From 1970 to 1972, First Piedmont Corporation disposed of 65,000 cubic yards of industrial waste, including 15,000 gallons of liquid waste, in a 12-acre rock quarry in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. A fire at the site prompted the Virginia State Health Department to order it closed. EPA added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in 1987 after finding that the waste had contaminated soil and surface water with hazardous chemicals.
EPA identified 16 contaminants of concern across soil, groundwater, leachate, and debris. These include metals such as antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, selenium, vanadium, and zinc, along with benzene and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate. The primary health concern is people ingesting or touching contaminants in soil, leachate, or surface water.
Cleanup work began in 1994 following a 1991 Record of Decision. Workers installed an engineered cap over the landfill, excavated and removed non-landfill wastes, and set up leachate collection and treatment with groundwater monitoring. A 2005 five-year review found zinc-contaminated soils in the Lawless Creek floodplain, leading to a 2014 amendment to the cleanup plan. Between 2016 and 2018, workers excavated those soils, backfilled the area, and replanted vegetation. An inspection after Hurricane Michael in October 2018 found no damage to any part of the site.
The site achieved sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status in December 2018. EPA deleted it from the NPL on August 24, 2020, confirming all cleanup goals had been met. A five-year review completed in January 2025 confirmed the remedy is functioning as intended and all known risks to human health and the environment are under control. Operation and maintenance continues under EPA oversight, with work estimated to conclude between December 2025 and February 2026. A recorded covenant under the Universal Environmental Covenants Act limits land use, preventing incompatible uses such as residential development, and keeps those restrictions in the county land records.
Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. Site records are available at the Pittsylvania County Public Library in Chatham, Virginia, or at the EPA Region 3 office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Appointments at the EPA office can be arranged by calling (215) 814-2396.
