BACKGROUND
The Carter Carburetor site was operated by the Carter Carburetor Corporation and Carter Automotive Products, both of which were subsidiaries of ACF Industries, Inc., from the 1920s until about 1984. The plant consisted of several multi-story manufacturing, testing, office, and warehouse buildings that occupied approximately 480,000 square feet of space. During its operational life, the plant manufactured carburetors for gasoline- and diesel-powered engines. Though exact employment figures are unavailable, the Carter Carburetor plant was a source of significant employment for the neighborhood from the 1930s until it ceased operations in 1984.
During the manufacturing process, aluminum and zinc were diecast and machined into carburetor components, which were then cleaned, treated with protective coatings, and assembled into carburetors on the premises. Although numerous chemicals were used in the manufacturing process, the more predominant contaminants found at the site include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and trichloroethylene (TCE). The primary PCB contamination at the site was due to Pydraul, a hydraulic fluid used primarily in the die cast machines. TCE was a common industrial solvent primarily used for cleaning and degreasing carburetor components. In 1984, ACF Industries, Inc. closed the site and dismantled much of the equipment.
CLEANUP ACTIONS
EPA initiated several removal actions at the site and overseen work performed by ACF Industries. These cleanup actions have included demolishing the former diecast building and placing a temporary cap on the diecast soils; constructing a security fence to prevent exposures to individuals who entered the former dilapidated buildings; and asbestos and debris removal to prepare the buildings for demolition.
Additionally, ACF Industries oversaw the excavation of highly-concentrated soils from the diecast area and disposed of the soils off-site. The former CBI building was demolished and lower-level, PCB-impacted debris and soils were placed into the excavated diecast area as beneficial reuse backfill. The diecast area was then capped to prevent disturbance of the soils beneath. The TCE aboveground storage tank area was addressed using in-situ thermal desorption.
COMMON QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: How long will the site continued to be monitored by EPA?
EPA ANSWER: EPA concluded its work at the Carter Carburetor site in St. Louis in 2020. Parcels within the site are owned by the Boys and Girls Club and the Land Reutilization Authority, an entity within the City of St. Louis. The majority of the site, owned by the Boys and Girls Club, does not require monitoring, as no contaminants were left at the parcels owned by the Club. The former diecast area, owned by the Land Reutilization Authority, has monitoring requirements set forth in the environmental covenant covering that parcel of land. EPA and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) receive an annual monitoring report on the status of the cap area to ensure it is still meeting the requirements set forth in the environmental covenant.
Q: Are there restrictions regarding digging on the site?
EPA ANSWER: Yes, as part of the environmental covenant, there are digging restrictions.
Q: Were any ‘special’
materials used at the site? Were membranes laid under the new soil
used to replace the soil that was removed?
EPA ANSWER: Yes, there was a membrane used to cover the old diecast area. This membrane, or cap, was designed and constructed to limit infiltration and prevent human exposure to impacted demolition debris and residual PCB-containing material placed in the diecast area excavation. Post-cleanup sampling at the remainder of the site confirmed that no contamination was left in place at the remainder of the site and thus no caps were needed elsewhere at the site. There are restrictions on the former diecast area covered under an environmental covenant with the Land Revitalization Authority of St. Louis. These restrictions include, for example, no digging or drilling.
Q: What material was
used for the cap in the old ‘die cast’ area? What is the life
expectancy of the cap material?
EPA ANSWER: The liner is a 40 millimeter barrier made of High Density Polyethylene. The potentially responsible party for the site, ACF Industries, is required to continually maintain the integrity of the cap, including the liner material.
Q: Are there plans in place to monitor leachate from the site?
EPA ANSWER: No.
Q: Are there monitoring wells? If so, how many and where are they placed?
EPA ANSWER: There are no monitoring wells are on site.
Q: Who should I contact if I have more questions about this site?
EPA ANSWER: Questions about this site should be directed to the Boys and Girls Club of St. Louis and the Land Reutilization Authority of St. Louis.
