The National Southwire Aluminum Co. site covers 475 acres northwest of Hawesville, Kentucky, on the west bank of the Ohio River. An aluminum reduction facility has operated there since 1969. Facility operations and waste handling contaminated both soil and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in 1994, after finding contamination in nearby drinking water wells in 1985. The site has since been deleted from that list, meaning cleanup standards were met and no further federal Superfund action was required.
EPA identified 17 contaminants of concern, all found in groundwater at Operable Unit 1. They include two volatile organic compounds (1,1,1-trichloroethane and 1,2-dichloroethane), the phenolic compound 2,4-dimethylphenol, 14 metals and inorganic compounds such as cyanide, fluoride, arsenic, lead, and mercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Health risks include exposure through inhaling vapors and through ingestion of or contact with contaminated soil and groundwater.
Cleanup work began in the early 1990s. Contaminated soil was removed in 1992. A groundwater pump-and-treat system ran from 1995 to 2010 until cleanup goals were met. Between 2007 and 2008, additional contaminated soil was excavated and removed, low-level contamination was placed under engineered caps, and those areas were revegetated. EPA determined cleanup was complete in 2011 and deleted the site from the National Priorities List in October 2015. Construction of the remedial action was completed in September 2008, and the site achieved sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status in January 2013.
As of the most recent Five-Year Review, completed in September 2021, human exposure is under control with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified. Groundwater migration is also under control and stabilized, with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. A 2010 Environmental Covenant restricts groundwater use for drinking water, prohibits residential development, and requires that the cap system remain undisturbed. Operation and maintenance activities continue, and the next Five-Year Review is scheduled for 2026. Century Aluminum of Kentucky, LLC currently operates an aluminum reduction facility on the property, employing 525 people as of December 2024.
Community members can access site records at the Hancock County Public Library at 1210 Madison Street in Hawesville. EPA conducts community involvement activities including public notices and public meetings. Residents can contact the Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager with questions.
