v>EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Site Redevelopment Profile Battery Tech (Duracell-Lexington) Site 305 New U.S. Highway 64 East Lexington, North Carolina 27292 Property Overview Size 145 acres Current Site Uses • Piedmont Candy currently uses the Former Plant 3 building and asphalt parking area for warehousing and distribution of candy products. Use Restrictions • A 2002 Declaration of Restrictive Covenants prohibits residential land use and any significant disturbance of the surface or subsurface soil. • In 2017, the 2002 Declaration of Restrictive Covenants was removed from the parcel containing Former Plant 3, as this parcel was deemed free of residual contamination. NORTH A map of the site in North Carolina. Surrounding Population 2,351 22,417 1 MILE 3 MILES 36,505 5 MILES Site History and Redevelopment Timeline 1960s P.R. Mallory began operating a battery manufacturing facility at the site. 1980 Duracell acquired P.R. Mallory and reported contamination at the site to EPA. 1982 Duracell started remedial investigation and feasibility studies (RI/FS) at the site. 1999 EPA selected a cleanup plan for contaminated soil and sediment (OU1). 2002 EPA selected a cleanup plan for contaminated groundwater (OU2). PRP began cleaning up OU1; site owners recorded a Declaration of Restrictive Covenants for OU1. 2003 PRP designed the cleanup; PRP began cleaning up OU2. 2004 PRP finished cleaning up OU1. 2006 Duracell ended battery manufacturing operations at the facility. 2007-2008 Demolition of Plant 1 and Plant 4 completed. Tower Investments bought the parcel containing the Former Plant 3. 2015 Piedmont Candy Company bought property at the site for warehousing and distribution of candy products. 2017 EPA issued an Explanation of Significant Differences to rescind the 2002 Declaration of Restrictive Covenants from the parcel containing Former Plant 3, where Piedmont Candy operates. Present Piedmont Candy continues to operate on the Former Plant 3 parcel. JCR Investment Properties is considering additional redevelopment of adjacent parcels. October 2020 o ------- History and Cleanup Since the 1980s, EPA has worked together with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) and the site's potentially responsible parties (PRPs) to clean up the Battery Tech (Duracell-Lexington) site and return it to use. Today, it supports commercial reuse, and discussions are underway regarding redevelopment of additional site areas. Beginning in the 1960s, operations at the facility included production of mercury compounds for battery cells and operation of a mercury retort furnace that released an estimated 10,000 pounds of mercury into the air. Former operations at the site used solvents to clean tools, dies, presses and battery cells, and then discharged these solvents into a seepage pit. The battery manufacturing operations resulted in mercury and volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination in soil and groundwater at the site. Runoff from the facility area also resulted in mercury contamination in the sediment of a nearby tributary. In the 1980s and 1990s, Duracell conducted a series of investigations and removal actions under the guidance of the state and EPA. EPA and the PRPs signed a Unilateral Administrative Order (UAO) in 1995 to perform the site's remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS). The PRPs agreed to conduct the RI/FS and pay associated costs as outlined in the UAO. Although the site was not listed on the Superfund program's National Priorities List, EPA addressed the site in a similar manner. Due to the site's complexity, EPA divided the site into two operable units (OUs). OU1 consists of contaminated soil and sediment. OU2 consists of contaminated groundwater. From 2002 to 2004, the PRPs worked with EPA and NCDEQ to clean up OU1, including excavation and treatment of contaminated soil and sediment, capping of some excavated areas, and long-term monitoring. The PRPs are addressing OU2 contaminated groundwater with a groundwater treatment system. Groundwater treatment started in 1983. Installation of additional recovery wells and expansion of the treatment system has occurred several times, with the last expansion taking place as part of OU2 cleanup activities. Duracell stopped battery manufacturing operations at the facility in 2006. Demolition of Plant 1 and Plant 4 at the facility took place in 2007 and 2008. In 2015, the PRPs performed a study to evaluate whether in-situ chemical oxidation techniques in the contamination source areas could reduce the amount of time it takes to achieve cleanup levels. The former Duracell facility at the site (left), demolition of on-site buildings (center), view of the site following demolition (right). o ------- Redevelopment Duracell sold three parcels totaling 38 acres, including the 10-acre parcel containing the Former Plant 3, toTower investments in 2007.Tower Investments then sold these three site parcels to JCR Investment Properties in 2015. JCR Investment Properties is owned by the President- CEO of Piedmont Candy Company. Piedmont Candy Company expanded its operations in 2015, allowing the company to expand its product line, hire new employees and create jobs in the community. Piedmont Candy currently uses the Former Plant 3 building and asphalt parking area for warehousing and distribution of candy products. JCR Investment Properties is exploring possible additional redevelopment opportunities on surrounding parcels. The site's successful cleanup and reuse shows how effective partnerships and collaboration between diverse site stakeholders can transform formerly contaminated Superfund sites into areas that provide opportunities and economic benefits for the surrounding community. 40 million gallons of contaminated groundwater treated 1,500 pounds of VOCs removed from contaminated water 160 pounds of mercury removed from contaminated sediment 30,000 pounds of soil containing mercury removed Contacts For more information, please contact: Chelsea Sebetich | (202) 566-1151 sebetich.chelsea@epa.gov Scott Miller | (404) 562-9120 miller.scott(5)epa.aov Plant #3 A historic aerial view of the site. For more information see: www.epa.gov/superfund-redevelopment ------- |