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Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Eagle Natrium LLC (Formerly: PPG) in New Martinsville, West Virginia

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    Cleanup Status

    In 1989, EPA issued a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action permit to the company to proceed with site cleanup. EPA and the facility are working jointly to complete the requirements of the permit which include:

    • Conducting an RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) of 46 Solid Waste Management Units and 21 Areas of Concern to determine the extent and nature of any contamination
    • Implementing Interim Measures which included: removal of contaminated soil at four Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUS) capping one SWMU, implementing institutional controls at four SWMUS, and removing tanks at five SWMUS
    • Conduct a groundwater investigation including constructing a groundwater model
    • Conduct a Corrective Measures Study

    The final RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) report was submitted by Axiall in July 1998, for EPA.  EPA reviewed and approved the Final RFI with revisions.  A groundwater monitoring program has been approved and is presently in place. A Visualization of Groundwater Contamination Report was completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in December 2004.  This report provided information to help develop a groundwater management plan for the facility.  A Revised Site Assessment Report was completed for the Marshall Army Chemicals Plant, a Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) that is located on the Axiall property.  Information from this report helped to better characterize the contamination at the site.  During 2009, Axiall conducted evaluations of some groundwater remedial technologies for potential interim measures implementation.  Axiall is presently conducting field testing of in-situ remedial technologies.  Axiall completed a pore-water/sediment sampling event on the Ohio River in October 2012.  The results of that sampling effort were used to help develop the Final Remedy for this Facility.

    On May 12, 2014, WVDEP placed a public announcement requesting comments on the proposed Final Remedy for this site.  The thirty (30) day public comment period began on May 12, 2014, and ended June 13, 2014.  All comments received by West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) during the public comment period were reviewed and were addressed and incorporated into the Final Decision for this Facility.  The Final Remedy for the Facility consisted of: a No Further Action component, a groundwater component, and facility-wide Institutional Controls.  The No Further Action (NFA) component consisted of no further investigation of SWMUs that the data demonstrated a no unacceptable risk determination to human health or the environment.  The groundwater component requires groundwater monitoring until drinking water standards are met and maintenance of groundwater use restrictions at the Facility.  The last component of the proposed Final Remedy is Facility-wide non-engineering Institutional Controls.

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    Site Description

    Interactive Map of Eagle Natrium LLC, New Martinsville, West Virginia


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    Located in New Martinville, West Virginia, the PPG Industries Site encompasses approximately 400 acres with an additional 3200 acres of undeveloped property. The facility was built in 1943 for production of chlorine, hydrogen and caustic chemical products. PPG currently uses it for the production of inorganic and organic chemicals. The PPG Industries Site borders the Ohio River in an industrial development with several other facilities. The nearest community is located within one mile of the facility. In January 2013, facility ownership transferred from PPG to Eagle Natrium. Eagle Natirum has subsequently bought by Axiall Corporation.

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    Contaminants at this Facility

    The main contaminants in the groundwater and surface water are benzene, ethyl benzene, chlorobenzene, substituted chlorobenzene isomers and phenolic compounds.

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    Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility

    Institutional Controls include: 

    Groundwater at the Facility shall not be used for any purpose other than 1) industrial use and non-contact cooling water  and 2) the operation, maintenance, and monitoring activities required by WVDEP and/or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), unless it is demonstrated to WVDEP, in consultation with EPA, that such use will not pose a threat to human health or the environment.

    The Facility property shall not be used for residential purposes unless it is demonstrated to WVDEP, in consultation with EPA, that such use will not pose a threat to human health or the environment.

    All earth moving activities, including excavations, will be managed in accordance with the Soils Management guidelines identified in the Institutional Control Plan.

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    Land Reuse Information at this Facility

    The facility is under continued use.

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    Site Responsibility at this Facility

    RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility have been conducted under the direction of  EPA Region 3 with assistance from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.

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