Benfield Industries, Inc.

• Site Profile
• Administrative Record Index: ESD (PDF, 1 pp., 9K)
• 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 Benfield site is located in Waynesville, Haywood County, North Carolina, and occupies approximately 3½ acres of a 6 acre parcel. The Benfield Industries, Inc. mixed and packaged bulk materials for resale. Products handled and stored at the Benfield facility included paint thinners, solvents, sealants, cleaners, de-icing solutions, and wood preservatives including creosote. The Benfield site was an active facility until April 1982 at which time a fire destroyed the majority of the structures and the entire operations. The Site was the focus of the several State lead investigations that confirmed contamination of the soils and groundwater. The site is surrounded by light industrial, commercial, and residential areas. Following the April 1982 fire, the State ordered the owner of the facility to remove all debris from the Site. In addition to removing all usable chemicals, fire debris, recyclable materials, and storage tanks, the site was to be covered with "clean" fill. The owner/operator complied with the State's order.

The Record of Decision, issued in July 1992, documented the contamination of soils and groundwater. Soils contain toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, benzo-a-anthracene, benzo-a-pyrene, benzo (B/K) flouranthene, chrysene, indeno (1,2,3-CD) pyrene, naphthalene, and pentachlorophenol. Groundwater contains benzene, chlorobenzene, 1,2-dichloropropane, vinyl chloride, xylenes, carbazole, benzo-a-anthracene, benzo-a-pyrene, benzo (B/K) flouranthene, chrysene, indeno (1,2,3-CD) pyrene, naphthalene, and pentachlorophenol, antimony, barium, beryllium, chromium, lead, manganese, nickel, and vanadium. The total volume of soil that needs remediation is 18,000 cubic yards. The volume of groundwater impacted by the Site is approximately 22 million gallons with the plume extending approximately 100 to 200 feet off-site.

Approximately 2,056 people live in the area of the site. The site poses an unacceptable future risk due to direct contact with the contaminants and possible consumption of the contaminated groundwater. Based on data collected during the remedial investigation and remedial design, the site is not adversely impacting Browning Branch which forms the western boundary of the site.

Cleanup Progress: Actual Construction Underway
The remedial action (RA), which was funded through the Fund, began in November 1997. During the summer of 1998, 13,500 tons of soils were land farmed in an on-site Land Treatment Unit (LTU). Amendments added to the soils were manure and hay. As not all the soils achieved the specified performance standards, some of this soil was treated during the summer of 1999. A total of approximately 12,000 tons of soil was treated during the summer of 1999. Approximately 6,000 tons did not achieve performance standards and required further treatment during the summer of 2000. The level of benzo-a-pyrene in some of the soil remained above the performance standard. In order to prevent direct contact, these soils were placed in the bottom of the excavations. All treated soils were returned to the excavation. Final grading and seeding of the Site occurred between September and October 2000. Construction of the groundwater extraction system began in February 2001 and was completed in April 2001. The system involves 2 extraction wells with the extracted groundwater being discharged directly into the City of Waynesville Wastewater Treatment Plant (sewer system) for treatment. As of December 2006, over 22 million gallons of groundwater have been extracted and discharged to the local sewer system. A Five-Year Review was conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and submitted to the Region in August 2003. The Five-Year Review evaluated the effectiveness of the implemented remedy to assure that the remedy is operating as anticipated in the ROD and remains protective of human health and the environment. A second five year review was completed in August 2008 and found the remedy protective. The review also recommends writing a ROD amendment to address the remedy change from pump & treat to monitored natural attenuation for this Site. The next five-year review is to be completed by August 2013.