Carrier Air Conditioning Company

• Site Profile
• Administrative Record Index: OU1 (PDF, 26 pp., 1.2M)
• 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:
Carrier Air Conditioning Superfund Site is located in Shelby County, Tennessee, on a 135-acre parcel of land owned by the Carrier Corporation. Since the late 1960s, the company has manufactured residential heating and air conditioning units. Two discrete trichloroethylene releases (in 1979 and 1985) occurred near the main manufacturing building. In addition, a wastewater lagoon, operated from about 1972 to 1979, contained waste contaminated with trichloroethylene. The lagoon, 8,500 cubic yards of contaminated soil, is approximately 300 feet from the Town of Collierville's water plant; the spill areas, 68,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil, are approximately 2,000 feet from the water plant. In July 1986, trichloroethylene was found in the water plant. The water plant serves an estimated 12,800 people.

Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
In 1989, Carrier installed a soil vapor extraction system to remove TCE-contaminated soil from the former wastewater lagoon. This system was installed as part of the treatability study under the September 1989 EPA Administrative Order by Consent. The 1992 EPA Unilateral Administrative Order requires that Carrier continue to operate the system until cleanup levels are achieved. The current clean-up goal for TCE of 533 parts per billion in soil was calculated during baseline risk assessment to be protective of the underlying Memphis Sand aquifer.

In 1990, packed aeration towers were installed at Water Plant 2 by Carrier. The air strippers remove trichloroethylene and its degradation products from raw water prior to entry into the chlorination system. Design, construction, and operation of this system were voluntarily performed by Carrier; permitted by the State of Tennessee; and under the EPA Administrative Order by Consent. The ROD for the site recommended and the EPA 1992 Unilateral Administrative Order requires  Carrier to operate the system until clean-up levels are achieved.  The operation of the system is expected to continue to 2014 and treat 60 billion gallons of water. The large volume of water treated is due to the City of Collierville's public water demands and is not necessarily reflective of what would be treated if remediation were the only goal.

In January 1995, Carrier installed a soil vapor extraction system in the 1979 spill area next to the main plant. The system was installed under the EPA 1992 Unilateral Administrative Order. The system will continue to operate until TCE cleanup goal is achieved. 

Carrier expanded its facility in 2004/2005.  This caused certain equipment used for soil vapor extraction in the main plant area to be demolished or excavated.  The work resulted in improved TCE vapor removal system when the affected equipment was replaced.  Soils impacted by TCE were also excavated during the process.