Cleanup begins at Springfield's former Pillsbury Mills plant

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Work has started to remove asbestos from the long-abandoned former Pillsbury Mills plant in Springfield.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports (http://bit.ly/2lkjz6C ) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency crews have started a cleanup that's expected to take six months and cost $1.8 million.

Generations of workers made a living at the plant where products were made such as Pillsbury Best flour, Farina Health bran, grits and yellow corn meal. The 18-acre facility opened in 1929 and employed about 1,500 people at its peak just after World War II.

The plant closed in 2001.

The site has been a frequent source of complaints to Springfield police, fire and zoning officials. The EPA intervened to reduce health and safety hazards they say were getting worse because owners ignored legal efforts to force a proper cleanup.

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Information from: The State Journal-Register, http://www.sj-r.com