A Rochester quarry held 1,800 tons of soil contaminated by a spill of benzene-spiked ethanol. Cedar Creek spread the soil into thin treatment cells and then mixed ferrous sulfate reagent into the soil.

The soil was wetted to dissolve the dry catalyst. A dozer then mixed the reagent into the soil, and hydrogen peroxide was then applied to the thin cells at full strength.

The reaction was complete after 15 minutes. Here, the soil on the right has been treated, while the soil on the left awaits reagent. The reddish color of the treated soil results from oxidation of the ferrous iron catalyst to ferric oxides, or rust. The treatment process resulted in an 86% reduction in ethanol concentrations, and required no further action.