Hercules Plant Hazardous Waste Facility Permit Up for Renewal
 

Public Hearing on Permit 

  The Hercules Plant Hazardous Waste Facility Permit is up for renewal and will be the subject of a September 13, 2007, 6:00 to 8:00 PM Public Hearing at the Brunswick Library. 

What the Permit Covers 

   The permit regulates how much waste can be stored at the Hercules Plant, and more importantly, lists all the toxic waste sites at the plant. Additionally, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA-EPD) is to list the “Schedule of Compliance” for the investigation, cleanup plan development, and cleanup of toxic wastes that have been spilled or otherwise released at the plant. 

Schedule of Compliance to Investigate and Cleanup Toxic Waste Sites 

The permit, as currently written, does not have a Schedule of Compliance for Hercules to investigate, develop cleanup plans, or actually cleanup any of the 39 known or suspected toxic waste sites at the Plant.  Previous permits, going back to 1987, have ordered Hercules to report actual or suspected toxic waste sites at the plant, investigate these areas, and develop and implement cleanup plans.  Contrary to what the permit has ordered Hercules to do, documents from the Plant indicate that efforts have been made to keep the GA-EPD from discovering all the toxic waste sites. In January and February of 1999, during an EPA investigation of the Plant, 28 more toxic sites were discovered. 

The Law Requires the GA-EPD to Put a Schedule of Compliance in the Permit 

The GA-EPD is allowed by the EPA to issue Hazardous Waste Facility Permits using the guidance provided in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), specifically Title 40 CFR.  Under the law, a schedule of compliance is required with specific goals and timetables, when appropriate.  Since Hercules has failed to complete the investigation of the Plant in 20 years, a Schedule of Compliance is appropriate.  

Has Hercules Made Any Progress In Investigation or Cleanup of the 39 Toxic Sites? 

Hercules has done some work on investigation at the Plant, but the work has been substandard and received many Notices of Deficiency from the GA-EPD.   In 20 years, Hercules has failed to complete investigation of the plant, which is the first step in developing cleanup plans.

The Hercules Plant has failed to complete investigation of the Plant in 20 years or make significant progress in cleaning up the 39 toxic waste sites discovered  to date.

Hercules Plant
Toxic Sites

Site#             Name                        Listed Date

Toxic Sites Requiring Investigation

 1  Mill Room Pond                                     1994

 2  Plant Clarifier                                        1994

 3  Former Truck Dumper Area                   1994

 4  Drum Crushing Unit                              1994

 6  Y Tank Farm                                          1994

 7  Vinsol® Bins                                         1994

 8  Y-1,Y-2,Y-3 Tank Farm                           1994

 9  Chemical Plant                                      1994

10  Former Equalization Basin                   1987

12  Former Tank Car Percolation Pits        1999

14  Stillhouse Railcar Loading Area           1999

15  Old Extractor Bldg & Tank Area           1999

16  Sawdust Pile                                       1999

17  Former Sand Blasting Area                  1999

18  Former Sludge Tank Area                    1999

19  Sand Filter Drying Bed and Pads         1999

20  Former Amberlite Treatment System   1999

21  Hard Resins Tank Farm Area               1999

22  Terpene Resins Area                           1999

23  Pexite Plant Blowdown Area               1999

24  Toxaphene Stormwater Collection Sump     1999

25  Tank Car Cleaning Area                      1999

26  Pexite Building Area                            1999

27  Resin Remelt & Drum Storage             1999

28  Intermediate Vinsol® Bin                    1999

31  Former Mercury Absorber Area           1999

32  Staybellite Area                                  1999

33  Tank Truck Liquid Loading Area          1999

34  Product & Wastewater Piping            1999

35  Former Drum Storage Area                 1999

36 Former Kymene Production Area
and Tank Farm                                          1999

37 Basin impoundments W. of Lift
Station 17                                                 1999

38  JCM Recovery Well Area                      1999

39 Refinery Process Building                   1999

Requiring Cleanup

 5   Former Toxaphene Plant Site              1994

29  N Street Ditch, South Ditch & Branch   1999

30 Non-Hazardous Waste Storage         1999

No Further Action at this time

13  Residual Fuel Tank Area                      1999

Regulated Unit

10  Former Toxaphene Surface Impoundments  1987