EPA RCRA ID: VAD005007679
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Facility Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Enforcement and Compliance
- Related Information
- Contacts for this Facility
Cleanup Status
Note: The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) is the lead agency for managing cleanups at this facility.
Information continues to be reviewed to determine whether sufficient data has been gathered to support a remedy decision.
During 2011-2013, Celanese conducted investigations of soil, groundwater, surface water and sediment to assess the levels of contamination at the plant. In July 2013, Celanese submitted to EPA and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) a Phase I/IB Data Report containing the results of investigations conducted during 2011 and 2012. EPA, with the support of VDEQ and the USACE, is reviewing the July 2013 Phase I/IB Data Report.
An accelerated investigation of three historic waste disposal areas was completed in 2012 to support a boiler reconfiguration project and to determine whether an accelerated remedy was necessary. The results of the investigation indicated the level of contamination in the waste disposal areas is acceptable for continued industrial use, but is not acceptable for hypothetical future residential use. Giles County and Celanese anticipate future use of the areas will continue solely as industrial use. The groundwater investigation conducted in 2011 and 2012 found groundwater contamination in the historic waste disposal areas local to the boiler project which exceeds USEPA Region 3 Regional Screening Levels. Based on the results of the studies, EPA, VDEQ and Celanese concluded that it is safe for the waste to remain in place, that additional groundwater monitoring is warranted, that an administrative remedy to prevent hypothetical future residential uses of the land (as long as waste remains in place) will be addressed in the future site wide Remedy Decision, that the planned construction of the boiler reconfiguration project on top of the waste will prevent precipitation infiltration through much of the area and is consistent with any future remedy necessary to protect groundwater, and a remedy to address any remaining unacceptable groundwater contamination at the area can be addressed as necessary in a future site wide Remedy Decision without disrupting operation of the reconfigured boilers.
In February 2014, Celanese submitted a package containing a summary of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) data associated with the former fire training area (SWMU 25) along with a proposal for a PCB Risk Based Assessment and Management Plan. In April 2014, EPA transmitted comments on the plan.
Celanese submitted sampling plans between August and October, 2016, and EPA approved the sampling strategy on October 17, 2016. Celanese conducted groundwater sampling surrounding the Fly ash Pond A in January 2017. During the summer of 2017, Celanese submitted the data results and a response to EPA's September 2016 comments. Celanese is working with various agencies with hopes to close Pond A in the next year.
On September 24, 2020, EPA determined that contamination in groundwater and human exposures risk from contaminants were under control.
Cleanup Actions or environmental indicators characterizing the entire facility are shown below. It is not intended as an extensive list of milestones/activities. This listing, and all the data on this page, come from EPA’s RCRAInfo and are refreshed nightly to this page. For this table and the Cleanup Activities Pertaining to a Portion of the Facility table that follows, a blank in the Status column could mean the action either has not occurred or has not been reported in RCRAInfo.
Cleanup Activities Pertaining to the Entire Facility
| Action | Status | Date of Action |
|---|---|---|
| Human Exposure Under Control Human Exposure Under Control(CA725) | ||
| Groundwater Migration Under ControlGroundwater Migration Under Control (CA750) | ||
| Remedy DecisionRemedy Decision (CA400) | ||
| Remedy ConstructionRemedy Construction (CA550) | ||
| Ready for Anticipated Use Ready for Anticipated Use (CA800) | ||
| Performance Standards AttainedPerformance Standards Attained (CA900) | ||
| Corrective Action Process TerminatedCorrective Action Process Terminated (CA999) |
For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Cleanup Activities Pertaining to a Portion of the Facility
| Action | Area Name | Date of Action |
|---|
For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Facility Description
Link to a larger, interactive view of the map.
The Celanese Plant is located east of Narrows, Virginia along U.S. Route 460. The plant is divided into two major areas separated by Route 460. The plant area is located adjacent to the New River, and the landfill area is located on the hillside north of the plant area. The site is characterized by a narrow, flat valley floor surrounded by relatively steep mountainous hillsides and ridge tops.
The Celanese Plant has been in operation since late 1939 and manufactures fiber-based products. Raw materials in the formulation of cellulose acetate are cellulose (wood pulp), acetic anhydride, acetic acid, sulfuric acid, and magnesium oxide. In 2015, a new boiler system using natural gas with an oil backup began operation, replacing the coal fired boiler system used since 1939. Solid wastes are managed in onsite landfills, process wastewaters are treated on-site under a VPDES permitted wastewater treatment plant, and some wastes are sent off-site for regeneration/recycling and treatment/disposal. Celanese has completed many activities to prevent releases and exposures including waste removals, soil cap placements, and groundwater and surface water monitoring.
Contaminants at this Facility
The primary contaminants of concern include ammonia, metals, PCBs, organic solvents, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
It is anticipated that the final remedy will include institutional controls to prevent potable use of unacceptably impacted groundwater and to prevent hypothetical future residential use of unacceptably impacted land.
Institutional and Engineering Controls help ensure human exposure and groundwater migration are under control at a cleanup facility. Where control types have been reported by states and EPA in EPA’s RCRAInfo, they are shown below. Not all control types are needed at all facilities, and some facilities do not require any controls. Where there are blanks, the control types may not be needed, may not be in place, or may not be reported in RCRAInfo.
Are Controls in Place at this Facility?
|
Control(s) Type |
Control(s) in Place? |
Areas Subject to Control(s) |
Documents available on-line: |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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Institutional ControlsNon-engineering controls used to restrict land use or land access in order to protect people and the environment from exposure to hazardous substances remaining in the site/or facility. (CA 772) |
Informational DevicesInformational Devices (ID) |
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Governmental Controls (GC) |
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Enforcement and Permit Tools (EP) |
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| Proprietary ControlsProprietary Controls (PR) | ||||
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Engineering ControlsEngineering measures designed to minimize the potential for human exposure to contamination by either limiting direct contact with contaminated areas or controlling migration of contaminants. (CA 770) |
Groundwater ControlGroundwater Control (GW) |
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Non-Groundwater |
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For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Enforcement and Compliance at this Facility
EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) provides detailed historical information about enforcement and compliance activities at each RCRA Corrective Action Site in their Enforcement and Compliance Historical Online (ECHO) system.
RCRA Enforcement and Compliance Reports from ECHO
Related Information
For more information about this facility, see these other EPA links:
- RCRA information in EPA’s Envirofacts database
- Information about this facility submitted to EPA under different environmental programs as reported in EPA’s Facility Registry Services
- Alternative Names for this facility as reported by EPA programs in EPA’s Facility Registry Services
- Cleanups in My Community provides an interactive map to see EPA cleanups in context with additional data, and lists for downloading data
- Search RCRA Corrective Action Sites provides a search feature for Corrective Action Sites
Documents, Photos and Graphics
Contacts for this Facility
EPA Region implements and enforces the RCRA Corrective Action program for and federally recognized tribes.
For further information on this corrective action site, use the Contact Information for Corrective Action Hazardous Waste Clean Ups listings that are accessible through Corrective Action Programs around the Nation.