The Camilla Wood Preserving Company is a 40-acre Superfund site in Camilla, Georgia, listed on the National Priorities List in 1998. Wood-treating operations ran at the site from 1947 to 1991, leaving soil and groundwater contaminated with chemicals including creosote, pentachlorophenol (PCP), dioxins, benzene, naphthalene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and metals such as arsenic, manganese, and nickel. EPA identified 33 contaminants of concern in total, all addressed under a single cleanup area called Operable Unit 01.
Cleanup work has been going on since the early 1990s. From 1991 through 2015, EPA removed contaminated soils, treated more than 147,000 gallons of on-site wastewater, and disposed of tens of thousands of gallons of contaminated materials off-site. In 2009, EPA selected a long-term cleanup plan that included a vertical barrier wall to contain contamination, capping of contaminated soils, groundwater treatment, aerobic bioremediation, chemical oxidation, and solidification of contaminated material. Construction was completed in December 2014, and by November 2015 the barrier wall, stormwater detention basin, and engineered cap were all in place.
The site is now sitewide ready for anticipated reuse, a status it achieved in September 2018. Human exposure is under control, and contaminated groundwater is stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to nearby surface water. EPA determined that vapor intrusion from contaminated groundwater does not threaten people in nearby buildings. Institutional controls restrict the site to non-residential uses, prohibit drinking water from on-site groundwater, and prevent digging in capped soil areas. EPA is working with the City of Camilla and Georgia EPD (Environmental Protection Division) to finalize groundwater and soil restrictions. Long-term monitoring and operation and maintenance continue, with the next five-year review estimated for 2027.
The site has already been put to community use. It is now home to the Mitchell County Recreation Complex, featuring soccer fields, an RV park, an aerobics classroom, and offices for the Parks and Recreation Department. The City of Camilla and Mitchell County received a Region 4 Excellence in Site Reuse award from EPA in 2012 for this redevelopment. Future plans include basketball courts, baseball fields, a playground, and walking and biking trails connecting to downtown Camilla.
Community members can stay informed through public notices, public meetings, and interviews about cleanup activities. Records related to site cleanup are available at the DeSoto Trail Regional Library at 145 E. Broad Street in Camilla, Georgia. Questions can be directed to the EPA staff assigned to the site.
