Ormet Corp.

Overview

An aluminum processing plant ran along the Ohio River in Monroe County, Ohio from 1958 to 2013. Plant wastes dumped on the ground and in unlined lagoons spread cyanide, fluoride, heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, and more than 130 other substances into soil, sediment, and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in July 1987 after investigations found moderate contamination levels. The former facility closed in July 2014, and new property owners are now planning to redevelop it through EPA's Superfund Redevelopment Program.

The main cleanup work was organized under a single operable unit. EPA selected the remedy in September 1994, and it included excavating contaminated soils and sediment, building a landfill cap, installing a flushing system on the former spent potliner storage area, extracting and treating groundwater, and restricting site access. Physical construction was completed in August 1998. Revisions to the cleanup approach were made in April 1997 and again in March 2012 through Explanations of Significant Differences, adding containment, a soil cover, and operations and maintenance activities.

EPA's Fifth Five-Year Review, completed in April 2022, found that the remedy continues to protect human health and the environment. Human exposure is currently under control, with no known direct exposure pathways. However, groundwater migration is not yet stabilized, meaning contaminated groundwater movement has not been stopped. Most groundwater contamination remains contained within the historically affected area. To keep the cleanup effective long-term, EPA identified several actions still needed, including developing site-specific soil standards, completing an updated ecological risk assessment, approving a pilot project work plan, sampling for 1,4-dioxane, and repairing site fencing. Regular groundwater sampling and maintenance monitoring must also continue.

The site has not been deleted from the National Priorities List. Remedial action under the main operable unit is estimated to conclude between December 2026 and February 2027, with operation and maintenance to follow. The next five-year review is scheduled for 2027. Public records related to the site are available through EPA's Superfund records system and in person at the Monroe County Public Library in Woodsfield, Ohio. Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager directly using the information below.