Camilla Wood Preserving

Camilla Wood Preserving
EPA ID: GAD008212409
Location: Camilla, Mitchell County, GA
Congressional District:
NPL Status: Proposed: 03/06/98; Final 07/27/98
Project Manager
Site Repository:
Desoto Trail Regional Library
145 E. Broad st.
Camilla, GA 31730
Documents:

• Site Profile
• Administrative Record Index (All PDF): Removal ( pp., ), OU1 ( pp., )
• For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office (http://www.epa.gov/region4/foiapgs/submit.htm).

Site Background:
The site was a wood preserving facility constructed in 1947. A creosote wood preserving process was used for treating railroad ties and poles through the 1980's. In the 1970's, pentachlorophenol (PCP) was introduced as a preservative for the treatment of poles, and in the late 1980's became the exclusive preservative for poles. The facility discontinued manufacturing railroad ties in the late 1980's. Its wood treating operation ceased on February 26, 1991. The site contains contaminated soils and ground water with wood preserving materials. The site was proposed to the NPL list on March 6, 1998 and listed on July 27, 1998.

Cleanup Progress: Threat Mitigated by Physical Clean-up Work:
In 1991, EPA conducted an emergency response action at this site. The Camilla Wood Preserving site was secured by placing fence along the perimeter. Sampling indicated 35,000 cubic yards of onsite soils were contaminated. 95,000 gallons of onsite wastewater was treated. The sludge in an onsite impoundment was solidified. In 1994, EPA treated an additional 52,000 gallons of onsite water. 30,723 gallons of PCP and creosote were removed from onsite tanks and shipped off-site to a Chemwaste facility in Texas.  As of January 2007, a soil removal action is ongoing at the Site to excavate and remove contaminated soils to reduce contaminant levels of dioxins, pentachlorphenol, creosote, and carcinogenic polyaromatic hydrocarbons (CPAH) below removal action levels (RAL) for each pollutant of concern.   

This site is also currently undergoing the Remedial Investigation (RI)/Feasibility Study (FS) activities. The remedial investigation work plan was approved on March 24, 1998. Ground water, sediment and surface water sampling was conducted during the week of April 22, 1998. Over 200 samples of surface soil were taken during the week of May 18, 1998. Direct push sampling was conducted during the month of May 1999 to determine the plume boundaries. On September 21, 1998, EPA conducted two public information sessions to discuss with the community of Camilla the progress made at the site.  Phased investigations have allowed the Agency to focus on defining the boundaries of PCP and CPAH groundwater contamination.  The RI/FS is expected to be complete by July 2009.

There have Several remedial investigations of groundwater, soil, sediments and surface water from 2002-2009. From 2006-2008 a large soil removal action on the western half of the site allowed the site to be put back into use as soccer fields and a recreational vehicle park.