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NPL Site Narrative for Koppers Co., Inc. (Oroville Plant)
KOPPERS CO., INC. (OROVILLE PLANT)
Oroville, California
Federal Register Notice: September 21, 1984Conditions at listing (September 1983): Koppers Co., Inc., preserves wood with chemical solutions on a 40-acre site in Oroville, Butte County, California. The facility is partially situated on dredge tailings. Both shallow and deep aquifers exist below the site and are connected. According to analyses done by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, the shallow aquifer is contaminated with pentachlorophenol (PCP), isopropyl ether, various polynuclear aromatics, copper, chromium, and arsenic, all of which Koppers uses or has used in its processes. The Koppers facility has been contaminated by chemicals spilled during treatment or storage of lumber over unpaved areas, as well as leakage from underground piping. In September 1982, the State issued a Cease and Desist Order. Working with the State, Koppers prepared a workplan, which identified the contaminated areas of the plant and proposed actions to clean them up.
Status (June 1984): In January 1984, PCP contamination was discovered in nearby residential drinking water supply wells. Preliminary sampling indicates that this contamination may be a result of off-site migration. Koppers is currently supplying the affected residents with bottled water and is formulating a sampling plan to further characterize the extent of contamination. When the extent and causes of contamination are defined, the State and Koppers will begin negotiations on the remedial action plan.
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.