The C & R Battery Co., Inc. site is an 11-acre property in Chesterfield County, Virginia, near the James River. From the early 1970s to 1985, the site was used to dismantle batteries and recover lead. That work left soil, sediment, and surface water contaminated with hazardous chemicals. EPA added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List in July 1987 and deleted it on August 17, 2022, after cleanup goals were met.
Eight contaminants of concern were identified at the site, including antimony, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and nickel. These were found in soil and sediment across the site's excavation and treatment area. EPA selected a cleanup remedy documented in a Record of Decision issued March 30, 1990. Cleanup work ran from March 1988 through September 1993 and included excavating contaminated soil and sediment, treating and stabilizing the material, disposing of it in a nearby landfill, adding clean topsoil, and replanting the site. Groundwater was monitored from 1993 to 2016, and 2017 testing showed acidity levels matched natural background conditions. The James River wetlands three miles downstream show no site contaminants.
Human exposure to remaining contamination is not a current concern. EPA has determined that exposure is under control across the entire site, and no unacceptable exposure pathways exist. Groundwater migration is also under control. Institutional controls protect the remedy long-term. Two environmental covenants covering parcels at 1306 and 1320 Bellwood Road were recorded with Chesterfield County on February 26, 2021. These covenants prevent residential uses and require safe practices if future activities disturb subsurface soil. Four businesses currently operate on the site, employing 50 people and generating an estimated $10,516,774 in annual sales revenue.
EPA conducts five-year reviews to confirm the cleanup continues to protect public health and the environment. The most recent review was completed in August 2023 and concluded the remedy remains protective. The next review is scheduled for August through October 2028. Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager, and can review site documents at the Chesterfield County Public Library Central Library Branch or at EPA Region 3 in Philadelphia, where appointments are required.
