Hercules Inc

Overview

Hercules Inc is a former chemical manufacturing facility covering about 200 acres in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The plant operated from 1923 to 2009 and produced more than 250 products, including pesticides, paints, and textile chemicals. The EPA added it to the National Priorities List (Superfund program) on December 20, 2022, which unlocks federal resources to address environmental and health risks.

Investigations have confirmed hazardous substances in soil, groundwater, surface water, sediment, and soil gas. Contaminants detected above EPA screening levels include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, carbon tetrachloride, chlorobenzene, chloroform, and toluene, as well as semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and metals including arsenic, chromium, lead, manganese, and mercury. Contamination has migrated off the property, and the full extent has not yet been mapped out.

Before the site was listed on Superfund, Hercules conducted closure work at a former industrial landfill, an impoundment basin, and a storage tank. The company also purchased two nearby residential properties where VOCs were found in soil gas and crawlspace air, and has conducted groundwater and surface water monitoring twice a year since 2007. A Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study is now underway under EPA oversight for Operable Unit 1. No cleanup remedy has been selected, and physical construction of a cleanup has not started. Because cleanup response has not yet produced enough reliable data, assessments cannot yet confirm whether human exposure pathways are safe.

In response to community concerns raised in May 2022, Hercules mowed overgrown areas, removed vegetation and abandoned structures, and repaired fencing. The company is also working on a plan to remove tanks and pipes near Providence Street and is coordinating with the City of Hattiesburg on maintaining the area outside the fence line. The EPA is working with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to evaluate public health concerns. Sampling of groundwater, soil, sewer gas, and indoor air at nearby residential properties began in 2023 and continued into 2024.

Community members can stay involved through public meetings, the most recent of which were held in September 2024 and February 2025. A fact sheet was distributed in December 2025 with cleanup updates and answers to frequently asked questions. Fourteen community update documents and seven additional public documents are available for review online through the site's documents and data section. Residents with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager using the information below.