Tri-City Disposal Co.

Overview

The Tri-City Disposal Co. site covers 349 acres in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. From 1964 to 1967, the company buried drums and disposed of volatile liquid wastes, lumber scraps, and fiberglass insulation from Louisville-area industries. That waste handling contaminated groundwater, soil, and surface water, including two on-site springs and a tributary of Brushy Fork Creek. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in March 1989. The NPL guides EPA in deciding which sites need investigation and cleanup.

Eleven contaminants of concern have been identified, all found in groundwater. They include vinyl chloride, trichloroethene (mixed isomers), tetrachloroethene, toluene, chloroform, xylene (mixed isomers), 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethene, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, trans-1,2-dichloroethene, and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate. EPA determined these chemicals pose an unacceptable risk to human health and the environment based on the amounts present and potential exposure to nearby residents and ecosystems.

Cleanup is organized into two operable units (OUs), which are geographic or problem-specific areas addressed separately. Emergency response began in 1988, when EPA provided alternate water to nearby residents and removed contaminated drums and soil. A long-term remedy selected in 1991 called for institutional controls, groundwater monitoring, and surface water treatment using a carbon absorption system. By 1994, the potentially responsible parties (PRPs) had built and started operating treatment facilities. A 2012 Explanation of Significant Differences added soil cover as an additional cleanup technology for OU 1. OU 2 requires no further action, per a 1996 Record of Decision. Construction across the full site was completed in March 1996.

Human exposure is currently under control, according to the most recent Five Year Review. Groundwater migration is also under control, with contamination stabilized and no unacceptable discharge to surface water. Spring water and groundwater use remains restricted by institutional controls, including zoning rules that prevent incompatible land uses. The site reached sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status in July 2022, meaning cleanup goals have been met for current and expected future land uses. The PRPs continue to fund ongoing monitoring and surface water treatment under EPA and Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection oversight. The next Five Year Review is estimated between September and November 2028. The site has not yet been deleted from the NPL.

Community members can review site records at Ridgeway Memorial Library, 127 Walnut Street, Shepherdsville, Kentucky 40165. EPA shares updates through fact sheets, public notices, and public meetings. Two EPA staff members are available to answer questions directly.