Big D Campground sits on a former sand and gravel quarry pit in Kingsville, Ohio, about 2.5 miles south of Lake Erie. Between 1964 and 1976, the roughly 2.8-acre pit received hazardous and non-hazardous waste from the Olin Corporation. The site was added to the EPA's National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983. It remains on the NPL because some contaminants are still present.
EPA found 17 chemical contaminants of concern at the site. These include chlorinated organic compounds such as trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, vinyl chloride, and various dichlorobenzenes. Metals including lead, chromium, nickel, barium, and beryllium were also detected. Diaminotoluene was found in groundwater as well. Contamination was spread across groundwater, soil, surface water, and solid waste. Conneaut Creek was also contaminated with chlorobenzene.
The cleanup was organized into two main operable units. Operable Unit 1 addressed groundwater, using extraction, treatment, containment, and institutional controls. Operable Unit 2 covered incineration of source material. Construction and major cleanup activities finished in 1995. Olin Corporation maintains the site cap and fence. Olin also acquired groundwater rights from surrounding property owners and placed deed restrictions on off-site properties to prevent future groundwater use. Groundwater and surface water are monitored twice each year.
As of September 2024, the remedy is protective of human health and the environment in the short term. No one is drinking contaminated groundwater, and institutional controls prevent groundwater use. Human exposure is currently considered under control. However, the extent of vinyl chloride in groundwater has not been fully defined, and the question of whether contaminated groundwater migration is stabilized remains open due to insufficient data. A trial period is underway to test whether monitored natural attenuation could replace the existing pump-and-treat system. Emerging contaminants are also now being evaluated. The next five-year remedy review is scheduled for 2029.
Community members with questions about the site can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.
