Peck Iron and Metal

Overview

Peck Iron and Metal is a 33-acre inactive scrap metal recovery facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, listed on the Superfund National Priorities List since November 4, 2009. It sits southwest of the intersection of Elm Avenue and Victory Boulevard. The site historically processed scrap from military bases, including electrical transformers with PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), lead-acid batteries, naval and aircraft components, and demilitarized ordnance. Some materials also contained radium-226, a radioactive substance once used in self-illuminated instrument dials and watch faces.

EPA has identified 34 contaminants of concern in on-site soil and sediment. These include metals such as arsenic, chromium, lead, mercury, and zinc, as well as radioactive substances including radium-226 and its decay products, and organic compounds such as PCBs and chlorinated dioxins and furans. Groundwater is also contaminated with PCBs and metals. Human exposure is currently assessed as under control, meaning no unacceptable exposure pathways have been identified at this time. However, contaminated groundwater migration has not yet been stabilized, and construction is not complete.

Early removal actions ran from January 2007 through May 2009, with additional removal work in early 2022. In 2024, crews cleared overgrowth and completed a radiological survey, collecting small radium-226-coated objects and transporting them off-site for disposal. EPA issued a Record of Decision in July 2023 for Operable Unit 1, covering on-site soil and sediment. The selected remedy includes excavation of high-priority waste for off-site disposal, on-site consolidation under a cover system, wetlands restoration, groundwater monitoring, and institutional controls to prevent direct contact with contaminants. A Pre-Design Investigation began in fall 2023 but was paused in January 2024 after unexploded military ordnance with intact explosives was found during test pit digging. Work resumed after coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and concluded in March 2025. EPA is now reviewing that data and preparing a Focused Feasibility Study to confirm whether the selected remedy remains appropriate. Remedial design is estimated to conclude between September and November 2028. Operable Unit 2, which covers groundwater and off-site surface water and sediment, is still in the investigation phase, with a Record of Decision expected around mid-2028.

Community members can stay involved by attending the public meeting hosted by EPA Region 3 on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. at Portsmouth City Hall, 801 Crawford Street. Fact sheets and project documents are available through the EPA website and at the Portsmouth City Public Library Main Branch at 601 Court Street. Records can also be reviewed at EPA Region 3 offices at 1600 John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Philadelphia, Virginia, by appointment. Questions can be directed to the Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager.