Mid-Atlantic Corrective Action

Ashland Inc.
(Formerly: Ashland Hercules Water Technologies)

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• Site Description
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EPA ID: VAD003122165
Location:
27123 Shady Brook Trail
Courtland, VA 23837-2034
Property Area 120 acres
Congressional District: 4
Other Names: Hercules Incorporated
Ashland Herecules Water Tech.
Last Updated: October 2012

Contacts

Bulletin Board

Status

In October 1999, Hercules entered into a Facility-Lead Agreement with EPA for RCRA Corrective Action.  Hercules agreed to conduct environmental investigations at the facility and perform any remediation.  In October 2010, Hercules entered into a RCRA 3013 Order on Consent with EPA to finish the Corrective Action at the Courtland, VA Facility.

Hercules completed most of the site characterization and remediated several solid waste management units (SWMUs). The first phase of site characterization and limited remediation is documented in a Release Assessment (ERM; March 1999) and the second phase of site characterization is documented in a Release Assessment Addendum (GES; January 2002). 

Site characterization data indicate that onsite soil and groundwater at different manufacturing units contain 1, 2 -dichloropropane (PDC), benzene, acetone, heptane, phenols, petroleum hydrocarbons, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and organic peroxides.

Groundwater remediation of organic peroxides in the Vul-Cup area is on-going.  An investigation into potential sources of groundwater contamination beneath the Vulcup area resulted in upgrading some of the Vul-Cup equipment.  In September 2011, Ashland Hercules began upgrades to the existing groundwater system (air-sparge) and are reporting results to EPA quarterly.   

EPA approved sampling plans for four additional focused investigations.  Hercules completed groundwater sampling of private wells located around the facility and found no site-related compounds.  In 2010, Hercules stabilized, excavated and removed the sludge in the pits and lagoon in the West Area.  In 2010, EPA and Hercules will evaluate the site characterization data to determine if Groundwater Releases at the facility are controlled.  Final investigative work should be completed in 2011-2012 and the final site remedy should follow.

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Site Description

Since 1955, the facility has been a chemical processing plant producing rosin, fatty acids and organic peroxides.  The primary raw material used at the facility is Tall Oil derived from the wood pulping industry. Historically, Hercules managed wastes in on-site landfills, a spray field, lagoons and pits, but discontinued these waste disposal methods in favor of upgraded waste handling. The current processes generate wastewater, non-contact cooling water, biological sludge and spent solvents from the on-site quality control laboratory.  The wastewater treatment plant was upgraded and produces little sludge, which is shipped off-site under VADEQ permit.  The lagoon and sprayfield are no longer used, and the lagoon and sludge were stabilized removed from the West Area to an off-site commercial landfill in 2010.

In 2001, Hercules sold two of the three business units that operate at the facility while maintaining ownership of the facility property.  The tall oil distillation unit and Pamolyn unit (rosin manufacturing) was sold to Eastman Chemical Company and the organic peroxides unit (Vul-Cup) is now owned by Arkema, Incorporated.  Hercules retained the Aqualpel manufacturing unit. In November 2008, Ashland Chemical Company acquired Hercules, Inc. and owns the Aquapel unit.  In 2008, Eastman Chemical discontinued the tall oil distillation process at the Facility.  Hercules, Incorporated retains responsibility for past site releases.

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