OSWER/OSRTI

Washington, DC 20460

NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST (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.

***Proposed Site*** March 2012

FAIRFAX ST. WOOD TREATERS Jacksonville, Florida

Duval County

 Site Location:

Fairfax St. Wood Treaters is located at 2610 Fairfax Street, Jacksonville, Florida. The 12-acre property is located in a

dense residential area, adjacent to two elementary schools, a day care center and several homes. 

 Site History:

From 1980 to 2010, Wood Treaters, LLC pressure treated utility poles, pilings and other lumber products using the 

preservative chromated copper arsenate (CCA). Wood Treaters, LLC filed for bankruptcy, and by July 2010 ceased 

operations and abandoned the facility. Seven above ground storage tanks, in poor condition, contained high levels of 

arsenic, chromium and copper. In August 2010, the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection 

requested the EPA’s assistance in mitigating the release of hazardous substances to the environment.

 Site Contamination/Contaminants:

CCA is characterized by a bright green color and is composed of waterborne oxides of chromium, copper and arsenic.

Wood treated with CCA drip-dried on the property, resulting in arsenic, chromium and copper contamination. During 

operations, some contaminated storm water flowed off the site and onto surrounding properties including a parking lot 

retention pond and Moncrief Creek. Wood treating operations resulted in soil, water and sediment contamination with 

chromium, copper and arsenic. Arsenic and chromium are known human carcinogens. 

 Potential Impacts on Surrounding Community/Environment: 

Several nearby residential properties, two schools and a day care center have been contaminated by the site. The 

contamination came to be located on surrounding properties by overland storm water runoff or by wind deposition. 

Moncrief Creek is potentially contaminated and will be investigated during the Remedial Investigation. 

 Response Activities (to date):

On August 11, 2010, the EPA initiated an emergency response and removal action to secure the site and prevent 

further releases of hazardous substances. To date, the EPA response actions have prevented contaminated water from 

discharging offsite, removed water and sediment from the onsite retention pond, removed the surface soil across the 

entire site and removed all tanks and piping. In addition, the EPA removed contaminated soil, and the water and 

sediments of a retention pond, on the adjacent elementary school play ground. 

 Need for NPL Listing:

The state referred the site to the EPA because the operator abandoned the facility. Wood Treaters, LLC did not have 

financial assurance to fund the cleanup of the facility. No other federal and state cleanup programs are available to 

remediate the site. Inclusion on the Superfund National Priorities List will allow the EPA to address subsurface soil 

contamination on the site, soil contamination on residential properties surrounding the site, and to determine the 

impacts of the site on local ground water and surface water. The EPA received a letter of support for placing this site 

on the NPL from the state of Florida.