The Saltville Waste Disposal Ponds site covers a former chlorine manufacturing plant that operated from 1895 to 1972 in Saltville, Virginia. It was added to the EPA's Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983. The site is divided into four operable units (OUs), each targeting a different area or type of contamination. Cleanup is still in progress across several of those units.
Mercury is the primary contaminant. It has been found in groundwater and solid waste at the disposal ponds, and in surface water in the southwest diversion area. Mercury spread more than 80 miles downstream in the North Fork Holston River and built up in fish tissue. Virginia's Department of Health has issued a "Do Not Eat" advisory for fish from roughly 84 miles of the river, and fishing restrictions have been in place since 1970 in both Virginia and Tennessee.
Olin Corporation is the responsible party working alongside EPA on cleanup. Work began in the late 1960s and has continued in phases. A water treatment plant started removing mercury from pond leachate in 1994, with expanded treatment in 2001. Olin built caps over the contaminated ponds between 2001 and 2003. In 2016, EPA directed Olin to expand groundwater treatment to reduce mercury discharge into the river. In April 2022, EPA modified the remedy to extend the cap over additional areas and require long-term monitoring. Institutional controls, recorded in 2007 and updated in 2022, restrict development, groundwater use as drinking water, and any activities that could disturb contaminated materials.
As of the 2022 five-year review, the remedy is protecting human health and the environment. Human exposure is considered under control, meaning no unacceptable exposure pathways currently exist. However, groundwater migration is not yet under control, construction is not complete across all units, and the site has not been deleted from the NPL. The River Bioassessment unit is still in its study phase, with a final remedy estimated between late 2027 and early 2028. The next five-year review is scheduled between September and November 2027. Annual fish tissue monitoring continues to track progress toward safe consumption levels.
Community members can get involved through EPA's Community Involvement Program. A Community Involvement Plan from 2019 guides engagement at this site. A fact sheet released in January 2024 by EPA and Olin describes upcoming work. Documents are available online or in person at the Saltville Public Library or the EPA Region 3 office in Philadelphia by appointment. Three EPA contacts are available for questions about the site.
