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Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Blue Ridge Talc Company in Henry, Virginia

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Cleanup Status

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prepared a Statement of Basis (SB) to solicit public comment on its proposed remedy for the former Blue Ridge Talc Company, Inc. (Blue Ridge Talc) facility located on Route 606 in Henry County, Virginia (hereinafter referred to as the Facility or Site).  EPA did not receive any comments on the proposed remedy. The Final Decision and Response to Comments (FDRTC) was signed by EPA on June 6, 2016.  The FDRTC requires the compliance and maintenance of land and groundwater use restrictions to be implemented through institutional controls.

Based on the results from the two rounds of sampling, the environmental indicators have been met and were completed in August 2015.

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Site Description

Interactive Map of Blue Ridge Talc Company, Henry, Virginia


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The former 20 acre Blue Ridge Talc property was divided into 3 separate parcels over the years.  Blue Ridge Solvents and Coatings occupies approximately 9.7 acres, which is most of the former industrial portion of the former 20 acre site.  The site is situated in a rural town with a commercial grocery store across State Route 605 and residential houses/farms in the nearby vicinity. The site is located in both Henry and Franklin Counties, Virginia.  Blue Ridge Solvents manufactures and delivers industrial chemicals, paints, lacquers, thinners and powder coatings.  The facility also supplies water treatment chemicals to various states. 

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Contaminants at this Facility

Contaminants in groundwater are petroleum based compounds related to historical tank releases including naphthalene, benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene.

Petroleum based compounds in soil at the tank release areas have been addressed by the facility through removal actions during previous cleanup activities.

Ethylbenzene, toluene, and xylenes have been observed historically in soil within the “Seeps Area” located on the southern portion of the facility.

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Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility

Institutional Controls for the Blue Ridge Solutions Coating Parcel and the Mill Building restricted the use of land to non-residential use, require notification of EPA/VDEQ for any soil excavation discovery oil or soil saturated with oil, limit the use of groundwater and also new wells.

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Land Reuse Information at this Facility

This facility is under continued industrial use and also has unused parcels.

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Site Responsibility at this Facility

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of the VDEQ with assistance from the EPA Region 3.

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