EPA RCRA ID: WVD039990965
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 lead agency for cleanups at this facility is the EPA.
In March 2002, an inspector from West Virginia’s Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) Hazardous Waste group discovered a waste material on the riverbank of the Kanawha River while doing riverbank inspections. A shallow slide near the toe of the riverbank exposed a thin lens of discolored material that was intermingled with a black tar-like residue. The new release was located outside the fenced limits of the production facility, which required an expedited containment and remediation plan. Solutia addressed the new release under the existing Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action permit, with oversight of both EPA and WVDEP, by installing a containment structure in the Kanawha River to prevent migration of contaminants during removal, completing test pits to determine the extent of the material on the bank, and excavating the contaminated material from the area.\
Representatives from EPA, WVDEP and Solutia met in August 2002, to discuss the status of the corrective action activities and the planned future investigations at the Nitro facility. During the meeting, Solutia committed to perform work to meet the Environmental Indicators, namely controlling current human exposures and the migration of contaminated groundwater, at the facility by 2005. Subsequently, in late 2002, Solutia completed a supplemental sediment and surface water field sampling event to provide coverage along the entire facility riverbank. Work completed in 2003 included performing a site-wide groundwater collection event using Geoprobe direct push technology, as well as collecting soil and groundwater samples from the Past Disposal Area (a former waste disposal location). The results of the site-wide groundwater investigation were submitted in a December 2003 report. The results of the Past Disposal Area investigation were submitted in June 2004. Solutia has prepared an RFI work plan to address additional site characterization. EPA is presently reviewing the work plan. Construction elements of the Interim Measures Work Plan for Soils Stabilization have been completed.
Solutia completed the installation of 34 monitoring wells in March of 2005 as part of the Expanded RCRA Facility Investigation (ERFI). The trichloroethylene (TCE) groundwater pumping and the oxygen injection system operations have been decommissioned so that groundwater in the area affected by these systems can be accurately evaluated. Groundwater sampling for the ERFI began during April 2005 and is still in progress.
Solutia has indicated that on-site remediation activities should continue according to schedule. Demolition of the process area began in June 2004 and was completed in June 2005. The transition of the facility from Flexsys to Solutia was completed in November 2005. Solutia is presently evaluating the surface water management program for the facility. Solutia completed additional sampling during 2006 to better characterize the site. An Expanded RCRA Facility Investigation Report (ERFI) was submitted to EPA in February 2007. Solutia responded to comments from EPA/WVDEP on the ERFI and the report was finalized in April 2008. Based on comments regarding the ERFI, Solutia installed additional groundwater monitoring wells and collected additional groundwater samples. Solutia submitted a draft Interim Measures Work Plan in November 2009 that EPA and WVDEP reviewed and approved. Solutia has recently completed the construction of barrier walls for specific areas on the site property and is currently capping other areas of the property. This work is being completed as a major component of the Interim Measures Work. The site capping should be completed in early 2016 and a waste water treatment plant for treating the captured on-site groundwater should be installed and operational by the summer of 2016.
In December 2016, EPA issued is Corrective Action Final Decision with Controls for the Facility. EPA’s Final Remedy for the Facility consists of the isolation and containment of contaminated groundwater source areas. Contaminated groundwater from within the groundwater containment source areas will be pumped, treated and discharged under the Facility’s West Virginia NPDES permit to achieve an inward gradient in each groundwater containment area. The Final Remedy also includes groundwater monitoring, installation of impermeable and permeable vegetated soil covers to address Facility soils, and riverbank stabilization with riprap.
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 |
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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 Solutia Inc. Nitro Plant is located on the east bank of the Kanawha River, approximately one-half mile north of the City of Nitro in Putnam County, West Virginia in a heavily industrialized region. The site encompasses approximately 116 acres. Production areas, warehouse buildings, parking, or open storage had covered about 60 percent of the site. The facility is bordered to the east and northeast by commercial properties on State Route 25, to the south by industrial property, to the west and northwest by the Kanawha River, and Interstate Highway 64 divides the facility.
From 1918 to 1921, the site manufactured explosives including “nitro-powder”to support World War I. When the explosives facility closed, the site was purchased and used for a variety of industries. In 1929, Monsanto acquired a portion of the facility that was owned by the Rubber Services Company, which manufactured chloride, phosphate, and phenol compounds. Operation and management of the site were transferred to Flexsys America, LP, a limited partnership, in 1995 and, by 1997, Monsanto spun off its interest in the Nitro facility to Solutia Inc., and later operations ceased. The total facility has been demolished and is mostly gravel covered.
Contaminants at this Facility
The main contaminants in the groundwater include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). However, groundwater in the vicinity of the plant is not currently used as a drinking water source.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
A combination of Engineering Controls (ECs) and Institutional Controls (ICs) are at the facility for restricting /monitoring soils and groundwater .
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.