OSWER/OSRTI

Washington, DC 20460

NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST (NPL) 

***Proposed Site*** October 2010 

ARMSTRONGWORLD INDUSTRIES Macon, Georgia 

Bibb County 

 Site Location:

The Armstrong World Industries site consists of two areas in the southern portion of Macon, Georgia. The first area of 

concern is located on the Armstrong World Industries property, located at 4520 Broadway Street. The second is a remote 

landfill on the southern portion of the Armstrong property near Rocky Creek, and partially owned by the City of Macon 

Water Authority. 

 Site History:

Since 1948, Armstrong World Industries has operated an acoustic ceiling tile manufacturing plant at the site. Three types 

of Armstrong ceiling tiles (Travertone Sanserra, Santaglio, and Embossed Design) manufactured in 1969 and 1970 were 

coated with a formulation containing a commercial formulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and were recalled. 

Although these tiles were not manufactured in Macon, the plant is believed to have been used to recycle the recalled tiles at 

some point. Armstrong began disposing of general and industrial trash, old equipment, and excess bark and scrap wood in 

the Armstrong remote landfill in the mid-1960s. The former Macon Naval Ordnance Plant (FMNOP), which operated 

during World War II on property adjacent to the Armstrong facility, also disposed of solid wastes, ordnance, used parts, and 

construction debris in the remote landfill. This landfill area lies in the flood plain of Rocky Creek, and the landfills are 

eroded and are often partially submerged by Rocky Creek floodwaters. The FMNOP encompassed approximately 433 

acres and manufactured flares, small primers, detonators and other triggering mechanisms during World War II. 

 Site Contamination/Contaminants:

High levels of PCBs (Aroclor-1248, Aroclor-1254, and Aroclor-1260) have been found in the wastewater treatment plant 

landfill located on the Armstrong property. The drainage pathways from this area and the adjacent Rocky Creek have 

become contaminated with high levels of PCBs, and a PCB fish consumption advisory has been placed on Rocky Creek. In 

addition, soil samples from the remote landfill area contained elevated concentrations of semi-volatile organic compounds 

(SVOCs), pesticides, PCBs, and metals. 

 Potential Impacts on Surrounding Community/Environment: 

PCBs and metals contamination has been detected in Rocky Creek, and a PCB fish consumption advisory has been placed 

on Rocky Creek in the area of the site. 

 Response Activities (to date):

Several investigations have been conducted by EPA, the State and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) at the Site. 

 Need for NPL Listing:

The State of Georgia referred the site to EPA because of the extent of contamination of on-site soils and the PCB 

contamination in Rocky Creek. EPA received a letter from the state supporting listing of the site on the NPL. 

[The description of the site (release) is based on information available at the time the site was evaluated with the HRS. The description may change 

as additional information is gathered on the sources and extent of contamination.]

For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these 

substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet 

at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.