Rockwool Industries Inc.

Overview

Rockwool Industries operated a mineral wool insulation plant on a 100-acre property in Belton, Bell County, Texas from the mid-1950s until 1987. The manufacturing process left behind metal shot waste and contamination in soil, groundwater, and surface water. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in September 1998. The three contaminants of concern are antimony, arsenic, and lead.

EPA selected a cleanup remedy in September 2003 and finalized it in September 2004. The approach included excavating contaminated material, capping some waste in place, stabilizing slopes, controlling drainage and erosion, and putting institutional controls in place to limit future exposure. An Explanation of Significant Differences issued in August 2005 further adjusted the remedy. Construction ran from February 2005 through September 2005, and the site achieved ready-for-reuse status in June 2006. Operation and maintenance activities transferred to state performance in September 2006.

Human exposure is currently under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified across the site. Contaminated groundwater is stabilized within its original area and is not discharging to surface water at unacceptable levels. The site still needs follow-up maintenance work, including closing unused monitoring wells, adding warning signs, removing trees, fixing erosion, repairing remedial components, and removing corrugated metal pipes. The most recent five-year review, completed in September 2023, found that the remedy protects human health and the environment in the short term. The next five-year review is expected between September and November 2028.

The City of Belton received a Superfund Redevelopment planning grant to bring the property back into productive use. Plans call for a 900,000-square-foot development with light manufacturing, office showrooms, and stores, with an estimated $50 million in annual payroll. As of December 2024, two businesses operate on site, employing 50 people and generating about $15.69 million in annual sales.

Community members can review the 2023 Five-Year Review Report online or in person at the local repository at Belton City Hall, 333 Water Street, Belton, Texas 76513, reachable at (254) 933-5800. For media inquiries, contact the EPA Press Office at (214) 665-2200. The EPA project manager and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality can answer additional questions.