Popile, Inc. is a 41-acre former wood-treating facility in El Dorado, Arkansas, that operated from 1947 to 1982. The site, also known as Eldorado Creosote Co. and Eldorado Pole, was added to EPA's National Priorities List (NPL) on October 14, 1992. The NPL is the federal government's roster of contaminated sites that need thorough investigation and cleanup. The site has not yet been removed from that list, but it reached a milestone called "sitewide ready for anticipated reuse" on August 9, 2010.
Creosote and pentachlorophenol (PCP) are the main drivers of contamination here. EPA identified 22 contaminants of concern found in groundwater, soil, and sludge across the site. These include volatile organic compounds such as benzene, toluene, and xylene, chlorinated phenols including PCP and 2-chlorophenol, and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as benzo(a)pyrene and naphthalene. Benzo(a)pyrene showed up in all three media types. The primary human health risks come from ingesting or touching contaminants in soil, surface water, groundwater, and sediment.
EPA completed physical construction of the cleanup in 1998, using monitored natural attenuation, soil capping, a vertical slurry wall barrier, fencing, and institutional controls. Bioremediation, which uses biological processes to break down contaminants, was also part of the strategy. EPA carried out cleanup work through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Total Environmental Restoration Contract. A groundwater monitoring program began in 2003 to watch for any movement of contamination toward Bayou de Loutre. Testing from 1998 to 2000 found no contaminant migration off site and no threat to the bayou. A January 2004 sample did not conclusively show the plume extending beyond the site boundary.
EPA's most recent five-year review, completed September 17, 2021, confirmed the remedy protects public health and the environment in the short term. Human exposure is under control, and groundwater migration has been stabilized. All cleanup goals have been met for current and reasonably expected future land uses, required land-use restrictions are in place, and no unacceptable risks remain. Maintaining that status depends on keeping institutional controls in place, repairing the security fence, removing trees that could damage capped areas, and continuing groundwater monitoring. Further cleanup would only happen if the contaminant plume expands toward the bayou. The next five-year review is estimated between September and November 2026.
Community members with questions can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator. The Remedial Project Manager handles technical questions about the cleanup. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) is also involved and can be contacted.
