Brunswick Wood Preserving

Overview

Brunswick Wood Preserving is an 84-acre former wood treatment facility in Brunswick, Georgia, that operated from 1958 to 1991. The site was added to EPA's Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in April 1997 after contaminated groundwater, soil, and sediment were found on and around the property. A diesel fuel spill mixed with pentachlorophenol reached nearby Burnett Creek in 1989, adding to the environmental damage. The site has not been deleted from the NPL.

EPA identified 33 contaminants of concern across groundwater and soil. These include volatile organic compounds such as benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons like benzo[a]pyrene and naphthalene, heavy metals including arsenic, chromium, and manganese, chlorinated phenols such as pentachlorophenol, pesticides like aldrin and heptachlor epoxide, and dioxins. All 33 contaminants fall under Operable Unit 1 (OU-1), the main cleanup area.

Cleanup has been organized into two operable units. For OU-1, EPA built two containment cells with below-ground barrier walls and engineered caps over former pond areas. Solidification and stabilization of treated soils and sediments finished in 2008. A groundwater treatment system using in-situ chemical oxidation ran from 2011 to December 2013 and successfully treated the dissolved phase of the groundwater plume. In 2015, EPA added a water extraction and treatment system in the Eastern Containment Area to control water levels. Deeper creosote contamination east of Burnett Creek near Perry Lane Road is being monitored rather than actively treated. For Operable Unit 2 (OU-2), which covers ecological risks to Burnett Creek, EPA selected No Action in 2012 after natural recovery had reduced contaminant levels enough. In March 2018, the State of Georgia took over operation and maintenance, including running the Eastern Containment Area water treatment system.

The most recent Five-Year Review, completed in August 2022, found the remedy protective of human health and the environment. There are no current completed human exposure pathways, and EPA has determined human exposure is under control. However, contaminated groundwater migration is not yet stabilized, meaning the site does not fully meet all criteria for its anticipated future use. Institutional controls to restrict future land use and shallow groundwater use are required by the 2002 Record of Decision but have not yet been finalized. The next Five-Year Review is estimated between August and October 2027. EPA has sampled private wells in the area since 1991 and found no contamination.

Community members can get involved by joining the EPA mailing list or attending public meetings. A community update meeting was held on May 20, 2025, in Brunswick to discuss cleanup progress. Residents can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinators. Site records are available for public review at Three Rivers Regional Library in Brunswick, Georgia.