Ram Leather Care is a former leather restoration and dry-cleaning facility in Charlotte, North Carolina. It operated from 1977 to 1993 and was added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2003 after investigations found contaminated soil and groundwater from facility operations and waste handling. The site is divided into two operable units. Operable Unit 1 covers the main source area and surrounding groundwater zones. Operable Unit 2 addresses bedrock and deep groundwater, and investigation there is still ongoing.
EPA identified 16 contaminants of concern at the site. These include chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, vinyl chloride, and dichloroethene compounds found in soil and groundwater. Benzene, chloroform, and bromodichloromethane are present in groundwater. The pesticide toxaphene and the metal manganese are found in soil. Dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL), a persistent chemical that sinks through soil and water, was also detected in groundwater. In 2008, EPA found contamination in four residential wells.
Several cleanup actions have already taken place. EPA ran a pump-and-treat groundwater system starting in 2008, but shut it down in 2011 after finding it was increasing contamination in deeper bedrock areas. Also in 2008, EPA excavated about 2,400 cubic yards of contaminated soil. The site building was demolished in 2013. A final cleanup plan, called a Record of Decision, was signed in September 2018. It calls for soil vapor extraction above the water table, in-situ thermal treatment in the main source area, and in-situ thermal treatment combined with biobarriers in the saturated zone. EPA completed remedial design work in 2020. A third phase of remedial action began in September 2023, with completion estimated in fall 2028, after which long-term monitoring will begin.
EPA has determined that human exposure is currently under control. Nearby residences and businesses are connected to public water. As a precaution, EPA will extend a municipal water line about 2,000 feet along Alvin Hough Road to serve up to seven households, including one where low levels of site-related contaminants were detected in 2017. The site is currently unoccupied. Physical construction of the cleanup is not yet complete, and the site is not ready for its anticipated future use. EPA will continue monitoring residential wells in the area.
Community members can stay informed through public notices, fact sheets, and meetings organized by EPA. Site records are available at the Mint Hill Branch Library at 6840 Matthews-Mint Hill Road in Charlotte. Two EPA staff members are available to answer questions directly.
