Darlington Residents Express Concern over EPA Cleanup of Hazardous Mill Site

Resident living in the Society Hill community of Darlington are raising questions over the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) handling of a potentially hazardous site located at the old Galey and Lord textile mill. The site was added to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) back in March 2022.

A Potentially Threatening Site

The NPL categorizes sites that pose significant risks to human health and environmental safety due to contamination. The Galey and Lord plant, a former textile mill and finishing facility, has been abandoned since 2016 after starting operations in 1966. It is situated adjacent to Cedar Creek and the Great Pee Dee River.

The site spans across roughly 234 acres and comprises of two primary plant structures, a boiler house, coal silos, coal pile/storage area, a coal runoff pond, a chromic acid pit and landfills. Some of the significant threats to public health and the environment arise from exposure to contaminated surface water and sediments.

The plant site posses the risk of human health damage through the consumption of fish and accidental ingestion of water from Cedar Creek and the Great Pee Dee River. These water bodies, located adjacent to and downstream from the site, contain fisheries, wetlands, and recreational zones.

A Delayed Clean-Up Process

Over two and a half years have passed since the site was added to the NPL, but it still remains unclean. The EPA has assured that it has been moving the site through the Superfund process since it was listed, including notifying potentially responsible parties (P.R.P.) about their responsibilities under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation Liability Act (CERCLA).

The agency has arranged for two public community meetings to inform and educate about the Superfund process, and to allow residents to express their concerns and needs related to the site.

Upcoming Efforts

The EPA has announced plans to start field sampling related to the Remedial Investigation (RI) in the coming October. However, they have also pointed out that several stages of field efforts are likely to take place, spanning over months to years, due to the large site area and the existence of many data gaps.

Despite the complexity and length of the process, officials have emphasized their intention to start remedial activities as soon as possible. It has been stated that some clean-up work might begin on certain areas of the site even while investigations into other parts are ongoing.

Past Removal Actions

As of May 2019, the EPA initiated a time-critical removal action at the site, which led to the removal of hazardous materials. This included about 2,400 abandoned containers, 440,000 gallons of caustic solution, 100,000 gallons of liquid trash, 53,000 pounds of hardened waste, and 17 roll-off containers of solid dyes.

Future Plans

The ultimate aim of its inclusion in the Superfund National Priorities List is to return such contaminated sites back to a productive state. The Galey and Lord plant site is currently zoned for commercial/industrial use and the goal is to restore it to an economically viable commercial/industrial property for the benefit of the community.

Despite the slow progress, the Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts can be seen as a step towards ensuring a cleaner and safer environment for the residents of Darlington. As the community continues to raise its concerns, it is hoped that further action will keep gaining momentum, leading to a better future for all.