12/31/90: SYNOPSIS OF CASE: THE VERTAC CHEMICAL CORP. JACKSONVILLE PLANT, IS LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF MARSHALL ROAD, NEAR US HIGHWAY 67 IN JACKSONVILLE, AR. THE PLANT IS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO DOWNTOWN JACKSONVILLE. JACKSONVILLE IS APPROXIMATELY 12 MILES NORTH OF LITTLE ROCK, AR THE STATE CAPITOL. THE EAST AND WEST BRANCHES OF ROCKY BRANCH CREEK FLOW SOUTH ACROSS THE VERTAC PROPERTY, AND JOIN BEFORE FLOW- ING INTO BAYOU METO. 5OCKY BRANCH CREEK & BAYOU METO HAVE BEEN USED FOR FISHIG AND RECREATION. THE VERTAC PLANT PRO- PERTY WAS FIRST USED AS A FEDERAL MUNITIONS FACTORY DURING THE 1930'S. REASOR-HILL COMPANY, A NOW DEFUNCT COMPANY, PURCHASED THE PROPERTY IN 1948. REASOR-HILL BUILT MANUFACT- URING FACILITIES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF INSECTICIDES & HERB- ICIDES, AND BEGAN PRODUCTION OF THESE TYPES OF MATERIALS. HECRULES POWDER COMPANY, NOW HERCULES, INC., PURCHASED THE PROPERTY IN 1961, AND CONTINUED PRODUCTION OF HERBICIDES, INCLUDING 2,4-DICHLOROPENOXYACETIC ACID (2,4-D), 2,4,5-TRICH LOROPHEBOXYACETIC ACID (2,4,5-T) & 2,4,5-TRICHLOROPHENOXYPRO ACID (2,4,5-TP OR SILVEX ). HERCULES ALSO MANUFACTURED AGENT ORANGE FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DURING THE LATE 1960S. AGENT ORANGE WAS AN APPROXIMATELY ONE-TO-ONE MIXTURE OF 2,4,D, AND PRODUCED, FORMULATE AND /OR MARKETED THIS AND OTHER PRODUCTS UNTIL 1987.