Agrico Chemical Co.

Overview

The Agrico Chemical Company operated a fertilizer production facility on a 35-acre property in Pensacola, Florida from 1889 to 1975. Wastewater from those operations was discharged into unlined ponds, contaminating soil, sludge, and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in October 1989.

Nine contaminants of concern have been identified at the site. Arsenic is present in both soil and groundwater. Lead and fluoride have been found in soil. Groundwater also contains chloride, fluoride, nitrate and nitrite, radium-226, and sulfate. These substances were flagged because EPA determined they pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment.

Cleanup was organized into two main operable units. For the source area, responsible parties excavated and stabilized contaminated material, consolidated it under a cap, and installed a slurry wall barrier. That work was finished between 1995 and 1997. For groundwater, the selected approach is monitored natural attenuation, meaning contaminated groundwater is tracked over time as natural processes reduce contamination levels. Overall construction was completed in September 1999. The site is fenced and vacant. Institutional controls restrict groundwater use and prevent land uses such as residential development. Responsible parties also notify water well contractors and pool contractors in southern Escambia County each year about groundwater conditions.

Current conditions are protective of human health and the environment. Human exposure is under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified. Groundwater migration is stabilized and there is no unacceptable discharge to surface water. Residents and businesses nearby are connected to the public water supply, so they are not at risk from site groundwater. The site achieved sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status in January 2013 and is now used as a pollinator habitat with butterfly-friendly plants. EPA completed a five-year review in July 2025 and continues long-term monitoring.

Community members can stay involved in several ways. EPA conducts outreach through public notices and meetings. The community group Citizens Against Toxic Exposures (CATE) meets periodically to discuss this site and the nearby Escambia Wood Treating Company site. CATE can be reached at 1120 North G Street, Pensacola, Florida 32501, or by phone at (850) 478-5799 or (850) 478-5794. Questions about cleanup can also go directly to EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or the site's Remedial Project Manager.