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NPL Site Narrative for Texarkana Wood Preserving Co.
TEXARKANA WOOD PRESERVING CO.
Texarkana, Texas
Federal Register Notice: June 10, 1986Conditions at proposal (April 10, 1985): Texarkana Wood Preserving Co. operated a wood-processing plant on a site of about 25 acres in Texarkana, Bowie County, Texas. Operations started in 1961 and ended in July 1984. Creosote and pentachlorophenol were used in a steam/vacuum/pressure treatment. Approximately 793,000 gallons of hazardous waste are stored on-site in pressure vessels, steel baffle tanks, retention ponds, surge tanks, and three evaporation ponds. All units have been heavily contaminated with creosote and pentachlorophenol. The evaporation ponds contain dibenzofuran, naphthalene, anthracene, phenanthrene, pentachlorophenol, and other contaminants, according to tests conducted by the Texas Department of Water Resources (TDWR) and EPA. Heavy rains continue to cause ponds to overflow, eventually reaching Days Creek.
The plant is 1,200 feet from the nearest residence. The site is unfenced. Approximately 190 people live within 3 miles. Contamination may be entering ground water, which is only 4 to 8 feet below the surface. Ground water is used for domestic, irrigation, industrial, and agricultural purposes. The plant is 800 feet from Days Creek, the nearest downstream surface water.
The plant received three citations from the State for unauthorized discharges of process waste water into the Days Creek drainage system. Since the company ceased operations, State enforcement actions ceased and the project was turned over to Superfund for cleanup. On December 4, 1984, after heavy rains, a contractor for the TDWR Emergency Spill Response Section pumped water from the flooded process area to a less full evaporation pond.
Status (June 10, 1986): EPA is considering various alternatives for the site.
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.