Hercules to Hit Remediation Milestones in 2023

Hercules is starting the new year with a push to complete its environmental work at the former Hercules plant site, now Pinova, in Brunswick. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) approved Hercules’ Corrective Action Plan and renewed the permit necessary for the work to commence. This action follows many years of investigation and remediation performed under earlier phases of the EPD-led remediation work.

Several public meetings and public comment periods were held over the years, most recently in October 2022.

During the past two years, Hercules stabilized 7,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil at the facility, installed 34 groundwater treatment wells, surveyed 35 site buildings to evaluate vapor intrusion, installed three vapor mitigation systems, and retrofitted five additional buildings to eliminate any potential vapor intrusion risk. Soil and groundwater work that builds on this progress is planned for 2023 including removal of 1,500 cubic yards of contaminated soil at the facility and additional groundwater treatment.

In addition to Pinova’s continued operation, an important goal for Hercules is to return eligible portions of the site to the community for redevelopment and reuse.

Also in January, remediation work along Terry Creek will kick off. Motorists along Highway 17 and the causeway may notice staging of construction equipment and crews mobilizing to build a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency interim remedy for the Terry Creek outfall ditch. Construction of the remedy, which will involve capping and eliminating the potential exposure to ditch sediments, should be finished in 2023. Hercules expects that completion of the remedy will help make the property attractive for redevelopment.

Terry Creek OU1 Construction Update

Workers at the Terry Creek site build and install roads and erosion control measures to prepare for implementation of the OU1 remedial action.

Aerobic Biobarrier Well installation

A series of wells was installed to implement the “aerobic biobarrier” to treat groundwater near the Brunswick facility. The interim corrective measure plan can be found here.

Terry Creek OU1 Remedial Action Begins

Crews began initial site work for constructing the Terry Creek Operable Unit 1 (OU1) remedial action. The remedial action work plan can be found here.

EPA hosts public availability session

Old City Hall

USEPA and representatives for several sites in Brunswick gathered in Old City Hall on October 27, 2022 for a public availability session.

The EPA fact sheets for 009 Landfill and Terry Creek can be viewed using these links:

009 Landfill

Terry Creek

Enhanced monitored natural attenuation at 009 Landfill

Hercules has met all established remedial action objectives at the 009 Landfill as of 1999. A portion of the site is currently being reused by a car dealership to park cars.

In 2022, Hercules voluntarily performed high resolution site characterization and installed additional groundwater monitoring wells. In an effort to enhance the future protectiveness of the established monitored natural attenuation remedy for groundwater impacts at the site, Hercules worked with EPA and EPD to inject aquifer amendments along the eastern, down-gradient boundary of the landfill. The effectiveness of the aquifer amendments at accelerating natural attenuation of impacted groundwater will be measured through quarterly groundwater sampling events through the end of 2023. The library contains the work plan for the pilot test and the expanded pilot test.

2021 Annual Report, Wildlife Habitat Council Program

Ashland is committed to combining conservation and corporate sustainability goals with remediation efforts and was recognized in 2021 by WHC and the local community for conservation at two Hercules remediation sites in Brunswick, Georgia. The annual report including the 2021 activities at the former Brunswick facility and the 009 Landfill may be viewed here.

June 2021 Groundwater Monitoring Report

Click here for new report posted to HerculesBrunswick.com library.

The purpose of the groundwater monitoring report is to provide EPD with (i) the results of the semi-annual groundwater monitoring event that took place in June 2021, (ii) an update regarding activities related to groundwater conditions that have been undertaken since the previous semi-annual groundwater monitoring event was completed in December 2020, and (iii) a summary of upcoming planned activities related to groundwater conditions. The June 2021 report includes a new report titled “Tidal Evaluation and Groundwater Chemistry Data Summary” that evaluates the influence of tidal fluctuations on groundwater conditions in the upper surficial aquifer underlying the Brunswick facility.

Interim Corrective Measure Work Plans

In August 2021, Hercules submitted an interim corrective measure (ICM) work plan for the shallow zone of the upper surficial aquifer for the Stillhouse Control Room Area of the Brunswick facility. The purpose of this ICM is to reduce the mass of selected contaminants of potential concern (“COPCs”) in groundwater in the shallow zone of the upper surficial aquifer underlying the southern production area of the Brunswick facility near a building designated as the Stillhouse Control Room.

The ICM will utilize in situ chemical oxidation (“ISCO”) to achieve mass reduction of COPCs in groundwater and is one of multiple ICMs for groundwater being implemented at the Brunswick facility. ISCO involves destruction of organic contaminants by injecting an oxidant into the groundwater treatment zone through injection wells or probes. The oxidant then destroys organic contaminants through oxidizing those contaminants that come into contact with the oxidant. Effective use of ISCO in groundwater requires direct contact between organic contaminants and the oxidant for a complete oxidation reaction to occur. Oxidants that are commonly used for remediation of groundwater include permanganate, persulfate (often combined with activators), ozone, percarbonate, and peroxide (e.g., Fenton’s reagent and calcium peroxide). Certain oxidants can also be combined for enhanced effects.

In September 2021, Hercules submitted an ICM work plan for the deep zone of the upper surficial aquifer at the Brunswick facility. The purpose this ICM is to reduce the mass flux and concentrations of selected COPCs that are detected in elevated concentrations in groundwater in the deep zone of the upper surficial aquifer underlying the southeastern portion of main operational area of the Brunswick facility along west side of the U.S. Highway 17 corridor.

The ICM will utilize in situ bioremediation in the form of a biologically active permeable reactive barrier (referred to as a “biobarrier”) to achieve mass flux reductions of COPCs in groundwater. This ICM will specifically target methylene chloride and chloroform in the treatment area because these two COPCs represent the majority of the volatile organic compounds (“VOCs”) that have been detected in groundwater in the area of the proposed biobarrier. The biobarrier is one of multiple ICMs for groundwater being implemented at the Brunswick facility.

Vapor Intrusion Mitigation System Installed

This Construction Completion Report describes the installation of sub-slab depressurization (“SSD”) systems at two buildings at an industrial facility located at the Brunswick facility. The two buildings are commonly referred to as the Stillhouse Control Room and the Chemical Plant Control Room and Laboratory. Hercules is undertaking various environmental activities at the Brunswick facility pursuant to the corrective action program under the Resources Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”) as administered by EPD, including assessing the potential for historical releases of volatile organic compounds (“VOCs”) to enter buildings that are determined to be potentially susceptible to vapor intrusion. Based on the results of extensive investigation activities that have been conducted in a phased manner, Hercules elected to undertake preemptive mitigation steps as a precaution to address potential vapor intrusion at the Stillhouse Control Room and the Chemical Plant Control Room and Laboratory. Both SSD systems are now fully operational. This CCR describes the work that was performed to construct and install the SSD systems, and to place those systems into operation.

December 2020 Groundwater Monitoring Report

Click here for new report posted to HerculesBrunswick.com library.

The purpose of the groundwater monitoring report is to provide EPD with (i) the results of the semi-annual groundwater monitoring event that took place in December 2020, (ii) an update regarding activities related to groundwater conditions that have been undertaken since the previous semi-annual groundwater monitoring event was completed in June 2020, and (iii) a summary of upcoming planned activities related to groundwater conditions.

Cleanup earns conservation certification

March 27, 2021 article in the Brunswick News reports

“Two Hercules sites in Brunswick are recognized as meeting the strict requirements of WHC Conservation Certification,” said Margaret O’Gorman, president, WHC. “Companies achieving WHC Conservation Certification, like Hercules, are environmental leaders, voluntarily managing their lands to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them.”

Wildlife Habitat Council promotes and certifies habitat conservation and management on corporate lands through partnerships and education.