The Cannon Drum Site is a former cotton mill located on 3.84 acres in a mixed-use zoning area. The coordinates of the site as measured from the front entrance to the property is N 33.65252 Latitude by W 83.72062 Longitude. The site was referred to EPA by the city of Social Circle. Residential homes are located within 100 feet to the west and south of the property. The mill operated at site from 1901 to 1982. In April 1994, the mill's main structure was severely damaged by fire. The property has since been leased, by the owner, to tenants for various types of business use. The most recent tenant used the property to store thousands (est. 5,000-10,000) of containers of mixed hazardous substances. Reports indicate the bulk of these substances were procured from the Department of Defense Surplus Warehouse. In 1997, the containers were abandoned at the site when business operations ceased at the property.
The abandoned substances include cleaning solvents, resins, adhesives, paint thinners, mercury amalgams, and some unknowns. Incompatible containers of hazardous substances are commingled and vary in size, type and degree of degradation. Evidence of vagrant trespass and vandalism was observed during EPA's reconnaissance of the site.
