameras are in use at the Owens Corning facility across the street.

If you have any information, you are asked to give the environmental complaint hotline a call at 800-522-0206.