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Palmetto Recycling, Inc.
National Information
Photos/Multimedia
Site photo goes here
- Additional Site Photos
- Site Video
Additional Resources
- Site Cleanup Terms - can be found in EPA's glossary
- EPA Guides to Cleanup Technologies
- Superfund Community Involvement (PDF) (17 pp, 130K, About PDF)
Site Summary Profile
EPA ID: SCD037398120Location: Columbia, Richland County, SC
Lat/Long: 34.122800, -081.011700
Congressional District: 06
NPL Status: Proposed: 01/22/87; Final: 07/22/87; Deleted: 10/13/2000
Affected Media: Soil
Cleanup Status: Deleted from the NPL - physical cleanup activities have been completed
Site Reuse/Redevelopment: Currently unused
Site Manager: Yvonne Jones (jones.yvonneo@epa.gov)
Site Background
The Palmetto Recycling, Inc. site occupies 1.5 acres located approximately eight miles north of Columbia, South Carolina, in rural Richland County. The site is bounded by Koon Store Road (State Road S-40-61) to the south, an unnamed dirt road (and farther removed, Dry Fork Creek) to the east, an unnamed tributary of Dry Fork Creek to the north, and a residence to the west. Activities involving the reclamation of lead from batteries took place at the site from 1979 to 1983. In 1983, Palmetto Recycling filed for bankruptcy.
Approximately 100 people live in the area of the site. More than 100 people participate in recreational activities downstream of the site.
Threats and Contaminants
In the early 1980s, the South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control (SCDHEC) confirmed the presence of lead, barium, and chromium in a nearby stream and in on-site soils. SCDHEC also noted the presence of a 5-foot deep, unlined acid pit containing 1,800 gallons of acid waste at the site, as well as 100 drums of caustic waste and an unstabilized pile of battery casings. Following removal actions conducted between 1983 and 1985, lead in soil was identified as the primary contaminant of concern.
Site Cleanup Plan
EPA issued a Record of Decision (ROD), describing the cleanup approach for remaining site contamination, in 1995. Major components of the cleanup approach included:
- Excavation and proper disposal of contaminated surface soil.
- Backfilling and landscaping the excavated area.
- Ground water monitoring on an annual basis for at least five years.
- Additional soil sampling in adjacent residential yards and from the dirt road that borders the site to the east to confirm the absence of soil contamination through off-site migration.
Cleanup Progress
In 1984, 10,800 gallons of contaminated water were collected and transported off site.
Later in 1984, approximately 100 drums containing liquid caustic waste were removed from the site.
In 1985-1986, 365 tons of soils were removed from various areas on site and placed in off-site landfills.
The cleanup action, as specified in the 1995 ROD, was completed in 1999. This included the excavation of 947 cubic yards of material.
As of May 2000, no hazardous substances remain on site above health-based levels that prevent unlimited use and unrestricted exposure. As a result, EPA deleted the site from the National Priorities List during October 2000.
The Five-Year Review for the site, completed in 2004, found that the cleanup goals established in the 1995 ROD for soil have been met. In addition, ground water monitoring indicates that the ground water concentrations for lead are below the health-based level of 15 parts per billion. All immediate threats at the site have been addressed and the cleanup approach is protective of human health and the environment under current conditions, which are not expected to change.
Site cleanup activities were led primarily by a potentially responsible party (PRP) with oversight by EPA.
Enforcement Activities
In 1992, EPA negotiated with PRPs to conduct the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS). An agreement was not reached between EPA and PRPs. Therefore, EPA conducted RI field activities between 1993 and 1994.
The original site owners/operators are bankrupt. The list of generators includes approximately 140 parties, most having supplied a minimal number of batteries for recycling. One PRP entered into negotiations with EPA to perform the work to satisfy its liability for past costs. A Consent Decree between the PRP and EPA and was entered in the Federal District Court in Columbia in 1997.
Community Involvement
EPA has conducted a range of community involvement activities at the Palmetto Recycling, Inc. site to solicit community input and to ensure that the public remains informed about site activities throughout the site cleanup process. Outreach activities have included public notices and information meetings on cleanup progress and activities.
Future Work
No additional Five-Year Reviews are required for the site.
No further updates are warranted at this time.
Site Administrative Documents
Site Repository
For more information or to view any site-related documents, please visit the site information repository at the following location. As new documents are generated, they will be placed in the information repository for public information.
Northeast Regional Library
7490 Park Lane Road
Columbia, SC 29223
For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office.