Alabama NPL/NPL Caliber Cleanup Site Summaries

• Site Profile
• Administrative Record Index (All PDF): Final (7 pp., 276K), OU2 (6pp., 275K), OU2 add. (1 p., 30K),
  OU3 (9 pp., 375K), OU4 (8 pp., 305K), OU5 (4 pp., 147K)
• Additional Site Documents including Five Year Reviews, Records of Decisions (ROD) and Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD).

Site Background:
The Ciba-Geigy Corporation in McIntosh was built in the early 1950s. It produced industrial organic chemicals and synthetic resins on this 1,500-acre site. The facility disposed of waste in several unlined pits on the property. Prior to 1965, effluent from the plant flowed into the Tombigbee River after chemicals were neutralized in the facility's wastewater impoundment. The Tombigbee River and freshwater wetlands are near several former disposal areas, and the wetlands area is subject to periodic flooding by the river. The disposal areas are primarily contaminated with dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT), and its metabolites DDD and DDE; hexachlorocyclohexane (BHC) and its isomers alpha, beta, delta and gamma BHC; and chlorobenzenes. The potentially responsible party (PRP) conducted the Remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS) under an Administrative Order on Consent. The Remedial Design and Remedial Action are being conducted under a Consent Decree by the PRPs.

Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
In September, 1996, a slurry wall was constructed in the floodplain to divert groundwater toward the currently operating groundwater extraction system. The initial remediaton of the contaminated soil and sediment (approximately 14,000 tons) in the floodplain is complete. The Remedial Action Report, documenting the process from excavation to backfilling, was submitted by the PRPs to EPA and was approved in September of 1999. The Thermal Treatment of the majority of the contaminated soil (approximately 125,000 tons - OUs #2 and #4) began in December 1997 and is now complete. The Remedial Action Report, documenting the process from excavation to post incineration testing and backfilling, was submitted by the PRPs and approved by EPA in September of 1999.A Preliminary Close Out Report, documenting that EPA has completed construction activities for the final operable unit at the site, was signed by the Director of the Waste Division on July 19, 2000. A five-year review report, which found that the remedial action taken at the site continues to be protective of human health and the environment, was approved September 28, 2001.

The second five-year review was signed by the Director of the Waste Division in September 2006.  The report concluded that the implemented remedies for OUs 1, 2 and 4 are protective of human health and the environment, as intended by the decision documents.  Results of the five years of post-remediation monitoring of OU-3, indicates the remedy, as implemented, is not protective of the environment.  Although progress has been made towards the remedial goals, additional remediation of contaminated sediment is recommended to achieve the remedial goals for OU-3. 

The PRP is currently addressing the deficiencies in the report.  Additional remediation is currently expected to occur in 2008. 

The next 5 year Review is scheduled to occur by 2011.