Sol Lynn/Industrial Transformers

Overview

This 0.75-acre site in Houston, Texas hosted an electrical transformer salvage company from 1965 to 1975 and a chemical recycling company from 1975 to 1980. Those operations left soil and groundwater contaminated with hazardous chemicals. The site was added to the federal Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in March 1989 and has been divided into two operable units (OUs): one addressing soil contamination and one addressing groundwater.

The contaminants of concern are vinyl chloride, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and trichloroethene. These have been found in soil, groundwater, and air. The greatest health risks come from drinking contaminated groundwater and potential vapor intrusion, which occurs when underground vapors move up into buildings. Vapor intrusion sampling conducted between 2010 and 2022 found no current exposure above acceptable cancer risk levels or above the noncancer hazard index.

Soil cleanup through excavation and off-site disposal finished in 1993. Groundwater remediation has used pump-and-treat technology, in situ bioremediation, and monitored natural attenuation (MNA), which relies on natural processes to break down contaminants. Groundwater sampling from 2022 to 2024 showed continued exceedances of cleanup goals, and work is ongoing to map the full extent of contamination down to 200 feet deep. Human exposure across the site is under control, meaning no unacceptable exposure pathways currently exist. However, groundwater migration is not under control, as contaminated groundwater has not stabilized. Restrictive covenants prohibit residential use and groundwater use on-site, and EPA has recommended extending those controls to nearby parcels with contaminated groundwater.

The EPA issued its Sixth Five-Year Review Report in August 2025, finding the site is short-term protective of human health and the environment. The report also identifies additional actions needed for long-term protection. The site achieved "sitewide ready for anticipated reuse" status in September 2007 and currently hosts three on-site businesses. It has not yet been deleted from the NPL.

Community members with questions can contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) also handles state-level coordination.