The Beaunit Corp. (Circular Knit & Dyeing Plant) is a 1.3-acre former textile manufacturing facility in northwest Fountain Inn, South Carolina, about 15 miles southeast of Greenville. The plant operated from 1951 to 1977, disposing of wastewater into an on-site lagoon. EPA added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in February 1990 because of contaminated groundwater and soil. Residential areas, commercial businesses, forested land, and industrial facilities all border the property.
Eight chemicals are listed as contaminants of concern. Groundwater contamination includes benzene, 2-methylnaphthalene, naphthalene, beryllium, chromium, and manganese. Arsenic and nickel were found in soil. The main health risks involved people ingesting or touching contaminated soil and groundwater. A public water line serves nearby residents and businesses, reducing the risk from contaminated groundwater.
Cleanup work ran from 1996 to 1998. Workers filled and capped the lagoon with clay and soil, revegetated the cap, and installed fencing and security signs. EPA selected the full remedy in September 1995, and it included monitored natural attenuation, soil excavation, waste consolidation, an engineered cap, drainage controls, and institutional controls to restrict land use. Construction was formally complete by September 1998. The responsible parties continue to fund groundwater and surface water monitoring, with the most recent sampling done in June 2024.
EPA's 2023 Five-Year Review confirmed that the cleanup continues to protect human health and the environment, and that human exposure is under control. The site reached "sitewide ready for anticipated reuse" status in September 2013. It remains unused, secured with locked gates, and subject to zoning restrictions that prohibit residential and other incompatible uses. Groundwater use and development on the capped area are also prohibited. Operation and maintenance activities are expected to continue through sometime between September and November 2028. The site has not yet been deleted from the NPL.
Community members can review site records at the Fountain Inn Branch of the Greenville County Library, 311 North Main Street, Fountain Inn, South Carolina 29644.
