EPA to Hold a Public Meeting About Proposed Plan to Clean Up Soil Contamination at Benfield Industries, Inc. Superfund Site in Waynesville, N.C.

From EPA:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 9, 2015

EPA to Hold a Public Meeting About Proposed Plan to Clean Up Soil Contamination at Benfield Industries, Inc. Superfund Site in Waynesville, N.C.

Contact: Davina Marraccini, 404-562-8293 (direct), 404-562-8400 (main), marraccini.davina@epa.gov

ATLANTA – On Tuesday, Jan. 13, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public meeting about plans to clean up residual soil contamination at the Benfield Industries, Inc. Superfund Site in Waynesville, N.C. The meeting will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Haywood Vocational Opportunities Building located at 172 Riverbend Street in Waynesville.

Residual soil contamination associated with the Benfield Site has continued to adversely impact groundwater since the original site cleanup activities were completed in 2001. The contaminants that have continued to be detected in the groundwater are associated with creosote, and their concentrations are above EPA's Maximum Contaminant Levels for drinking water. EPA has determined that these pose an unacceptable risk to the community due to the potential future use of the groundwater under the site as a potable source. No adverse impact on the ecosystem was identified.

EPA is proposing a two-step plan to clean up this residual contamination. First, hydrogen peroxide will be introduced into the groundwater to oxidize the contaminants into less harmful chemicals. Next, EPA will use microorganisms characteristic of the area to metabolize contaminants found in the soil, converting them into harmless end products. EPA estimates it will take three months to complete construction at a cost of $968,000. It is anticipated that the cleanup goal will be achieved within one to two years following construction.

EPA is soliciting public comments on the plan for 30 days beginning Jan. 13. A copy of the proposed cleanup plan and associated documents will be available as of Jan. 13 in the Administrative Record, housed at Town of Waynesville City Hall at 16 South Main Street.

Written comments should be submitted by Feb.12, 2015, to bornholm.jon@epa.gov or:

Jon Bornholm, EPA Remedial Project Manager

US EPA Region 4, Superfund Division

61 Forsyth Street SW

Atlanta, Ga. 30303

Community members interested in obtaining additional information about the Site are encouraged to contact Kerisa Coleman, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator, toll-free at 1-877-718-3752 or directly at 404-562-8831 or coleman.kerisa@epa.gov.

The Benfield Site occupies approximately 3.5 acres of a six-acre parcel along Riverbend Street, and was used for industrial purposes from 1904 until a fire destroyed they facility in 1982. Benfield Industries, Inc. began mixing and packaging bulk chemicals for resale at the property in 1976. Ten above-ground storage tanks of varying capacity (1,000 to 10,000 gallons) were located on the property, including two 10,000-gallon capacity creosote storage tanks and an 8,000-gallon methanol storage tank. Spills were reported to have occurred in the vicinity of these tanks. Other chemicals reported to have been stored on-site include: lacquer, paint thinner, de-natured alcohol, acetone, xylenes, toluene, and unused oil.

The Benfield Site was proposed for the National Priorities List (NPL) in June 1988 and was finalized in October 1989. Site cleanup activities began in 1997 with the on-site treatment of approximately 23,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil. Following the soil cleanup effort, a groundwater extraction system was installed. All construction activities at the site were completed in 2001. Between 2001-2007, the extraction system pumped out over 22 million gallons of groundwater which was treated through the town’s sewer system.