Smokey Mountain Smelters

Overview

Smokey Mountain Smelters is a former secondary aluminum smelting facility in Knoxville, Tennessee that operated from 1979 to 1994. EPA placed it on the National Priorities List in September 2010 because past industrial operations left behind contaminated soils, sediment, surface water, and groundwater. A low-income apartment complex housing about 560 residents sits within 75 feet of the site's southern boundary, and single-family homes are nearby.

EPA identified thirteen contaminants of concern, all found in groundwater within Operable Unit 1. These include metals such as aluminum, arsenic, chromium, cobalt, manganese, mercury, nickel, thallium, and zinc, as well as ammonia, fluoride, nitrate/nitrite, and pentachlorophenol.

Cleanup has moved through several stages. Early actions between 2008 and 2012 included repairing fencing, demolishing vacant buildings, removing a portion of waste, and capping remaining waste piles with clay and topsoil. EPA selected a formal cleanup plan in September 2015. The selected remedy for Operable Unit 1 includes in-situ neutralization, an engineered cap, groundwater monitoring, and institutional controls such as zoning restrictions that prevent residential development. The main remedial work ran from September 2022 through January 2024, funded in part by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. During that period, workers consolidated soil from two waste piles, built an engineered cap to block stormwater contact with waste, and injected a fungicide-based treatment into groundwater to reduce contaminants and immobilize metals. Additional topsoil was added in 2024 to repair erosion and reseed the capped area.

Current assessments show that human exposure is under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways at the site. Physical construction is complete. However, the site is not yet ready for anticipated reuse because not all cleanup goals for current and future land uses have been met. Groundwater migration status remains uncertain due to insufficient data on whether contaminated groundwater movement has stabilized. Groundwater sampling is scheduled for February 2025 to evaluate the 2023 treatments. A five-year review is estimated for 2028, and operation and maintenance activities are expected to begin between June and August 2026.

Community members can stay informed and get involved in several ways. EPA held a public meeting on February 13, 2023 at the South Knoxville Community Center, and a recording of that meeting is available for review. EPA also distributed community updates throughout 2023. Site documents are available at two Knoxville branch libraries: Bearden Branch Library at 100 Golf Club Road and South Knoxville Branch Library at 4500 Chapman Highway. Residents with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.