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Stauffer Chemical Co. (LeMoyne Plant)
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: ALD008161176Location: Axis, Mobile County, AL
Lat/Long: 30.969430, -088.017500
Congressional District: 01
NPL Status: Proposed: 09/08/83; Final 09/21/84
Affected Media: Ground water, Sediment, Soil
Cleanup Status: Site cleanup activities are underway
Site Reuse/Redevelopment: Continued use - industrial
Site Manager: Michael Arnett (arnett.michael@epa.gov)
Site Background
The Stauffer Chemical (LeMoyne Plant) site is located in Mobile County in Axis, Alabama, approximately 25 miles north of the City of Mobile. The site is adjacent to the Stauffer Chemical (Cold Creek Plant) Superfund site. The two sites cover approximately 950 acres. The Cold Creek Plant encompasses about 220 acres and the LeMoyne Plant encompasses 730 acres.
The LeMoyne plant began operations in the 1950s manufacturing various hazardous chemicals and is currently owned by Akzo Nobel, Inc. The plant manufactures multi-product organic and inorganic chemicals including carbon disulfide, sulfuric acid, sulfur chlorides, monochloroacetic acid (MCA), sodium hydrosulfide and Crystex, a proprietary sulfur compound.
From 1965 to 1974, waste from the plant was placed in an unlined landfill located on the eastern side of the property. The waste included brine muds, plant refuse, used chemical samples, and absorption oil. The LeMoyne Landfill was closed in 1975 with an impermeable cap and liner.
From 1965 to 1979, a small portion of land on the western end of the LeMoyne site was leased by Stauffer to the Halby Chemical Company, which manufactured dye chemicals. A waste pond (the “Halby Pond”) was located in the southwest portion of the former Halby area, adjacent to the Norfolk Southern Railroad. Waste products and effluents, including thiocyanates, were reportedly held in this pond and eventually discharged to the adjacent Cold Creek Swamp.
The surrounding area is primarily industrial with a few residential communities within a few miles of the site.
Threats and Contaminants
Several ponds containing contaminated soils and/or sludges exist at the Stauffer sites. Ground water at the site is contaminated with carbon tetrachloride, carbon disulfide, thiocarbamates, and thiocyanate.
Site Cleanup Plan
Due to the size and complexity of the site, EPA identified four operable units (OUs): OU-1 (ground water). OU-2 (various contamination sources found at the site); OU-3 (contamination found in the 650-acre swamp adjacent to the plant); OU-4 (still being assessed and defined). OUs 1 and 3 are common operable units between the adjacent Stauffer sites.
The Record of Decision (ROD) for OU-1 was issued in 1989. The cleanup approach included:
- Modify existing ground water intercept and treatment system and install additional monitoring and extraction wells.
- Continue extracting ground water from the surficial aquifer via existing and additional extraction wells.
- Monitor ground water movement at the site to determine the adequacy of the cleanup activities.
- Ground water monitoring at the sites for 30 years.
The ROD for OU-2 was issued in 1999. Major components of the cleanup approach included:
- Construction of a soil flushing system in the former Halby area to accelerate the migration of contaminants from the subsurface soil into the ground water where contaminants will be remediated by the existing OU-1 treatment system.
- Monitoring of subsurface soil for cyanide and thiocyanate in the former Halby area on an annual basis.
- Institutional controls to restrict construction on the former Halby area until the subsurface soil performance standards are met and EPA determines that the site is available for unrestricted use.
The ROD for OU-3 was issued in 1993. Major components of the cleanup approach included:
- Excavation of contaminated soil from the Transition Zone area of the Cold Creek Swamp.
- Disposal of the soil in the Upper Arm Swamp Zone. Soil will be capped.
A ROD has not yet been developed for OU-4.
Cleanup Progress
All components of the ground water extraction system for OU-1 are currently in place and operating.
The Remedial Design for OU-2 has been completed. Currently the responsible parties are undertaking cleanup activities for OU-2.
In August 2008, EPA issued a Proposed Plan to amend the OU-3 ROD to replace the cleanup plan selected in the 1993 ROD. The amended ROD will now incorporate installation of an innovative on-site (in-situ) capping technology within the Upper Arm Swamp Zone and require an enhanced monitoring program for the swamp area.
The first Five-Year Review (FYR) for the ground water remedy (OU-1) was conducted in 1999, and confirmed that the remedy continues to be protective of human health and the environment. The second FYR, conducted in 2005, similarly found the remedy to be protective.
Site cleanup activities are being led primarily by potentially responsible parties (PRPs) with oversight by EPA.
Enforcement Activities
In 1986, the PRPs entered into an Administrative Order on Consent with EPA to perform a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS).
Stauffer Chemical contracted to conduct the RI/FS under a consent agreement with the EPA. In 1990, a Consent Order was executed under which PRPs agreed to perform the remedial design/remedial action for OU-1.Community Involvement
EPA has conducted a range of community involvement activities at the Stauffer sites 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, information meetings on cleanup progress and activities, public comment periods on changes to the cleanup plan, and a Community Relations Plan completed in 1985.
Most recently, a 60-day public comment period, ending on October 27, 2008, was held to receive comments on the proposed cleanup plan to amend the OU-3 ROD.
Future Work
The ground water extraction system for OU-1 will continue to operate.
An amended Record of Decision for OU-3 is expected to be finalized in 2009.
The next FYR will be conducted during 2010.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.
Satsuma Public Library5466 Old Highway 43
Satsuma, AL 36572
Administrative Record Index
- OU-1 (PDF) (8 pp, 450K, About PDF)
- OU-2 (PDF) (8 pp, 240K, About PDF)
- OU-3 (PDF) (14 pp, 555K, About PDF)
- OU-4 (PDF) (4 pp, 148K, About PDF)
For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office.