Wrigley Charcoal Plant

Overview

The Wrigley Charcoal Plant covers 330 acres in Wrigley, Tennessee, about 45 miles southwest of Nashville. The site operated as a charcoal plant from 1881 to 1966 and later hosted metal machining, transformer recycling, and plastics recycling. Wastewater disposal into nearby fields, ponds, and Mill Creek left behind widespread contamination in soil, groundwater, and debris. EPA added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in March 1989 after declaring it an imminent and substantial danger in 1988.

EPA identified more than 30 contaminants of concern at the site. These include heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, chromium, copper, and manganese, along with volatile organic compounds like benzene and toluene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phenolic compounds, and asbestos. Contamination has been found in soil, groundwater, solid waste, sludge, and debris.

Cleanup has moved in phases across three operable units. At the primary site, workers excavated tar and contaminated soil for off-site disposal, treated groundwater with biological methods, and fenced the site to restrict access. Residents near the site were connected to the public water supply. A major fire in 2013 destroyed buildings on the primary site, and asbestos was removed in 2015. Soil contamination has been fully addressed in the Athletic Field, Irrigation Field, and Storage Basin areas, but contamination remains in the Primary Site, Clark Hollow, Northern Rail Yard, and Groomed Pile areas. The 2020 Five-Year Review confirmed the remedy is still protective of human health and the environment. However, EPA cannot yet determine whether human exposure is fully under control or whether contaminated groundwater movement has stabilized. Physical construction is not complete across the entire site. A combined remedial investigation and feasibility study for the primary site is estimated to be completed between September and November 2028.

Community members can get involved by attending public meetings and reviewing fact sheets and public notices published in The Hickman County Times. Site records are available at the Hickman County Public Library in Centerville, Tennessee. Community questions can go to the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.