Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Emerson Electric Company (Formerly: Alco Controls Division) in Wytheville, Virginia
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
Investigation and remediation of soil and groundwater on the Emerson property was completed under the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality's (VDEQ) Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP) from 2003 to 2006. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) voluntary remediation program (VRP) issued a Certificate of Satisfactory Completion of Remediation on July 9, 2007. In addition, a release of petroleum from an underground storage tank was remediated under the VDEQ’s Petroleum Tank Program.
Additional site investigations and evaluations are currently being performed under the EPA’s Facility Lead Agreement (FLA) to ensure the remediation of the contaminated soils and groundwater are sufficient to meet the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action standards. A sampling program to evaluate for potential vapor intrusion was completed in 2013 through 2014 and the results are under review by VDEQ. A final site remedy may be available in 2015 for review and public comment.
Site Description
Interactive Map of Emerson Electric Company (Formerly: Alco Controls Division), Wytheville, VA
The former Emerson Electric facility is located at 555 Peppers Ferry Road, Wytheville, Wythe County, Virginia. The facility originally consisted of four buildings which were situated on a 21.8-acre parcel. The entire Emerson facility contains three distinct parcels (lots). Lot one is 1.5 acres in size and is located at the north end of the site, next to Peppers Ferry Road. The area was formerly used as an employee parking lot, and there were no buildings on the lot. Lot two is located to the south of the facility, and consists of 8.428 acres of undeveloped open land. No manufacturing or operations were conducted on Lot two. Lot three consists of approximately 12 acres and contains the former Emerson manufacturing plant and surrounding land. All manufacturing operations took place on Lot three, where the original facility buildings were constructed. Lots one and three were never legally subdivided, but the distinction between the two lots was used during recent environmental investigations and remediation of the site.
The facility initially operated as a textile mill and a knitting mill (Wyomissing Corporation) from 1935 until 1974. Emerson Electric Corporation purchased the Alco Control Company in 1967. Alco manufactured refrigeration valves and expansion valves. Tuttle Electric, which was purchased and owned by Emerson Electric, began production of open coil electric heating elements for commercial dryers and refrigerators at this site in 1974. In 1981, the Alco Controls Division of Emerson Electric, purchased the property and took over production operations at the site. Alco Controls, under the ownership of Emerson, manufactured refrigeration control valves on the property from the late 1970s until 2001, when the facility was closed.
The Emerson manufacturing facility consisted of four buildings that covered approximately 139,000 square feet. Outdoor features include a chip storage area and two paved parking lots. The entire Emerson facility contains three parcels (lots). Lot three consists of approximately 12 acres and contains the former Emerson plant and surrounding land. All manufacturing operations took place on Lot three, where the original facility buildings were constructed. The major manufacturing activities at the facility included machining, brazing, welding, assembly, testing spray painting, parts washing, electroplating, packaging, shipping, and receiving.
Contaminants at this Facility
The primary compounds of concern at the site include 1,4-dioxane and 1,1,-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA) and its associated degradation products. In addition, the following gasoline-related constituents have been detected in soil and groundwater on the site: methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE), benzene, naphthalene, 1.2.4-trimethylbenzene (TMB) and 1,3,5-TMB.
Lots two and three, was shown to have no constituents of concern above screening levels from September 2003 through August 2009, and as a result, monitoring was discontinued after 2009. These soil and groundwater results provide further evidence that Lot two has been unaffected by past operations. Emerson will continue to address environmental impacts associated with Lots one and three under RCRA corrective action until all requirements have been fulfilled.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
No Institutional Controls were required for lot two. The need for Institutional Controls for the other parcels is yet to be determined.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
The former manufacturing building has been renovated for purposes of a commercial storage facility. Lot two of the site is planned to be redeveloped for low income housing units by the Wytheville Redevelopment and Housing Agency.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of the VDEQ with assistance from EPA Region 3.