Status Report for Atlantic Phosphate Works Site – Completion of the Non-Time-Critical Removal Action
The Atlantic Phosphate Works Site is a Non-NPL site located on Hagood Street in North Charleston, South Carolina. The Site is bounded to the north by the Stono Phosphate Works Site, and to the south by the Columbia Nitrogen Site. The predominant structures that are located on-Site today are the gas turbine generator buildings and the large aboveground storage tanks associated with the Hagood Steam Plant, currently operated by South Carolina Gas and Electric (SCE&G).
Phosphate fertilizer manufacturing occurred at the Site from 1900 to 1943. Environmental impacts associated with the former phosphate manufacturing include lead and arsenic contamination, as well as low pH conditions, in soil, sediment, and groundwater. By way of a corporate merger in 1999, the Exxon Mobil Corporation is successor in interest to former VCC phosphate-based fertilizer manufacturing activities at the Site.
The first phase of a Non-Time-Critical Removal Action (NTCRA) was initiated at the Site in December 2008, and involved the excavation, treatment, and off-site disposal of an estimated 15,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil located within the footprint of an area designated for new turbines. Phase 1 was completed in March 2009. The second phase of the NTCRA was initiated in July 2010, and involved the excavation, treatment, and off-site disposal of over 50,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and sediment. A chemical amendment was mixed with the backfill and placed below the water table to help reduce the levels of lead and arsenic in groundwater. EPA met with representatives from SCDHEC, ExxonMobil, and their consultants on December 9, 2010, to conduct the Final Inspection for the NTCRA. Demobilization was completed on December 17, 2010.
As part of the Post-Removal Site Controls, groundwater monitoring will continue at the Site in order to determine the effectiveness of the NTCRA. Lead and arsenic levels in groundwater are expected to decline within 5 to 10 years. Future land use restrictions will be placed on the property deed to prohibit anyone from using the impacted groundwater for drinking water purposes.
