Dixie Oil Processors, Inc. is a 26.6-acre former industrial facility located about 20 miles southeast of Houston in Harris County, Texas. From 1969 to 1986, the site operated in two phases: first as a copper recovery and hydrocarbon washing facility with surface pits for wastewater, then as an oil recovery, blending, and distillation operation processing residues from nearby chemical plants and refineries. Those activities contaminated both soil and groundwater with hazardous chemicals.
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) identified six contaminants of concern at the site. They are 1,1,2-trichloroethane, di-n-octyl phthalate, dichloromethane (also called methylene chloride), hexachlorobenzene, phenanthrene, and organics. Five of those chemicals were found in soil across the entire site. Organics were also detected in groundwater across the site.
The EPA added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List in October 1989 and issued a cleanup plan, called a Record of Decision, in March 1988. Physical cleanup work ran from March 1992 to June 1993. That work included removing surface contamination, improving surface water controls, reconstructing Mud Gully, installing a security fence, removing and disposing of tank wastes off-site, breaking down process equipment, and putting institutional controls in place. The EPA deleted the site from the National Priorities List in August 2006.
Human exposure is currently under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified. Groundwater migration is also under control, with contaminated groundwater stabilized and not discharging unacceptably to surface water. The site has achieved sitewide ready for anticipated use status, meaning all cleanup goals for current and expected future land uses have been met and required land-use restrictions are in place. The site is classified for anticipated non-residential use. Ongoing groundwater monitoring and inspections continue under EPA oversight. The most recent five-year review, completed in August 2023, confirmed the remedy is protective of human health and the environment.
Community members who want to learn more can review the 2023 Five-Year Review Report online at https://semspub.epa.gov/work/06/100029441.pdf or in person at the Parker Williams Library on the San Jacinto College South Campus at 13735 Beamer Road in Houston, Texas. The library can be reached at (832) 927-7870. For site-specific questions, residents can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator. Media inquiries go to the EPA Press Office at (214) 665-2200.
