Residential

The area includes residential properties around the Anniston facility (OU-3) that are within and near the 100-year floodplain of Snow Creek and the 11th Street ditch. A small portion is located south of OU-3. That portion was designated by the EPA as Zone Oxford Lake Neighborhood (OLN).

A dump truck pours dirt onto a surface.
An excavator grabs dirt to pour into a dump truck.

Remediation efforts

A removal agreement between the EPA and Solutia addresses residential properties with surface soil PCB concentrations greater than 1 milligram per kilogram (mg/kg). The agreement required an engineering evaluation/cost analysis (EE/CA) on whether and how to remove soil in residential areas. Within the upper 12 inches of soil, the report called for soil removal if PCB concentrations were greater than or equal to 1 mg/kg. For depths lower than 12 inches, the report said to remove soil with PCB concentrations greater than or equal to 10 mg/kg. The report was approved by the EPA on Sept. 4, 2003. 

Remediation efforts

Nearly all residential areas have been sampled by Solutia and the EPA. Sampling identified 627 properties with PCBs levels requiring removal. Work is complete on more than 90% of these properties, which restored more than 80 acres of land.

High-activity areas

High-activity areas like schools and playgrounds were remediated to the residential standard.

An excavator is at rest at a construction site.

Long-term management

Long-term work that the EPA said Solutia should perform includes: 

Residential soils

Residential soils require removal and on-site disposal of surface soil with PCB concentrations greater than or equal to 1 mg/kg, and removal and off-site disposal of subsurface soil with PCB concentrations greater than 10 mg/kg.

High-activity properties

For high-activity special use properties, the EPA requires removal and on-site disposal of surface soil with PCB concentrations greater than or equal to 1 mg/kg, and removal and off-site disposal of subsurface soil with PCB concentrations greater than or equal to 10 mg/kg.

Low-activity properties

For low-activity special use properties, work includes the removal and off-site disposal of surface soil with PCB concentrations greater than or equal to 1 mg/kg and removal of 97 mg/kg at the subsurface.

Soil management

Long-term management is needed for properties with PCBs greater than or equal to 1 mg/kg, for properties with PCB soil concentrations greater than or equal to 1 mg/kg that aren't suitable for removal, and for properties that may have PCBs under a structure.

Ongoing activities

Solutia notified landowners and tenants that soil containing PCBs is or may be on their property. Solutia helps when intrusive work is planned such as:  

  • Structure demolition, expansion or addition 
  • In-ground pool construction
  • Utility work
  • Clearing, grubbing or grading   

Solutia will provide long-term soil management by sampling and managing soil, as necessary. 

A person measures a surface area.

Find out more.


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