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Avtex Fibers, Inc.
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EPA ID: VAD070358684
Location:
Virginia
Warren County
Front Royal
Warren County
Front Royal
Congressional District: 6th
Other Names: None
Last Updated: December 2012
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Contacts
Remedial Project Manager
Kate Lose
215-814-3240
lose.kate@epa.gov
Community Involvement Coordinator
Larry Johnson
215-814-3239
johnson.larry-c@epa.gov
State and Congressional Liaison
Jennie Saxe
215-814-5806
saxe.jennie@epa.gov
Bulletin Board
Questions
The EPA is dedicated to providing you with timely and accurate information about our work at this site. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact:
Larry Johnson 215-814-3239
On This Page
Related Links
Site Status
- Under the oversight of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), FMC Corporation (FMC) is performing various cleanup activities at the Avtex Fibers Site.
- In the former plant area east of the railroad tracks, all above ground structures have been removed.
- Soils exceeding the Operable Unit 10 cleanup standards have been excavated and shipped off-site to appropriate disposal facilities.
- The underground sewers have been removed.
- The remediation of the plant area east of the railroad tracks is complete and FMC is preparing a fianl report for EPA's approval.
- In the industrial waste basins area to the west of the railroad tracks, FMC is implementing the cleanup plans for the closure of 120-acres of disposal basins.
- EPA approved the Remedial Design for the Viscose Basins 9, 10 + 11 and Groundwater Leachate Treatment Plant on January 19, 2012. Construction began in May 2012.
- Throughout the Site, FMC is controlling erosion, collecting and treating contaminated storm water, and maintaining site security.
- In March 2008, EPA completed a five-year review (PDF) (45 pp, 2.34MB) for the Avtex Site to ensure that the cleanup continues to protect people and the environment. The next five-year review is scheduled for March 2013.
Background
- The Avtex Fibers Site, located in Warren County, Virginia is a 440-acre former manufacturing plant that produced rayon and other synthetics from 1940 until 1989.
- Approximately 15,000 people live within a 3-mile radius of the site, some of whom depend on ground water as a drinking water supply.
- Tons of rayon manufacturing wastes and by-products including waste viscose, zinc hydroxide sludge (sulfate), and fly ash and boiler room solids were disposed on-site in 23 impoundments and fill areas encompassing 220 acres.
- Waste disposal practices at the plant contaminated the groundwater under the Site and in residential wells across the South Fork Shenandoah River (River) from the Site.
- During operation of the plant, a significant amount of waste was disposed in impoundments situated within the 100-year flood plain of the River.
- In 1989, the Virginia State Water Control Board linked polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination in the River to the Avtex Fibers plant. Subsequently, Virginia revoked the plant's permit that allowed treated waste water to be discharged to the River. Shutdown of the Avtex Fibers plant followed this action.
Cleanup History
NPL Listing History
| Status: Final | Added: 1986 |
| Deleted: |
- Due to the magnitude and the complex nature of contamination at the Avtex Fibers site, it has been the subject of a number of removal and remedial actions.
- In 1989, EPA began removal activities at the Site to address various threats to human health and the environment when the facility was abandoned and continued removal activities as the vacant plant degraded.
- Actions focused on operating the wastewater treatment system to protect the South Fork Shenandoah River from untreated discharges, and removing or treating thousands of gallons of chemicals left in the deteriorating process lines, vessels and laboratories. EPA also removed the carbon disulfide storage impoundments.
- The severe deterioration of 17-acres of the manufacturing process area of the facility ultimately led EPA to determine that cleanup activities would be best accomplished by large-scale mechanical demolition of buildings to remove the remaining chemical residuals.
- In November 1997, EPA initiated demolition of buildings on the Site.
- By September 1998, EPA had completed the demolition and consolidated demolished rubble and waste materials into waste piles for later management.
- In 1999, EPA and FMC entered into a Consent Decree for work to be performed at the Site.
- Below is a detailed account of various actions being performed on the site.
- Time-Critical Removal Action (TCRA) Buildings:
- Under this TCRA, FMC sorted, segregated and characterized of demolition debris and waste materials generated during EPA’s demolition activities. Most of these materials were either cleaned for reuse on-site or transported off-site for recycling or disposal.
- In April 2006, material that could not be treated successfully was sent off-site for disposal.
- The final activities associated with this action were being implemented concurrently with the non-time critical removal action (NTCRA) for the remaining buildings and sewers and the Operable Unit 10 Plant Area Soils remedy.
- Non-Time-Critical Removal Action (NTCRA) Buildings:
- On December 20, 2001, to address the remainder of the plant area EPA signed an Action Memorandum for the decontamination of the remaining buildings and excavation of the remaining sewers.
- In September 2005, FMC completed decontamination of the remaining above ground buildings. Not only did this effort manage the remaining environmental threats associated with the buildings, it also facilitated the demolition of these buildings by the Army Corps of Engineers and reduced the costs associated with managing the demolition debris.
- In June 2005, excavation of the sewers was begun and has been completed with the exception of the sewers associated with the wastewater treatment plant.
- On December 20, 2001, to address the remainder of the plant area EPA signed an Action Memorandum for the decontamination of the remaining buildings and excavation of the remaining sewers.
- NTCRA Basins:
- On January 31, 2000 EPA signed an Action Memorandum for the closure of approximately 120 acres of industrial waste basins (Sulfate Basins 1 through 5 and the Fly Ash Basins), the Fly Ash Stockpile and the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) basins.
- The cleanup plan calls for the consolidation of wastes on site and provides for closure of the basins containing wastes using protective caps. The cleanup activities are facilitating the implementation of the Conservancy Park Master Plan that was developed for the future use of this portion of the Site.
- The conservancy park concept has been integrated into the cleanup activities by revegetating the cleanup areas with appropriate vegetation, construction of a pond and wetland area, and providing the frame work for future park trails.
- On January 31, 2000 EPA signed an Action Memorandum for the closure of approximately 120 acres of industrial waste basins (Sulfate Basins 1 through 5 and the Fly Ash Basins), the Fly Ash Stockpile and the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) basins.
- Operable Unit 10 (OU-10)
- In March 2004, EPA selected a remedial action cleanup plan for Viscose Basins 1 through 8, the on-site landfill (New Landfill) and the Plant Area Soils in the Record of Decision (ROD) for Operable Unit 10.
- The ROD calls for: capping the viscose basins and the on-site landfill, treating leachate and monitoring groundwater associated with the viscose basins; excavation of those Plant Area Soils that contain contaminants at levels that exceed the cleanup standards and provides for appropriate treatment or disposal of the soil.
- The excavation of the soils and the capping of Viscose Basins 1 through 8 is complete.
- In January 2006 EPA issued an Explanation of Significant Differences to expand the area being addressed as Plant Area Soils to include additional areas of concern that had been identified.
- In September 2006, the detailed technical plans to implement the cleanup of Plant Area Soils were completed.
- The Plant Area Soils cleanup is completed.
- In March 2004, EPA selected a remedial action cleanup plan for Viscose Basins 1 through 8, the on-site landfill (New Landfill) and the Plant Area Soils in the Record of Decision (ROD) for Operable Unit 10.
- Operable Unit 7 (OU-7):
- In January 2010, EPA selected a remedial action cleanup plan for ground water, surface water, and Viscose Basins 9 through 11.
- The major components of the selected remedy include: installation of a low permeability cap on the viscose basins; construction and operation of a ground water extraction and treatment system; extraction and treatment of leachate in the viscose basins; implementation of Institutional Controls; and, provision of water to impacted property owners on the west side of the South Fork Shenandoah River.
- EPA approved the the Remedial Design for the Viscose Basins 9, 10 and 11 and the Ground Water Leachate Treatment Plant in January 2012. Construction began in August 2012 and is expected to be completed in 2015.
- In January 2010, EPA selected a remedial action cleanup plan for ground water, surface water, and Viscose Basins 9 through 11.
Contaminants and Risks
- The principle contaminants found in groundwater are carbon disulfide, metals (arsenic and antimony, among others), phenols, and high pH.
- The principle contaminants that have been found in soil at concentrations exceeding the Site cleanup standards include metals (antimony, arsenic, and lead, among others), several polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons [benzo(a)pyrene, among others] and PCBs.
- Contaminant descriptions and risk factors are available from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, an arm of the CDC.
Documents and Reports
- To search an on-line database of all documents and reports on the Avtex Fibers, Inc site, go to EPA’s Administrative Record Database.
- All documents and reports can also be reviewed in person at these locations:
Samuels Public Library
538 Villa Avenue
Front Royal, VA 22630U.S. EPA Region III
1650 Arch Street-6th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 814-3157
Call for an appointment.
- Some of the site’s key documents of interest are accessible below.
- OU-7 ROD 1/13/2010 (PDF) (101 pp, 5.85MB)
Consent Decrees
-
07/09/1999 Proposed Consent Decree (PDF) (142 pp, 199K)
- Operable Unit 10 (July 31, 2003)
- Site Map (Figure 1) (PDF) (1 p, 164K)
- Viscose Basins 1-8 and New Landfill (Figure 2) (PDF) (1 p, 148K)
- Plant Area Soils Map (Figure 3) (PDF) (1 p, 236K)
- Site Specific Soil Cleanup Standards for Direct Contact and Ground Water Protection (PDF) (4 pp, 97.4K)
- Key ARARs for OU-10 Remediation Alternatives (PDF) (7 pp, 139K)
Five Year Report (PDF) (45 pp, 2.34MB)
Purchaser Agreement- February 2000 Proposed (PDF) (38 pp, 55.9K)
- Submit a FOIA Request
Get instructions on how to submit a FOIA request. $Fee$ for requests over 100 pages.
Photos, Maps and Diagrams
- Avtex Fibers Superfund Site Community Homepage
This website has a large collection of images.
Community Information
- This is Superfund: A Community Guide to EPA's Superfund Program (PDF) (12 pp, 1.1MB)
- Site Progress Profile — a quick reference sheet, linking to EPA's Headquarters.
- Community Involvement Plan (PDF) (58 pp, 813k)
- Federal Register
02/16/2000: Notice of Proposed Prospective Purchaser Agreement Pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as Amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act.
12/15/1998: Notice of Proposed Purchaser Agreement Pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as Amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act.
- Fact Sheets
February 2012 (PDF) (2 pp, 155k)
September 2009 (PDF) (2 pp, 282k)
September 1995
July 1996
December 1994
- Public Notices
August 2009 (PDF) (1 p, 87k)
June 1999 - "EPA Opens Public Comment Period for Avtex Fibers Superfund Site Proposed Plan"
July 1998
- Press Releases
07/09/1999: U.S., FMC SETTLE AVTEX FIBERS SUPERFUND LAWSUIT IN VIRGINIA $63 Million Cleanup To Pave Way For Community Redevelopment
02/23/1999: Stakeholder Group Forming for Input on Avtex Superfund Site
Reuse Information
- September 2006 marked the opening of the Skyline Soccerplex, the first completed redevelopment of the Site. FMC, EPA, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, and the local Economic Development Authority (EDA) worked together to clean up the 30-acre parcel of land and construct four soccer fields.
- The EDA is moving forward with the redevelopment efforts for a 160-acre commercial/industrial park east of the railroad tracks and a nature conservancy west of the tracks.
- Want more information about how to reuse a Superfund site?