Wright Chemical Corporation

Overview

Wright Chemical Corporation is a 758-acre Superfund site in Columbus County, North Carolina, near Livingston Creek. It was listed on the National Priorities List in March 2011. The site has two properties separated by a railroad corridor. The northern property holds manufacturing plants, impoundment ponds, spray irrigation fields, and lagoons. The southern property formerly housed a phosphate fertilizer operation and is now vacant. Chemical and fertilizer manufacturing at the site dates back to the 1880s.

Contamination was found in groundwater, surface water, soil, sediment, and aquatic biota. Investigations identified elevated lead and arsenic in soil in one study area, elevated Radium-226 in another, and structural problems with a Monofill Cell containing lagoon sludge. EPA has determined that human exposure is currently under control across the entire site, with no unacceptable pathways for people to contact the contamination. Groundwater migration is also under control, meaning contaminated groundwater is stabilized and not discharging to surface water at unacceptable levels.

EPA determined that a Non-Time Critical Removal Action is the right approach to begin cleanup. In June 2014, EPA reached an Administrative Order of Consent with potentially responsible parties to conduct a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study. That study is still underway. In November and December 2022, EPA reached additional agreements with responsible parties to conduct an Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis covering the most pressing problem areas. A removal action is estimated to begin between August and October 2027 and be completed between September and November 2027. No final remedy has been selected yet, and physical construction of the full cleanup is not complete.

The site remains in active industrial use. Oak Bark Corporation purchased the property in 2004 and sold portions to several companies that now operate chemical manufacturing facilities there. As of December 2024, three on-site businesses employed 67 people and generated about $20.6 million in annual sales revenue.

Community members can get involved right now. EPA prepared an Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis Report outlining cleanup alternatives and its preferred approach. A 30-day public comment period ran from April 20-May 19, 2026. EPA, working with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ), will document the selected cleanup in an Action Memorandum.

Throughout the cleanup process, EPA holds public notices, meetings, and interviews to keep residents informed. Questions can be directed to the Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager. Site records are also available at the East Columbus Library at 103 Church Road in Riegelwood, North Carolina.