Draft:Palmetto Wood Preserving Superfund Site

Wood preservation became popular in the 1800s with the rapid growth of the railroad industry. This was due to the fact that railroad tracks use wooden cross ties that run perpendicular to the tracks. Railroad crossties help to distribute the weight of the train and make the rail more stable. These crossties, when treated with preservatives, can last over 30 years. By the 1940s, 90% of crossties were treated with preservatives.

The Dixiana community, site of the Palmetto Wood Preserving Superfund, relied on a railroad that transported flax, hemp, indigo, beeswax, and other agricultural products.{{cite web

|url=https://tankfab.com/blog/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-treatment-of-crossties/

|title=Here’s What You Need to Know About the Treatment of Crossties

|author=

|date=2025

|website=TankFab Inc.

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|access-date=April 17, 2025

}}

Palmetto Wood Preserving is located in Dixiana, South Carolina, in Lexington County, and began operations in 1963.{{cite web

|url=https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/PHA/PHAHTMLDisplay.aspx?docid=1401&pg=1

|title=Public Health Assessment

|author=

|date=

|website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

|publisher=

|access-date=April 17, 2025

}}

The site is 5 acres and is adjacent to the Seaboard Air Line Railroad. The site was made up of 2 buildings, one where the wood preserving process took place and one for chemical storage. In addition to these buildings, the site also contained chemical storage tanks, equipment for the pressure treatment, and a drip shed.{{cite web

|url=https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/PHA/PHAHTMLDisplay.aspx?docid=1401&pg=1

|title=Public Health Assessment

|author=

|date=

|website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

|publisher=

|access-date=April 17, 2025

}} The process of wood preserving at Palmetto Wood Preserving started with the delivery of wood, usually by trucks or rail. The wood was then pressure-treated using fluoride-chromate-arsenate-phenol and acid-copper-chromate. After being chemically treated, the wood was left to drip dry, either in the drip shed or out in the open air. In 1980, the company was bought by Eastern Forest Products and they switched to using chromated copper arsenate to treat the wood. Palmetto Wood Preserving officially shut down in 1985 and equipment was removed.

Risk evaluations for the possible effects of contaminant concentrations indicated that there would be significant cancer risks for children playing on the site if it was redeveloped. Contaminants that have been known to be present at the Palmetto Wood Preserving site include; Fluoride-chromate-arsenal-phenol, Acid-copper-chromate, and Chromated-copper-arsenate. Fluoride-chromate-arsenal-phenol was used on the site as a wood treatment chemical mixture. This contaminant contains arsenic and chromium which are both carcinogenic, Phenols are also harmful to humans if exposed in large amounts. Acid-copper-chromate was used as a wood preservative. Once again this contaminant contains Chromium which is carcinogenic. Copper can also become highly toxic in large amounts. Lastly, Chromated-copper-arsenate, used as another form of wood preservative, also has the carcinogenic components of arsenic and chromium.{{cite web |url=https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/PHA/PHAHTMLDisplay.aspx?docid=1401&pg=2#PUBLIC

|title=Public Health Assessment

|author=

|date=June 21, 2010

|website=CDC

|publisher=Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

|access-date=April 18, 2025

}}

class="wikitable" |+ Site Contaminants
Contaminant	Contaminant Type	Environment Affected	Potential Health Effects	Exposure Pathways	Usage
Chromium	Heavy Metal	Soil, Groundwater	Skin irritation, cancer	Inhalation, ingestion, skin contact	Wood treatment, wood preservative
Arsenic	Metalloid	Soil, Groundwater	Cancer, cardiovascular effects	Ingestion, skin contact	Wood treatment, wood preservative
Phenol	Organic Compound	Soil, Surface Water	Respiratory issues, skin burns	Inhalation, skin contact	Wood treatment
Fluoride	Inorganic Ion	Groundwater	Dental/skeletal fluorosis	Ingestion	Wood treatment
Chromate	Compound of Chromium	Soil, Groundwater	Respiratory issues	Inhalation, ingestion	Wood preservative

As no health outcome data exists for the Palmetto Wood Preserving site, there is no further discussion at this time.{{cite web

|url=https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/PHA/PHAHTMLDisplay.aspx?docid=1401&pg=2#PUBLIC

|title=Public Health Assessment

|author=

|date=June 21, 2010

|website=CDC

|publisher=Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

|access-date=April 18, 2025

}}

The initial concern regarding this site began in 1983, when potential contamination of drinking water from well PW-01 was identified (see Figure). Testing of the well revealed elevated levels of chromium, and the property owner was advised to stop using it. As a precaution, the household was provided with municipal water. At that time, all nearby private wells were also tested, and no contamination was detected. Since these wells showed no signs of pollutants, they were not considered a risk to public health.File:Private Well Sampling Locations.png

Since the site’s closure in 1985 and with access restricted by an 8-foot-high fence, there are no known exposures to on-site contaminants. While municipal water is now available to local residents, some individuals living in the southeastern corner of the site continue to rely on private wells. During the 1992 site visit, conversations with these residents revealed ongoing concerns about potential groundwater contamination. However, due to the absence of recent data, this issue can not be evaluated.{{cite web

|url=https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/PHA/PHAHTMLDisplay.aspx?docid=1401&pg=4#figure5

|title=Public Health Assessment Appendix A

|author=

|date=June 21, 2010

|website=CDC

|publisher=Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

|access-date=April 18, 2025

}}

This site can cause a range of environmental and health concerns. Contamination may affect the soil, groundwater, and nearby surface water, and it’s likely to have a negative impact on the local ecosystem. People living nearby may be at risk of exposure through breathing in dust, touching contaminated soil or water, or even swallowing it—especially if they’re using private wells or growing food in home gardens. Some of the chemicals found at the site can cause skin rashes, breathing problems, and even increase the risk of cancer. On top of these health risks, many residents are still worried about whether their water and gardens are safe, and there’s a lot of mistrust toward the companies and agencies that were supposed to handle the cleanup. Without updated testing data, it’s hard to give the community the clear answers they need.{{cite web

|url=https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/PHA/PHAHTMLDisplay.aspx?docid=1401&pg=4#figure5

|title=Public Health Assessment Appendix B

|author=

|date=June 21, 2010

|website=CDC

|publisher=Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

|access-date=April 18, 2025

}}

Many Superfund site cleanups involve excavation operations to remove contaminated soil or underground waste, but these excavations can also lead to archaeological discoveries. There have been tools, pottery, and even entire foundations of buildings found at these waste sites. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies, including the EPA, to determine whether historical features found at these sites should be added to the National Historic Register.

This has caused some tensions between the EPA and archaeologists. The EPA claims that they will work with state organizations and local communities to preserve any historical features that they come across during cleanups. Archaeologists, however, believe that the EPA will continue their excavations and cleanups at the cost of preserving historical sites. Superfund sites can give important clues about the lives of past people, and treating them as historical markers can help us learn more.{{cite web

|url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/12/09/09greenwire-superfund-sites-sometimes-yield-clues-to-histo-32892.html

|title=Superfund Sites Sometimes Yield Clues to History

|author=Amanda Peterka

|date=December 9, 2010

|website=The New York Times

|publisher=E&E Publishing

|access-date=April 17, 2025

}}

==Community==

Cayce and West Columbia, South Carolina, have experienced significant growth over the last 60 years. In 1960, the combined population was 14,927{{cite web

|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/37749999v1p42ch2.pdf

|title=Number of Inhabitants

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}}. By 2020, that number had increased to 63,137. The racial makeup of the area in 2020 was 61.4% White alone, 21.2% Black or African American alone, 10.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.0% Two or more races, 6.2% Some other race alone, 2.1% Asian alone, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native alone, and 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone{{cite web

|url=https://semspub.epa.gov/work/04/11167780.pdf

|title=Community Involvement Plan

|author=U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 4

|date=November 29, 2021

|website=

|publisher=

|access-date=April 17, 2025

}}.

Dixiana, located within the broader area, historically did not have the best farmland due to its location on and near a sandy ridge. As a result, many residents moved away from agriculture and joined the industry and service economies.

According to EJSCREEN, which highlights places that may have higher environmental burdens and vulnerable populations, the area within a one-mile radius of the Site showed several concerns. Nine EJ Indexes were at or above the 80th percentile for the state: Particulate Matter (PM2.5) (89%), Ozone (88%), National Scale Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) Diesel PM (87%), NATA Air Toxics Cancer Risk]] (88%), NATA Respiratory Hazard Index (89%), Traffic Proximity and Volume (94%), Superfund Proximity (99%), Risk Management Plan (RMP) Proximity (90%), and the Wastewater Discharge Indicator (83%).

Community involvement around the Site's environmental issues has a long history. Residents have been aware of problems at the site since 1981. Complaints were filed with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) or with the City Councilman about green liquid running off-site. Many community members reported that, as trucks left the site, wood would be dripping with the processing solution, describing the liquid as looking like "Gatorade."

As of 1991, discussions with county officials revealed that no new complaints had been filed since the initial incident. There was no organized community action, and concern appeared limited to residents immediately surrounding the Site. At a public meeting on August 26, 1987, where remedial alternatives were discussed, no opposition to the proposed plan was expressed. In November 2016, a public notice was published in The State announcing that a five-year review (FYR) was underway and inviting public comments to the EPA.

To support community involvement, a Community Involvement Program was developed with several activities. These included:

• Activity 1A: Designating an EPA Community Involvement Coordinator (CIC).
• Activity 1B: Providing a toll-free "800 number" for the community to contact EPA.
• Activity 1C: Maintaining a mailing list for the Site.
• Activity 1D: Establishing and maintaining Information Repositories.
• Activity 1E: Providing Site and Superfund information on the Internet.
• Activity 1F: Establishing and maintaining the Administrative Record.
• Activity 2A: Revising the Community Involvement Plan (CIP).

These efforts aimed to ensure that the community remained informed and had access to important information about environmental and public health issues related to the Site.

Palmetto Wood Preserving has long-term monitoring measures in place to ensure the site remains safe following the remediation process{{cite web

|url=https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/SiteProfiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=second.Cleanup&id=0403259#bkground

|title=Palmetto Wood Preserving Dixiana, SC Cleanup Activities

|author=U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

|date=

|website=

|publisher=

|access-date=April 17, 2025

}}. These include institutional controls, which restrict land and resource use to protect the integrity of the cleanup; five-year reviews, which evaluate whether the remediation remains protective of human health and the environment through document and data review, site inspections, stakeholder interviews, and a protectiveness assessment; and annual groundwater monitoring, which ensures that the site’s groundwater continues to meet cleanup standards. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) began annual monitoring of the site wells in 2010, after the groundwater was confirmed to meet those standards.{{cite web

|url=https://semspub.epa.gov/work/04/11167780.pdf

|title=Community Involvement Plan

|author=U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 4

|date=November 29, 2021

|website=

|publisher=

|access-date=April 17, 2025

}}

The Palmetto Wood Preserving Superfund Site currently meets cleanup standards, meaning it protects human health and the environment. Soil from the site has been excavated, treated, and solidified into 16 monoliths, which have been placed back underground where the soil was excavated from.{{cite web

|url=https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/SiteProfiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=second.Cleanup&id=0403259#bkground

|title=Palmetto Wood Preserving Dixiana, SC Cleanup Activities

|author=U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

|date=

|website=

|publisher=

|access-date=April 17, 2025

}}

The site has been approved to be redeveloped or reused, and the EPA will provide information to prospective purchasers and stakeholders interested in reusing this site. The area is currently undeveloped for the most part, but South Carolina Electric and Gas uses the northern part for equipment storage.

{{cite web

|url=https://www.epa.gov/superfund-redevelopment/superfund-sites-reuse-south-carolina#:~:text=PALMETTO%20WOOD%20PRESERVING&text=and%20groundwater%20contamination.-,EPA%20added%20the%20site%20to%20the%20National%20Priorities%20List%20(NPL,interested%20in%20reusing%20these%20areas.&text=updated%20September%202024-,As%20of%20December%202024%2C%20the%20EPA%20did%20not%20have%20economic,Superfund%20Site%20Profile%20Page

|title=Superfund Sites in Reuse in South Carolina

|author=U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

|date=

|website=U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

|publisher=

|access-date=April 17, 2025

}}

{{cite web

|url=https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/SiteProfiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=second.redevelop&id=0403259

|title=Palmetto Wood Preserving Dixiana, SC

|author= U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

|date=

|website=U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

|publisher=

|access-date=April 17, 2025

}}

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