Armstrong World Industries

Overview

The Armstrong World Industries site is a 130-acre acoustic ceiling tile manufacturing plant in Macon, Georgia that has operated since 1948. EPA added it to the National Priorities List in September 2011 after waste disposal operations contaminated groundwater and fish and sediment in nearby Rocky Creek. The plant still operates today, employing 453 people as of December 2024.

EPA identified six contaminants of concern at the site: benzo(a)pyrene, copper, dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, lead, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These were found in soil and solid waste. Trichloroethylene (TCE) has also been detected at unacceptable levels in groundwater beneath the site, though that groundwater is not used for drinking water. Fish sampling in Rocky Creek found PCB contamination in channel catfish and spotted sucker downstream of Houston Road, and EPA advises against eating those fish from that location.

The site is divided into three cleanup areas called operable units (OUs). OU-1 focused on a wastewater treatment plant landfill, where an engineered cap and liner system was completed in April 2016 and EPA-overseen removal work finished in November 2016. OU-2 covers a remote landfill, a former naval ordnance landfill, and areas near Rocky Creek. On August 1, 2024, EPA issued a Record of Decision selecting cleanup methods for OU-2, including excavation, offsite disposal of contaminated material, soil covers, slope stabilization, revegetation, and institutional controls. Remedial design for OU-2 is estimated to run from December 2026 through May 2028. OU-3 will address TCE groundwater contamination and is expected to begin its investigation between July and September 2027.

Human exposure across the entire site is currently under control, meaning no unacceptable exposure pathways exist at this time. However, groundwater migration status remains uncertain due to insufficient data. Physical construction of cleanup work is not yet complete. Institutional controls, including zoning restrictions that prevent residential development, are already in place. Fish consumption guidelines were updated after more thorough sampling in 2019 and 2020 showed PCB levels in Rocky Creek have declined significantly from earlier readings.

Community members can stay involved by contacting the EPA team directly. Before the August 2024 cleanup decision was finalized, EPA held a virtual public meeting in May 2024 and accepted public comments through July 1, 2024. Community input was incorporated into the final Record of Decision. Site documents are available at the Middle Georgia Regional Library at 180 Washington Avenue in Macon, Georgia.