Mallory Capacitor Co.

Overview

The Mallory Capacitor Co. site covers 8.6 acres in Waynesboro, Tennessee. Electrical capacitor manufacturing ran there from the late 1960s until 1984, leaving behind contaminated soil and groundwater. The EPA added the site to its National Priorities List in 1989, which triggered a formal cleanup process. Construction of cleanup systems finished in September 1996, and the site reached sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status in July 2015.

Three contaminants of concern were found in groundwater: polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), trans-1,2-dichloroethene, and trichloroethene. The EPA determined these substances pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment based on the amounts present and potential exposure effects. All three are targeted for cleanup under a single operable unit called OU01.

Soil cleanup wrapped up in 1993. Since then, groundwater extraction and treatment systems have run continuously using air stripping, filtration, and carbon adsorption. Six additional monitoring wells were added in 2001 to track how contamination spreads. Zoning restrictions limit land uses that would be inconsistent with cleanup levels, and the city of Waynesboro adopted a groundwater withdrawal ordinance in 2014 to protect the area around the site. Treated water is discharged under a permit to surface water or a public treatment system.

A vapor intrusion investigation started in November 2022 after soil gas sampling showed a potential risk from contaminated groundwater moving toward buildings. As of January 2025, two residential homes have vapor mitigation systems installed, and additional mitigation is proposed for a sewer line. Seasonal soil gas sampling continues. The 2023 Five Year Review found the remedy currently protects human health and the environment in the short term. That finding is conditional on finishing the vapor intrusion investigation and putting permanent mitigation systems in place. Human exposure and groundwater migration are both listed as under control. The next five-year review is estimated for sometime between September and November 2028.

The EPA holds public meetings, issues public notices, and conducts interviews to keep the community informed throughout the cleanup. Community members with questions can reach the Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager directly using the contact information below. Site documents are available through EPA's information repositories for public review.