Mathis Brothers Landfill (South Marble Top Road)

Overview

Mathis Brothers Landfill sits on South Marble Top Road in Kensington, Georgia, and operated from 1974 to 1980. EPA added it to the Superfund National Priorities List in 1989 because of contaminated soil, groundwater, and debris. The site is in the operation and maintenance phase, meaning physical construction of the cleanup is done and the focus has shifted to long-term monitoring and upkeep.

EPA identified 65 chemical contaminants of concern at the site. These were found in soil, groundwater, surface water, and solid waste. The list includes volatile organic compounds such as benzene, trichloroethene, and tetrachloroethene, metals like lead, chromium, mercury, and nickel, phthalates, and pesticide-related compounds including heptachlor and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. EPA selected these substances for cleanup because they pose unacceptable risk to human health or the environment.

The site's responsible party, Velsicol, led cleanup work under EPA and Georgia Environmental Protection Division oversight. Workers excavated contaminated material in 1997 and 1998, then installed a protective cap with clean fill and vegetative cover. Monitoring wells were also put in place. Groundwater contamination has stayed within the property boundary. Fencing limits site access, and nearby residents and businesses use public drinking water supplies rather than local groundwater. Human exposure is under control, and groundwater migration is also under control with no unacceptable discharge to surface water detected. A five-year review was conducted in September 2022, and the next is estimated between September and November 2027. A new remedial investigation that started in January 2021 is estimated to be completed between August and October 2026.

Institutional controls are in place to restrict incompatible land uses such as residential development. The property owner has expressed interest in agricultural, industrial, or commercial reuse. EPA is working to place additional institutional controls on the property to keep any future use consistent with the cleanup that has been completed. The site has not yet been deleted from the National Priorities List or achieved sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status, meaning some cleanup goals or land-use restrictions are not yet fully in place.

Community members can stay informed through public meetings, interviews, and public notices that EPA issues about site activities. Site documents are available at the Lafayette-Walker County Public Library at 1105 North Main Street in Lafayette, Georgia. For questions, contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator Brenda Bonner or Remedial Project Manager Nathaniel Ertep.