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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Cristex Drum Site Oxford, North Carolina

Introduction The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites the public to comment on a Proposed Plan (Plan) to clean up the Cristex Drum Superfund Site (Site), located in Oxford, NC. This fact sheet discusses EPA’s Proposed Plan to address the adverse environmental impacts resulting from Site-related contamination. The public is encouraged to comment on the Plan during the comment period. The Plan and associated documents related to Site activities are available in the Administrative Record of the Information Repository housed at the Richard H. Thornton Library located at 210 Main Street in Oxford, NC.

Background The 22-acre Cristex Drum Superfund Site is a former textile plant that operated from 1966 until 1986 (Figure 1). The Site is located in a predominantly industrialized area. During operations, the plant used an above-ground storage tank, oil-water separator, and a drum storage pad. A small lagoon was used for wastewater storage and treatment discharged into the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The lagoon represents a secondary source which received wastewater and spills by a surface water ditch. Spills at the Site were identified during regulatory inspections and were self-reported by the facility. Primary sources of soil, sediment, surface water and groundwater contamination include spills, leaks, and facility operations.

NPL and Remedial Investigation The Site was listed on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2013. EPA began the Remedial Investigation in 2014 to determine the nature and extent of the contamination. Soil, groundwater, surface water and sediment samples were collected as part of the investigation. Contaminants of concern (COCs) were found in soil, groundwater, and sediment; no COCs were identified in surface water.

EPA’S Preferred Cleanup Remedy Based on the conclusions of a 2016 Remedial Investigation report, the EPA determined that cleanup actions were required. Soil and groundwater contamination at the Site were classified into three contaminated media zones (Figure 2). The unsaturated zone (UZ) is contaminated with chlorinated VOCs from the surface soil to around ~ 20 feet below ground. The preferred cleanup plan for the UZ is soil excavation. Approximately 7,340 cubic yards of soil would be dug up to a depth of approximately 20 feet and removed from the Site to an approved landfill. The excavation would be backfilled with clean soil.

The saturated source zone (SSZ) encompasses contaminated soil beneath the former drum storage pad and groundwater extending down-gradient toward the lagoon and down to the water table from about 20 feet below ground to bedrock at a depth ranging from 60 to 90 feet. The preferred cleanup plan for the SSZ is electrokinetic-in situ chemical oxidation (EK-ISCO) with biobarriers. In the most highly contaminated parts of the SSZ, this remedy would inject chemicals from wells into the subsurface to permanently destroy chlorinated VOCs by chemical oxidation. A direct electrical current would be

April 2017

Public meeting scheduled to discuss the proposed

Cleanup Plan

Tuesday, May 2, 2017, 6:30pm at the Richard H. Thornton Library

210 Main Street Oxford, NC 27565

We want your comments! The EPA relies on public input to ensure the

concerns of the community are considered in selecting an effective remedy for each

Superfund Site. The public is encouraged to comment on the documents from:

May 2 to May 31, 2017

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applied to ensure an even distribution of the oxidants to improve effectiveness. In less contaminated parts of the SSZ, biobarriers would be used to limit migration of contaminants by permanently destroying contaminants flowing through the barriers by chemical reduction. The barriers would be created by injecting carbon and other chemicals from wells into the subsurface.

The dissolve plume (DP) encompasses a wider band of dissolved contamination in the fractured bedrock aquifer and in material adjacent to the SSZ.

The preferred cleanup plan for the DP is enhanced in situ bioremediation (EISB) biobarriers. Similar to the remedy for the outlying parts of the SSZ, this remedy would use chemical reduction to permanently destroy contaminants passing through the barriers. The barriers would be created by injecting emulsified oil from wells into the bedrock. Institutional controls (i.e. limits to land and groundwater use) will be placed on the property to reduce the likelihood that people would be exposed to contaminants in the future.

Public Comment EPA relies on public input to ensure the concerns of the community are considered in selecting an effective remedy for each Superfund Site. The public comment period runs from May 2, 2017, through May 31, 2017. The Administrative Record and Information Repository for the Cristex Drum Superfund Site, which includes the documents created to support these remedies are located at the Richard H. Thornton Library, 210 Main Street in Oxford, NC.

EPA will host a public meeting on Tuesday May 2, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. at the Regional H. Thornton Library in Oxford, NC. Representatives from EPA will present the details of the Proposed Plan to address the environmental impacts at the Cristex Superfund Site, and answer any questions the public may have regarding the preferred cleanup remedy. You may email your comments to stepter.beverly@epa.gov or, if you prefer to submit written comments, please mail them, postmarked no later than May 31, 2017, to Beverly Stepter at US EPA, 61 Forsyth Street, SW, 11th Floor, Atlanta Georgia 30303.

After EPA has received comments and questions during the public comment period, EPA will summarize the comments and provide responses in the Responsiveness Summary which will be part of the Record of Decision (ROD). The ROD will select the final remedial action and will provide the rationale of the selection.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

EPA Remedial Project Manager Beverly Stepter (404) 562-8816

stepter.beverly@epa.gov

EPA Community Involvement Coordinator Abena Ajanaku (404) 562-8834

ajanaku.abena@epa.gov

www.epa.gov/superfund/cristex-drum

Information Repositories Richard H. Thornton Library

210 Main Street

Oxford, NC 27565

U.S. EPA Region 4 Office Records Center 61 Forsyth St, SW

Atlanta, GA 30303

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Figure 1: Site Layout for Cristex Drum Superfund Site

Cristex Drum Site 500 W. Industry Drive Oxford, North Carolina 27565

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Figure 2: Contaminated Media Zone Designations for Cristex Drum Superfund Site