The Follansbee site is an active coal and tar processing plant that has operated continuously since 1917 in Follansbee, West Virginia. EPA added it to the National Priorities List in 1983 after leaking tanks, spills, improper waste storage, and poor operating practices contaminated soil, sediment, and groundwater with hazardous chemicals. The site was deleted from the list in 2004 after construction cleanup was completed in 2003. Koppers Industries, Inc. currently owns and operates the facility.
The main contaminants in groundwater include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene and toluene, dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs), and metals. Surface water springs and riverbank seeps contain phenols. People who drink or come into direct contact with contaminated groundwater or surface water face potential health risks. The Ohio River could also pose risks to people who use it for recreation or domestic water supplies, though the site's effects on the river had not yet been assessed at the time of the source documents.
Cleanup work started in the 1980s with groundwater interception trenches and recovery wells installed to keep contaminated water from reaching the Ohio River. Between 1992 and 2001, potentially responsible parties completed a phased investigation to assess risks and evaluate cleanup options. EPA oversaw the cleanup through a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action agreement signed in 1990. Final cleanup measures, finished in 2003, included dredging and capping contaminated sediments, collecting and treating groundwater, and putting institutional controls in place.
Human exposure to contaminated soils is considered under control because the property is largely paved and has full-time security staff on site. EPA has also determined that groundwater migration is under control. However, the site has not yet achieved what EPA calls "sitewide ready for anticipated reuse" status, meaning cleanup goals for current and future land uses have not been fully met or required land-use restrictions are not fully in place. Groundwater treatment and monitoring continue under EPA oversight, and EPA remains involved to ensure Koppers Industries maintains pollution prevention and waste minimization practices.
Community members with questions can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. Records related to Superfund work at the site are available for review by appointment at the EPA Region 3 office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
