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NPL Site Narrative for Chemet Co.
CHEMET CO.
Moscow, Tennessee
Federal Register Notice: May 31, 1994The Chemet Co. site is located on Highway 57 approximately 1.2 miles east of Moscow, Fayette County, Tennessee. The 5-acre site operated from 1978 until 1987 as an antimony oxide plant owned by Frank Caldon.
Major features of the facility include three onsite buildings and two small ponds. The Tennessee Department of Health and Environment (TDHE) visited the site in 1983 and 1989, and found drums containing antimony slag, two 15-gallon drums of sulfuric acid, and several bags of soda ash. TDHE also found no barriers to prevent entry on the site, making it easily accessible. A playground at the LaGrange-Moscow Elementary School bordering the eastern edge of the Chemet property posed an increased risk of unauthorized entry to the facility. Approximately 77 people reside within 1 mile of Chemet.
On March 19, 1990, the TDHE signed an order for cleanup at the site. The order also stated that TDHE must approve all removal and disposal of hazardous substances from the facility, and an 8-foot fence must be constructed to secure the facility.
In April 1990, a 5.5 feet high fence was constructed. Approximately 300 tons of contaminated soil were removed from an area north of Building No. 3 in July 1990, and was stored and locked in Building No. 2. A second removal of soil occurred in September 1991. The TDHE conducted oversight of all remedial activities at the Chemet facility.
In 1992, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), previously TDHE, collected samples from the onsite areas of observed contamination, ponds, drainage pathways, and the ball field of the adjacent school. The samples contained metals associated with the antimony oxide process, such as arsenic, antimony, and lead. As a result, TDEC ordered Chemet to construct a fence around the area of contamination that extended offsite. In May 1992, Chemet constructed a fence around the area of offsite contamination, preventing the 600 students and 65 workers at the elementary school from further contact with the contaminated soil. Because the contaminated soil is still present on the school's property, the fence is a temporary measure.
For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.