Chemfax, Inc.

Overview

The Chemfax, Inc. site covers 11 acres in Gulfport, Mississippi. The facility operated from 1955 to 1995, producing synthetic hydrocarbon resins and waxes. A paraffin blending process used on-site groundwater for cooling, which spread contamination into site soils and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List, meaning it qualified for federal Superfund cleanup funding and oversight.

EPA has identified 14 contaminants of concern at the site. These include benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, naphthalene, 2-methylnaphthalene, 2-hexanone, and bis(2-chloroethyl)ether. Benzene, toluene, and 2-hexanone appear in groundwater. Benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, and naphthalene have been found in soil. Ethylbenzene, toluene, and naphthalene also show up in sediment.

EPA led cleanup work with support from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Starting in 1998, EPA removed drums, asbestos, and contaminated materials and dismantled processing structures. A soil excavation program that ran from April 2014 to December 2016 removed more than 109,000 tons of contaminated soil. EPA also installed additional groundwater monitoring wells in early 2016. The original 2002 cleanup plan called for dewatering, excavation, air stripping, and carbon adsorption. A 2013 amendment added monitored natural attenuation as an approach and adjusted several other remedy components. Construction of the full cleanup remedy was completed in February 2016.

Site soils now support unrestricted use. The site achieved EPA's Site-Wide Ready for Anticipated Use status in July 2017. Groundwater use remains restricted under an environmental covenant put in place in February 2017. Groundwater contamination will continue to be monitored until levels naturally decrease to acceptable levels. Zoning restrictions prevent residential development and other incompatible land uses while monitoring continues. A partial deletion from the National Priorities List was approved in September 2021, though the site has not yet been fully deleted. EPA conducts periodic Five-Year Reviews to confirm the remedy continues to protect human health and the environment, with the most recent review completed in March 2026.

Community members can stay involved by following Five-Year Review reports, which are made available to the public after completion. EPA has held public meetings and availability sessions over the years, including sessions in 1995, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2014. Site records are available at the Orange Grove Public Library at 12031 Mobile Avenue in Gulfport. For direct questions, residents can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.