Airco

Overview

The Airco site covers 2.75 acres northeast of downtown Calvert City in western Kentucky, sitting between Kentucky Highway 1523 and the Tennessee River. It is a former industrial landfill that was added to EPA's National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984 after disposal activities contaminated both soil and groundwater. The site was deleted from the NPL in September 2021, meaning cleanup goals have been met.

EPA identified 23 contaminants of concern at the site. These include chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane. Other contaminants include benzene, chlorobenzene, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Most of these substances were detected in both groundwater and soil.

The responsible party, The Linde Group (formerly Airco), carried out cleanup work under EPA and Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection oversight. A cleanup plan was approved in 1988. Work in the 1990s included installing five groundwater extraction wells, building a flood protection dike, improving the landfill cap, and setting up leachate and groundwater removal systems. Physical construction was complete by September 1997, and operation and maintenance began in March 1998. An underground barrier wall is also being constructed around both the Airco site and the adjacent B.F. Goodrich Superfund Site to prevent contaminated groundwater from spreading. The eastern portion of that wall was completed in fall 2024.

The site is currently safe and secure. The landfill remains capped and fenced with warning signs and locked gates. Human exposure to contamination is under control, and no one in the area is using contaminated groundwater for drinking water. Groundwater contamination is stabilized and not discharging to surface water at unsafe levels. A legal agreement recorded in June 2023 prohibits residential construction and private well use on the property and protects the landfill cover and cleanup systems. EPA's 2024 Sixth Five-Year Review confirmed the site remains protective. Operation and maintenance activities are estimated to continue through 2028.

Community members can stay involved through public notices, meetings, and interviews that EPA provides about site activities. Annual updates are given to the Calvert City Council. Paper and electronic records related to the site are available at the Marshall County Public Library at 23 Park Road, Calvert City, Kentucky 42029. Residents can also contact EPA's project team directly using the contact information below.