Velsicol Chemical Corp. (Hardeman County)
Toone, Tenn.	
Site Description
Velsicol Chemical Corp. landfill is located in Hardeman County, Tenn. The site is a 24-acre landfill in
which approximately 130,000 drums of pesticide manufacturing waste were disposed in waste
disposal trenches from 1964 to 1973. These wastes contained dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor,
heptachlor epoxide, hexachlorocyclopentadiene, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including
carbon tetrachloride and chloroform. A 1,700-acre groundwater plume emanates from the disposal
areas and discharges into down gradient streams and wetlands. The primary contaminant in
groundwater is carbon tetrachloride. The groundwater contamination plume is estimated to be 2 1/4-
square miles in size.
Current Site Status and Cleanup Actions to Date
•	Beginning in the summer of 2008, EPA initiated a soil vapor extraction (SVE) pilot study for
the southwest disposal area at the site. Over a period of 28 months (approximately 10,000
operation hours), the SVE pilot test removed approximately 31,000 pounds of VOCs from the
area and provided site-specific data for design at the other disposal areas.
•	In September 2012, EPA issued an Amended Record of Decision (AROD) for the waste
disposal areas. The AROD has two major components: cap improvements and extensions
for the existing Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) geo-composite cap and a
full-scale SVE system for the middle and northern landfill disposal areas.
•	In October 2013, the preliminary design report for the cap extensions with drainage
improvements was issued.
•	EPA has determined that all unacceptable human exposure pathways have been eliminated,
and therefore, under current conditions, human exposure is under control site wide.
Unfunded Action
Fiscal year 2013 work that was not funded involved improvements to the existing landfill disposal
area RCRA cap and site preparation for SVE well installation, including road construction, filling and
grading for the landfill crest, surface runoff channels and subsurface drainage controls for all
disposal areas.
Current Funding Status
To date, EPA has not spent any funds for construction work at this site.
For more information on this site, please read the Velsicol Chemical Corp. (Hardeman County)
site information on the Region 4 Superfund web site.

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