Agreement reached for ground water cleanup at Olin Corporation's McIntosh, Alabama plant.ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 28, 1995--The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1970 to reduce and control air and water pollution, noise pollution, and radiation and to ensure the safe handling and and the Department of Justice (DOJ (Department Of Justice) The legal arm of the U.S. government that represents the public interest of the United States. It is headed by the Attorney General. ) announced today that an agreement has been reached with Olin Corporation for cleanup of groundwater at its McIntosh, Alabama plant. The settlement document, a consent decree, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama, Southern Division. According to the agreement, Olin will pump and treat groundwater on the plant property and extend/upgrade existing caps over old disposal areas. Contaminated soil was removed from the active facility during previous maintenance activities. Presently, the site is secured. Olin manufactured chlorine and caustic soda at the 60-acre plant in the 1950s using a mercury core process. The company constructed a pesticide and organic chemical plant in 1956 that remained open until 1982; at which time, it switched from the mercury process to a diaphragm cell process that is still in use. On-site wells that once supplied the plant's drinking water were contaminated with heavy metals and chlorinated chlorinated /chlo·ri·nat·ed/ (klor´i-nat?ed) treated or charged with chlorine. chlorinated charged with chlorine. chlorinated acids some, e.g. aromatic compounds. Mercury and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including chloroform, chlorobenzene chlo·ro·ben·zene n. A colorless, volatile flammable liquid, C6H5Cl, used to prepare phenol, DDT, and aniline and as a general solvent. Noun 1. , and dichlorobenzene isomers isomers (ī´sōmurz), n.pl 1. organic compounds having the same empirical formula–i.e. , were detected in samples from on-site groundwater monitoring wells within the boundaries of the facility. Residential wells within a three-mile radius of the site were sampled and all concentrations were below drinking water standards. VOCs and mercury pose health effects including central nervous system disorders Nervous system disorders A satisfactory classification of diseases of the nervous system should include not only the type of reaction (congenital malformation, infection, trauma, neoplasm, vascular diseases, and degenerative, metabolic, toxic, or deficiency and increased risk of cancer. Environmental damage from migrating contaminants includes water quality deterioration. On-site contaminated wetlands are a second area of remediation currently under consideration. CONTACT: United States Environmental Protection Agency "EPA" redirects here. For other uses see EPA (disambiguation) and Environmental Protection Agency. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or sometimes USEPA , Atlanta Jim Lanterman, 404/347-3555, ext. 6247 (Project Manager) Kathy Urbach, 404/347-3555, ext. 2237 (Regional Counsel) Julie Klaas, 202/260-9812, (Enfcmt Capacity & Outreach) Carl Terry, 404/347-3555, ext. 6755 (Press Office) |
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