The Lobeco Products site operated as a specialty chemical manufacturer for more than 40 years, from 1966 to 2009. The product lines included dyes, farm chemicals, drilling fluid chemicals, herbicides, pesticides, and general specialty chemicals.
The site was initially owned by Tenneco Chemicals, Inc. The Tenneco Chemicals Berkshire Color Division constructed the plant for the production of dyestuff intermediates in 1967. From 1974 to 1982 ACC owned the facility and operated as a manufactured chemical facility.
In 2009 the facility was sold at auction to Coastal Demolition. Coastal Demolition recovered an unknown amount of scrap from the facility, demolishing the reactor building in the process.
Based on violations of a State NPDES permit, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, ordered Coastal Demolition to cease operations.
In 2010, Coastal Demolition abandoned the facility.
Based on the presence of containers of hazardous substances in poor condition, EPA initiated an emergency action. In September 2012, EPA completed a removal of these containers. Further sampling of site soils and former waste impoundments found levels below EPA's removal managment levels. No further action by EPA's Removal Program is anticipated at this time.
