Alabama Plating Company, Inc. sits on six acres in Vincent, Shelby County, Alabama. Electroplating operations ran there from 1956 to 1986. The EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2012. The NPL is the federal government's list of contaminated sites that need long-term cleanup attention.
Twelve contaminants of concern were found in groundwater at the site. They are aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, cyanide, iron, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, thallium, and zinc. All twelve posed unacceptable risks to human health or the environment. Early cleanup work between 1998 and 2000 removed contaminated soil and building materials, and the area with subsurface contamination was fenced off.
The EPA completed a remedial investigation and feasibility study in 2014, and a Record of Decision was issued that same year. It called for chemical reduction, bioremediation, monitored natural attenuation, institutional controls, and groundwater monitoring. Remedial design wrapped up in September 2015. From December 2017 to March 2018, the EPA and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) injected nutrients into the groundwater to speed up natural breakdown of contaminants. The remedial action phase ran from July 2017 to July 2018.
The EPA has determined that human exposure is currently under control. Nearby residents and businesses use public water, so there is no drinking water risk from site contamination. Contaminated groundwater migration is also stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. Physical construction is complete across the entire site. A five-year review finished in September 2023 confirmed the remedy protects human health and the environment. Long-term response actions are scheduled to continue through 2028, with the next five-year review estimated between September and November 2028. Institutional controls restrict residential use of soil and groundwater to prevent exposure to remaining contamination. The site owner plans to redevelop the property as a commercial facility such as a retail store or car wash.
Community members can stay involved through public notices, public meetings, and interviews organized by the EPA. Site records are available at the Vincent McGraw Public Library at 42850 Highway 25 in Vincent, Alabama. The EPA's Remedial Project Manager and Community Involvement Coordinator are available to answer questions directly.
