Region 3 GPRA Baseline RCRA Corrective Action Facility E.L DuPont de Nemours & Co., Inc 1 Dupont Road Martinsville, VA 24112 Congressional District 5 EPA ID#: VAD003114865 Last Updated 12/20/2005 Current Progress at the Site Under EPA direction, DuPont continues to make progress towards completing environmental investigations at this manufacturing facility located about 20 miles east of the Blue Ridge escarpment in the Piedmont region of south central Virginia. The facility initiated operation in 1941 manufacturing nylon fibers for use in the textile industry. The nylon manufacturing operations ceased on June 29, 1998. Equipment components used in the production of the textile fibers continue to be manufactured on site. In July 1991, EPA issued a RCRA Permit for Corrective Action and Waste Minimization (Corrective Action Permit). This permit expired in February 1996 when the site eliminated the need to be classified as an operator of a hazardous waste storage facility. DuPont is currently performing corrective action activities under an informal agreement with the EPA to continue the process consistent with permit structures. In September 1997, DuPont initiated a RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) to obtain detailed information concerning three solid waste management units (SWMUs) and two areas of concern (AOCs) at the site. This detailed information is necessary to determine if cleanup is required to protect human health and the environment from unacceptable risks. In 1993, DuPont implemented a Verification Investigation (VI) to rapidly verify the presence of hazardous constituents at the five SWMUs and two AOCs, identify any suspected releases, and screen from further investigation any SWMUs or AOCs which do not pose a threat to human health and the environment. At the completion of this investigation, two SWMUs were eliminated from further actions for the site. The Phase I (1997) and Phase II (1998) RCRA Facility Investigations were completed, and a RFI Update Report was submitted to EPA in 2000. The RFI results identified the soils at the former acid disposal area as a contaminant source to downgradient groundwater and surface water. After the completion of full-scale pilot projects for soil vapor extraction and zero-valent iron (ZVI) treatment remediation technologies in 2001, the ZVI treatment was selected for an Interim Measures implementation at the former acid disposal area. The treatment of the contaminated soils was completed in late 2002, and a monitoring plan has been established to determine the long-term effectiveness of the Interim Measure on downgradient groundwater and surface water. Dupont submitted a workplan in January 2004 to EPA for collecting additional groundwater information to help satisfy the Environmental Indicators (CA 725 and CA 750). Specifically, EPA requested Dupont evaluate if contaminated groundwater from the Site could be migrating offsite beneath the Smith River to the areas south of the river. Monitoring wells were installed at three locations and three depths at each location across the Smith River from the plant in May 2004. Results ------- from the monitoring wells did not indicate any contamination in the wells. DuPont should also complete the donation of the former DuPont wildlife habitat area to Henry County later this year. The former DuPont wildlife habitat area consists of two separate tracts of land totaling approximately 46.3 acres along the east border of the property. One tract encompasses approximately 30.1 acres of forested hillside while the other tract consists of approximately 16.2 acres of relatively flat, wooded river terrace along the northern bank of the Smith River. This property includes walking trails and streams and teams with diverse flora and fauna. DuPont submitted a workplan in July 2005 to address data gaps in soil and groundwater at the site. The investigation was conducted thru the summer into the fall. Results should be available in 2006. Site Description Located on DuPont Road in Henry County, Martinsville, Virginia, the DuPont facility has been part of this Piedmont region community since the early 1940s. The site is situated within a stream meander of the Smith River, and covers approximately 550 acres. There are over 200 feet of topographic relief across the site. Various types of waste have been generated and managed at the DuPont facility including nylon wastes, coal ash, spent finish oil, spent nitric and formic acids, and laboratory chemicals. Site Responsibility RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of EPA Region 3 with assistance from the State. Contaminants Volatile organic compounds are the main constituents detected in groundwater at the site. These compounds primarily consist of solvents including carbon tetrachloride, tetrachloroethene and trichlorethene. Community Interaction Over the past year, the DuPont site has had several meetings with the City of Martinsville and the Henry County to update them concerning the status of the Corrective Action process. This information has also been communicated through the Martinsville/Henry County Local Emergency Planning Committee and the Community Awareness Emergency Response Committee. ------- Institutional Controls No institutional controls are currently in place. Government Contact EPA Project Manager Mr. Michael Jacobi - 3WC23 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region III 1650 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029 Phone: (215)814-3435 Email: jacobi.mike@epa.gov For more information about EPA's corrective action webpage, including Environmental Indicators, please visit our site at: www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/correctiveaction.htm To learn more about DuPont facilities in Virginia, please visit their website at: www.virginia.dupont.com (exit EPA) Facility Contact Ms. Althea Haylett E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., Inc Spruance Plant P.O. Box 27001 Richmond, VA 23261 Phone: (840) 383-3895 Email: althea.t.haylett@usa.dupont.com Kevin Garon, Project Director DuPont Corporate Remediation Group 6324 Fairview Road Charlotte, NC 28210 (704) 362-6635 phone (704) 362-6636 fax Email: kevin.p.garon@usa.dupont.com ------- |