Residents of Darlington Disquieted Over EPA’s Handling of Polluted Mill Site

DARLINGTON COUNTY, S.C.

Citizens in the Society Hill community of Darlington County are raising questions and concerns regarding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s management of the abandoned Galey and Lord textile mill site. In March 2022, the EPA proposed adding the Galey and Lord plant site to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) – a catalog of properties posing significant threats to public health and the environment due to contamination.

About the Galey and Lord Site

The former Galey and Lord textile mill, located adjacent to Cedar Creek and the Great Pee Dee River, was operational from 1966 and was deserted in 2016. Spanning around 234 acres, the site comprises two main plant buildings, a boiler house, coal silos, a storage area for coal, a coal runoff pond, landfills, a suspected spray field, a chromic acid pit, tank farms, and a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP).

Health and Environmental Concerns

The primary concerns surrounding the site are exposure to polluted surface water and sediments. Adjacent to and downstream of the site are a fishery, wetlands, critical habitats for endangered species, and recreational areas. The EPA acknowledged these concerns, emphasizing the potential threat to human health through the consumption of infected fish and accidental ingestion of water.

The Delay in Cleanup

Despite being added to the NPL over two and a half years ago, cleanup has yet to occur. The EPA addressed these concerns by outlining the steps they’ve taken since the site’s addition to the NPL, including notifying potentially responsible parties of their obligations under environmental protection regulations and preparing a decision document for the ongoing phase of remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS).

They have also held two public meetings with the community, informing them of the initiation of the RI/FS and allowing them to air their concerns and needs connected to the site. Due to community anxieties about the health implications of site-specific contaminants, the EPA invited the non-regulatory federal public health agency, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

Next Steps and Community Reactions

The EPA plans to commence field sampling associated with the RI in October. However, due to the size of the site and the numerous unknowns, they expect the process to take several months to years. The agency also shared its intention to remove pollutants as quickly as possible, even if it means cleanup might start on some parts of the site while they continue investigating others.

In May 2019, a time-critical removal action was conducted on the site with approximately 440,000 gallons of caustic solution, 100,000 gallons of liquid waste, 53,000 pounds of solid waste, 2,400 discarded containers, and 17 roll-off containers of solid dyes removed.

The ultimate goal for the site, according to the EPA, is to attain commercial/industrial cleanup standards, transforming it into a commercially viable property for the community. However, until then, this site remains a source of unease for the residents of Darlington County.