Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Union Carbide Corporation - Institute Operations (Formerly: Bayer Cropscience LP) in Institute, West Virginia
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- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
In January 1991, EPA issued a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action permit to the company to proceed with site cleanup. Since that date, the facility has implemented an air sparging/soil vapor extraction system to remediate soils and groundwater in two high priority source areas which were contaminated with volatile organic compounds and approximately 80 tons of tar-like material were excavated and removed from Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) one. The facility also completed a Phase two RFI report which addressed the high priority SWMUs. A Phase three RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) addressing the low priority SWMU’s was completed in February 2001. Based on the results of the Phase three investigation, the facility conducted additional sampling activities in September/October 2002 to better characterize sources of contamination. A report detailing the results of that investigation was submitted to EPA in June 2003.
Cleanup Status
Since 2007, the facility has focused on a site-wide approach to fill remaining data gaps for soil and groundwater. The facility collected additional sampling data during 2007 to 2009. In 2009, the facility also completed the repair of the soil cover over the SWMU two & six fly ash landfill. The results of these activities were summarized with the historical data in a Current Conditions Report submitted to EPA in October 2009. The facility completed additional sampling to better define source areas and to assist with the implementation of focused interim measures in 2010 to 2012. Pore-water and sediment sampling was conducted to evaluate if site-related contaminated groundwater is impacting the Kanawha River. Vapor intrusion studies have been conducted at selected locations throughout the facility and no adverse impacts have been detected. DOW Chemical, the company responsible for site remediation continues to identify areas of contamination and to remedy that contamination.
DOW Chemical through its consultant CH2M is preparing a streamlined Corrective Measures Study to be submitted in early 2016.
Site Description
Interactive Map of Union Carbide Corporation – Institute Operations, Institute, West Virginia
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Located in Institute, West Virginia along the Kanawha River, the Bayer CropScience Facility encompasses approximately 350 acres. The facility was built in 1943 by the U.S. government for the production of rubber for World War II. The plant was then bought and utilized by Union Carbide in 1947 until 1986 when it was purchased by Rhone Poulenc for the production of agricultural chemicals.
The site is currently owned/operated by Union Carbide Corporation Institute Operations (Formerly Bayer CropScience) as a multi-tenant industrial park. Manufacturing at the site continues to focus on agricultural and specialty chemicals.
Contaminants at this Facility
The main contaminants in the groundwater and soil are benzene, chlorobenzene, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, and tetrachloroethene.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
At SWMU one, the former UCAR landfill, excavation of surficial tar-like oozes was performed on both the east and west side of the SWMU to approximately one foot below ground surface. Approximately 80 tons of excavated material were removed. The area was backfilled with limestone base material and then covered with approximately four inches of gravel. Access restrictions have also been implemented for this SWMU. It is anticipated that eventually land use restrictions through a unified environmental covenant will become part of a final remedy for this property.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
The facility is in continued use.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of the EPA Region 3 with assistance from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP).