Post and Lumber Preserving Co. Inc.

Overview

Post and Lumber Preserving Co. operated in Quincy, Florida from 1948 to 1990, pressure treating lumber with pentachlorophenol (PCP) and chromated copper arsenate (CCA). Those operations contaminated soil, sediment, and groundwater, and pollutants spread into surrounding wetlands and a creek that flows into the Little River, a state-classified recreational river. The EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL), the federal roster of the nation's most serious hazardous waste sites, in August 2017.

Thirteen contaminants of concern have been identified at the site. Dioxin, measured as 2,3,7,8-TCDD toxicity equivalents, appears in sediment, soil, and surface water. Arsenic, chromium, chromium(VI), copper, aluminum, and barium are also present across soil, sediment, and surface water. Pentachlorophenol is found in soil and as a free-phase nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL), meaning pure chemical that has not dissolved in water. All contaminants fall within Operable Unit 01, the defined cleanup area.

Earlier work removed contaminated surface soils and tanks in 1996. Between 1996 and 2015, about 74,000 tons of contaminated soil were removed from nearby residential properties. In 2020, the EPA signed a Record of Decision selecting the final remedy. That remedy includes installing a barrier containment wall, a groundwater extraction system, an engineered cap over contaminated material, and excavation of soil and NAPL-impacted materials for offsite disposal. Institutional controls such as deed notices and environmental covenants will legally restrict land use for current and future property owners. Remedial design was finalized in 2023, and the remedial action began in May 2024, supported by $32.8 million in federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The EPA has determined that human exposure to contamination is currently under control, meaning no unacceptable human exposure pathways exist right now. However, the agency does not yet have enough data to confirm whether contaminated groundwater migration has been stabilized. Physical construction is not yet complete, and the site has not reached ready-for-reuse status.

Community members can stay involved through several channels. The EPA is planning an open house and a community outreach event for summer or fall 2025, targeting residents within 1 mile of the site. A factsheet will be distributed about two weeks before any planned meeting. Public documents related to the site are available at the Gadsden County Public Library at 732 S. Pat Thomas Parkway in Quincy, reachable at 850-627-7106.