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FCX, Inc. (Washington 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: NCD981475932Location: Washington, Beaufort County, NC
Lat/Long: 35.559580, -077.074450
Congressional District: 03
NPL Status: Proposed: 06/24/88; Final: 03/31/89
Affected Media: Ground water, Surface Water
Cleanup Status: Construction Complete - Physical cleanup activities have been completed.
Site Reuse/Redevelopment: Potential for Public Services - A portion of the site will be used for a highway bypass.
Site Manager: Bill Joyner (joyner.bill@epa.gov)
Site Background
The Farmers Cooperative Exchange (FCX) operated a farm supply distribution center on the 12-acre FCX-Washington site, located in Washington, Beaufort County, North Carolina, from 1945 to 1985. The distribution center repackaged and sold pesticides, herbicides, and tobacco-treating chemicals. In the early 1970s, a large trench was filled with pesticide wastes and other agricultural chemicals. The company filed for bankruptcy and began liquidating its assets in 1985.
Threats and Contaminants
The contaminants in the disposal trench included dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), chlordane, mercury, and volatile organic compounds. These chemicals moved from the trench into shallow ground water connected to the underlying aquifer. This deeper aquifer is the major source of drinking water in the area. Approximately 2,850 people obtain their drinking water from wells within three miles of the site.
Site Cleanup Plan
The cleanup plan for the FCX-Washington site covered two operable units (OUs): OU-1 (ground water) and OU-2 (source soil).
The Record of Decision (ROD) for OU-1 was issued in 1993. Major elements of the cleanup plan included:- Extraction of ground water that is contaminated above Maximum Contaminated Levels or the North Carolina Ground Water Standards, whichever is more protective.
- On-site treatment of extracted ground water via air stripping, carbon adsorption, precipitation, and ion exchange.
- Discharge treated ground water to surface water.
The ROD for OU-2 was issued in 1996 and EPA selected a remedy of No Further Action. The risk associated with this site has been calculated to be within the accepted risk range determined to be protective of human health and the environment.
Cleanup Progress
Between January 1989 and January 1992, EPA excavated approximately 15,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil. Thermal desorption treatment of the contaminated soils was completed in May 1996.
On September 8, 2005, the OU-1 ROD was amended to change the ground water remedy from pump-and-treat to monitored natural attenuation. Monitoring has shown that the concentrations of pesticides have generally decreased since 2004.
Site cleanup activities are being led primarily by EPA.
Enforcement Activities
In October and November of 1988, the EPA and the State of North Carolina joined in legal action to secure the remaining assets of the bankrupt FCX Corporation prior to their disbursement to the investors. The proceedings occurred within the Federal Bankruptcy Court in Raleigh, North Carolina.
On July 14, 1992, a Trust Agreement was entered, which provided that FCX could not abandon the property at the FCX-Washington site, and that a portion of the remaining assets were to be divided between the FCX-Washington site and the FCX-Statesville site.
On March 30, 1992, EPA entered into a consent decree with Fred Webb Inc. for additional cleanup funds. The remaining funds for the remedial action will come from Superfund dollars, based on site prioritization.
Community Involvement
EPA has conducted a range of community involvement activities at the FCX, Inc. Washington Plant 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, interviews, and public meetings on cleanup activities and updates.
Future Work
EPA is currently conducting an evaluation of the ground water natural attenuation remedy at the site.
Additionally, the North Carolina Department of Transportation is constructing a 15.5 mile improvement of the US 17 corridor, which includes four parcels of land on the FCX-Washington site. Construction of the highway bypass has required that several wells be replaced with temporary wells pending completion of the highway bypass construction.
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.
George and Laura Brown Library
122 Van Norden Street
Washington, NC 27889
Administrative Record Index
- OU-1 (PDF) (3 pp, 97K, About PDF)
- OU-2 (PDF) (2 pp, 71K, About PDF)
- Removal (PDF) (6 pp, 226K, About PDF)
For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office.