COLUMBUS ? The agency responsible for approving buyouts of contaminated homes in Treece has approved several recent offers for families wanting to leave the former mining town.

The Treece Relocation Assistance Trust met Thursday to review about 30 buyout offers. The Environmental Protection Agency has allocated $3.5 million for the buyout.

The Joplin Globe reported that the trust approved closings for several homes, mobile homes, storage buildings and renters for a total of about $500,000.

The trust also said it will explore the possibility of having the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency conduct a hazardous household waste removal to expedite the eventual demolition of properties.

Treece, which has about 100 remaining residents is contaminated by waste left by about 100 years of lead and zinc mining.