Leonard Chemical Company, Inc.
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: SCD991279324Location: Rock Hill, York County, SC
Lat/Long: 34.851660, -080.904160
Congressional District: 05
NPL Status: Proposed: 09/08/83; Final: 9/21/84
Affected Media: Ground water, Liquid Waste, Soil
Cleanup Status: Construction Underway - Physical cleanup activities have started.
Site Reuse/Redevelopment: Potential for Industrial or Residential
Site Manager: Robert West (west.robert@epa.gov)
Site Background
The 7-acre Leonard Chemical Company site, located in Rock Hill, York County, South Carolina, began operating as a hazardous waste treatment facility in the late 1960s. The primary treatment method used by the facility was distillation, and the resulting recovery residues were placed in various locations on the site. When plant operations ceased in 1982, approximately 3,400 drums and 11,500 gallons of various chemicals were left on the site. Materials included solvents, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), printing inks, polyester solids, still bottom residues, and filters for paint, water, and fiberglass.
Approximately 5,900 people live within a 4-mile radius of the site; 240 people live within one mile.
Threats and Contaminants
Numerous spills and leaks from former site activities and abandoned waste materials occurred at the site, resulting in soil and ground water contamination with metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and VOCs. Abandoned equipment and machines remained at the site, numerous sludges lay on the ground, and vegetation was spotty where chemical wastes and still bottom residues had been used as fill material.
Site Cleanup Plan
The Record of Decision (ROD) for the site was issued in 2001. Major cleanup elements for the site included:
- Institutional controls to temporarily restrict both the installation of wells for drinking water purposes and the development of the site for residential purposes. Access to the site will be ensured through administrative and/or judicial tools.
- Excavation and off-site disposal of surface soils exceeding the risk-based remediation goals.
- In-situ treatment of VOC contamination in subsurface soils using vacuum extraction to limit further contamination of ground water.
- In-situ sparging to remove VOCs from shallow ground water.
- In-situ treatment fence consisting of sparging or injection of a biodegradation enhancing compound to reduce deep ground water impacts and prevent off-site migration of ground water contamination.
- Ground water monitoring in shallow and deep aquifer zones to ensure the effectiveness of the treatment and barrier remedies.
EPA issued an Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD) on February 13, 2003 to modify the remedy selected in the 2001 ROD. The primary reason for the ESD was to update the remedial goals for subsurface soil constituents based on site-specific leach tests conducted by the potentially responsible parties (PRPs) and reviewed by EPA. In addition, two typographical errors were corrected.
Cleanup Progress
In 1983, the PRPs retained a contractor to remove wastes from the site, under the oversight of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. Approximately 80% of surface wastes were removed in this removal action.
The PRP group conducted a remedial investigation of the site including monitoring well installation and sampling, subsurface soil sampling, and stream and sediment sampling. Additional field work was conducted to determine the extent of ground water contamination both on and off site.
The final remedial design was completed in March 2009 and a remedial action workplan was submitted to EPA in summer 2009. Remedial action activities will commence once EPA approves the workplan.
Enforcement Activities
Under a 1983 court order, Leonard Chemical Company cannot resume site operations without prior approval of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
On December 13, 1990, EPA issued an Administrative Order on Consent to the PRPs for performance of a remedial investigation and feasibility study.
In July 1991, a Consent Decree was entered by the Court triggering the initialization of field investigations by PRP contractors
Community Involvement
EPA has conducted a range of community involvement activities at the Leonard Chemical Company, Inc. 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
Remedial activities will commence once EPA approves the remedial action workplan.
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.
York County Library
138 E. Black Street
Rock Hill, SC 29731
Administrative Record Index
- OU-1 (PDF) (4 pp, 241K, About PDF)
- ESD (PDF) (2 pp, 99K, About PDF)
For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office.
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