OSWER/OSRTI 

Washington, DC 20460 

NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST (NPL)

***Proposed Site*** March 2010 

WRIGHT CHEMICAL CORPORATION Riegelwood, North Carolina 

Columbus County 

 Site Location: 

The Wright Chemical Corporation site is located outside of the City of Riegelwood along the banks of Livingston 

Creek. The area of concern for the purposes of NPL listing is approximately 80 acres where fertilizer manufacturing 

operations formerly occurred. 

 Site History: 

From the 1880’s through the 1960’s, Acme Manufacturing Company operated a fertilizer manufacturing facility on the 

southern parcel and operated a lead chamber sulfuric acid plant across the railroad tracks on the northern parcel. 

Acme merged with Wright Chemical Corporation in 1968. Wright Chemical Corporation continued operation of the 

acid plant and constructed a second acid plant just to the east, which operated until 1991. 

 Site Contamination/Contaminants: 

Arsenic, lead, mercury and the pesticides dieldrin and gamma-chlordane have been detected in soil between the former 

acid plant and a surface water pathway. De-vegetation is evident down gradient from the former acid plant due to low 

pH of the soils. This source area drains to Livingston Creek and the Cape Fear River approximately two miles from 

the site. Metals and pesticide contamination is present in Livingston Creek sediments, as well as in clam and fish 

tissue samples. 

 Potential Impacts on Surrounding Community/Environment: 

Livingston Creek is a freshwater creek containing a fishery and wetlands. Downriver is a brackish estuary also 

containing a fishery and wetlands. Sediment in Livingston Creek, a documented fishery containing a federally 

endangered fish species, contain an observed release of arsenic, lead and other metals as well as pesticides at levels 

exceeding the Probable Effects Level (PEL) for freshwater sediment as set forth by the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration. Clam and Fish tissues sampled in 2004 showed that concentrations of these constituents 

exceeded their respective recommended concentration range. Arsenic and lead were also found in the wetlands of 

Livingston Creek. 

 Response Activities (to date): 

EPA has completed assessment activities at the site. The Expanded Site Inspection was completed in June, 2008, 

recommending listing of the site on the NPL. 

 Need for NPL Listing: 

The State of North Carolina referred the site to EPA because of widespread contamination on the property. Other 

federal and state cleanup programs were evaluated, but are not viable at this time. EPA received a letter of support for 

placing this site on the NPL from the state. 

[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.