Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Amsted Industries - Griffin Pipe Products Company (Formerly: Thomas Road Landfill) in Madison Heights, Virginia
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
In July 2002, EPA issued Griffin Pipe a Consent Order. The purpose of this Order was to require Griffin to 1) perform Interim Measures (“IM”) to prevent or mitigate any threats to human health or the environment; 2) perform a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Investigation (“RFI”) to determine fully the nature and extent of any release of hazardous waste and/or hazardous constituents at or from the Facility; and 3) perform a Corrective Measures Study (“CMS”) to identify and evaluate alternatives for corrective action necessary to clean up contaminated media to levels protective of human health and the environment. EPA approved the revised RFI workplan on September 27, 2006. The final RFI report was submitted on April 20, 2010.
Cleanup Status
EPA approved the Screening Level Ecological Risk Assessment on May 8, 2013. Additionally, the RFI report was approved on June 27, 2013. Griffin Pipe submitted a CMS on November 8, 2013. EPA reviewed the report and proposed that Griffin move forward with an Interim Measure (Stormwater Pond Removal and Containment through Engineering Controls) rather than wait and have the pond removed as part of the remedy.
The landfill was closed and capped in 1989.
On September 24, 2014, Griffin Pipe proposed to remove the eastern detention pond berm and cap any remaining impacted areas. The proposed interim measure (IM) included removal of portions of the berms that were constructed to form both the eastern and western stormwater basins. The proposal also included the use of a geomembrane capping system (IM remediation cap) to control contaminated sediments currently in the eastern detention pond.
The IM Work Plan included an Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Plan for the existing landfill cap and the proposed IM remediation cap, and contains requirements for periodic inspection and maintenance of both caps. EPA approved the IM Work Plan on October 27, 2014.
Construction of the IM remediation cap commenced on July 25, 2016 and was completed on October 13, 2016, in accordance with the EPA-approved IM Work Plan. The IM remediation cap effectively eliminates access to contaminated sediment in the former pond to terrestrial plants and animals, and the associated unacceptable ecological risks.
In addition, the EPA-approved O&M Plan was revised and to acknowledge that groundwater monitoring was no longer required.
On January 18, 2017, EPA issued a Statement of Basis (SB) in which EPA proposed a remedy for the Facility. EPA held a thirty (30)-day public comment period which began on January 18,2017 and ended on February 17, 2017. The only comments EPA received during the public comment period were submitted by Griffin Pipe.
The Final Decision and Response to Comments (FDRTC) for the Facility was issued on March 10, 2017. EPA’s final remedy for the Facility consists of the continued maintenance of the landfill cap and IM remediation cap in accordance with the EPA-approved O&M Plan, access and reporting requirements and the implementation of and compliance with the land use restrictions because some contaminants will remain in the soil at the Facility above levels appropriate for residential exposure.
Site Description
Interactive Map of Amsted Industries - Griffin Pipe Products Company, Madison Heights, Virginia
Griffin Pipe is approximately 15 acres and is located on Thomas Road, 0.8 miles north of the intersection of Thomas Road and Route 685. The landfill consists of approximately 8 acres. The Facility was acquired by Griffin Pipe in 1981, it was previously owned by GEF Corporation.
Waste from Griffin Pipe’s iron foundry in Lynchburg, Virginia was received at the landfill, this waste included baghouse dust produced by the air emission control system for the iron melting cupola. The cupola dust was EP-toxic for cadmium and lead (D006 and D008).
Contaminants at this Facility
Chemicals of concern include arsenic and lead.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
The need for institutional controls has yet to be established; however there is a cap over the landfill.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
The facility is in continued use.
Site Responsiblity at this Facility
RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of the EPA Region 3 with assistance from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.