Mathis Brothers Landfill

• Site Profile
• Administrative Record Index (PDF): OU1 (24 pp., 1.0M), Amend. (4 pp., 153M)
• Additional Site Documents including Five Year Reviews, Records of Decisions (ROD) and Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD).
• 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 Mathis Brothers - South Marble Top Road Landfill Superfund Site ("Site") is located approximately 0.6 mile south of Highway 136 and 0.2 mile east of South Marble Top Road in Walker County, Georgia. The Site consists of 10 acres of undeveloped, forested land. Approximately 1.25 acres of this land had been cleared for the past landfill operation. The landfill configuration includes three disposal areas (Areas A, B, and C on Figure 2) which are estimated to be fifteen feet deep. Wastes disposed of at the Site include benzonitrile, dicamba, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, latex and carpet wastes.

In February, 1974, a milky discoloration was observed on the ground near the northeast portion of the landfill. On February 26, 1974, the State of Georgia's Environmental Protection Division (EPD) notified the Mathis Brothers to stop accepting latex wastes and industrial solid wastes, including benzonitrile and dicamba. In early February 1980, the EPD made a determination that the landfill did not conform to the pending statutory requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) and Georgia's Hazardous Waste Management Act and closed the landfill. On March 11, 1980, EPD officials met with Mr. Mose Mathis to discuss the closure requirements for the landfill. In January, 1984, the EPD requested that the Site be included on the Georgia State Superfund Program listing. The Marble Top Road Site was proposed for the NPL in January, 1987, and was listed on the NPL in 1989.

Cleanup Progress: Actual Construction Underway
In 1988, Velsicol Chemical signed an Administrative Order of Consent to conduct Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study. EPA issued its Record of Decision selecting the original remedy for the site in March 1993. EPA continued its enforcement activities by sending a Special Notice Letter to those identified as potentially responsible for the contamination at the Site. None of the potentially responsible parties were willing to enter into a Consent Decree to carry out the Remedial Design and Remedial Action (RD/RA). Accordingly, in August of 1993, EPA issued Unilateral Administrative Orders to implement the ROD to Velsicol Chemical, GAF Corporation, and Mydrin, Inc. Velsicol Chemical Corporation and Mydrin are currently conducted the RD/RA at the site in compliance with the Administrative Order.

In September, 1996, EPA issued a ROD Amendment based on new information presented during the Remedial Design. The revised remedy consists of excavation and off-site treatment or disposal of the majority of waste and debris from the site and on-site bioslurry treatment of the dicamba wastes. The amended remedy will provide the same level of protection in a more cost effective manner. Construction activities started in March 1997 and were completed in January 1998. The Remedial Action report was submitted by the PRPs and approved by EPA. A Preliminary Close Out report was prepared by EPA in September 1998.The first five-year review report was signed by the Director of the Waste Division in September 2002.  The report concluded that the remedial actions at the site are expected to be protective of human health and the environment upon attainment of groundwater cleanup goals.  The second five –year review report was signed by the Director of the Waste Division in September 2007.  The report concluded that the site currently protects human health and the environment because there is no current exposure pathway to contaminated groundwater at the site.  However, in order for the remedy to be protective in the long-term, institutional controls in the form of covenants restricting groundwater use need to be recorded on properties where contamination has spread above ROD cleanup goals. The next five-year review is scheduled for 2012.