American Brass

Overview

A secondary brass smelter and foundry ran on this 148-acre Henry County, Alabama property from 1978 to 1992. The EPA added it to the National Priorities List in May 1999. Today, the site is used for agricultural production, including cotton and sod.

Contaminants of concern include a wide range of metals: aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, selenium, thallium, vanadium, and zinc. The site also contains boron, ammonia, nitrate, and aroclor 1260, a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) compound. P,P'-DDT, an insecticide, was detected in soil. These contaminants were found in soil, groundwater, sediment, and fish tissue within Operable Unit One.

Between 1996 and 2009, the EPA removed and disposed of 109,836 tons of contaminated soil and sediment off site and demolished site buildings. Those actions brought soil contamination to a level that allows any use, including residential development. For groundwater, the EPA chose monitored natural attenuation, which relies on natural processes to reduce contaminant levels over time. An environmental covenant placed on the site in April 2019 restricts groundwater use until levels reach safe limits. Responsibility for operation and maintenance passed to the state of Alabama in August 2019.

The 2024 Five-Year Review found the remedy protective of human health and the environment in the short term. Human exposure is under control, and contaminated groundwater is stabilized in its original area. However, groundwater sampling from December 2023 showed contaminant levels have not dropped significantly since the 2019 review. The EPA will keep conducting Five-Year Reviews until groundwater meets cleanup goals. The site has not yet been removed from the National Priorities List.

Community members can stay involved through public notices, public meetings, and interviews that the EPA holds as part of its community involvement program. Site records are available at the Blanch R. Solomon Memorial Library in Headland. Two EPA staff members are available to answer questions directly.