Whirlpool submits addition to ‘Final Remedy Work Plan’ for TCE pollution

Whirlpool submitted a proposed supplement to its Final Remedy Work Plan on Monday (Sept. 8) to the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality that would add additional injections of chemical oxidant combined with soil removal to remedy an area near the northwest corner of the Whirlpool site where additional trichloroethylene (TCE) has been found.

The potentially cancer-causing TCE was used as part of a degreasing agent by Whirlpool until the 1980s at its now-closed Fort Smith plant. According to Kristine Vernier, senior manager of global public relations at Whirlpool, the supplement builds "on the remediation activities that are already underway.”

There are four areas of remediation activities proposed for a portion of the TCE plume known as "Area 1" that is found on the Whirlpool site's northwest corner. The first of the proposed activities involves removal of nearly 300 cubic yards of TCE-impacted soil using "large diameter borings.”

"This impacted soil will be properly characterized and permitted for disposal off site," according to a press release from Whirlpool. "Soil removal provides certainty regarding the effective removal of TCE impact in soil in Area 1 and the linear drainage area.”

Following the removal of the soil, Whirlpool's environmental consultants at ENVIRON propose placement "of crushed limestone backfill in the large diameter borings to increase the naturally low Ph of groundwater in Area 1 and the linear drainage feature to enhance natural attenuation of TCE in groundwater and provide a platform for potential future activities.”

Whirlpool has also proposed a third round of chemical oxidation injections that would take place at the northwest corner of the closed factory site and the drainage feature "via permanent and temporary injection points to remediate TCE impacts characterized in saturated soil and groundwater in the vicinity.”

The company said the supplement submitted to ADEQ on Monday was consistent with what was outlined to the Fort Smith Board of Directors at its July 8 study session. Whirlpool said the supplemental work would take place under the "Adaptive Remedy Approach" that is being used at the TCE plume site. The plume extends north of the Whirlpool site, under dozens of homes which have seen their values reduced by the Sebastian County Assessor's Office, some by more than 50%.

A class action lawsuit filed by residents in the area has seen an offer of settlement made to residents impacted by the contamination, though it is unclear how many have accepted the offer from Whirlpool that would recover the lost value of their homes.

The area of the TCE plume includes an area where the city of Fort Smith is about to commence work on a road widening project, with Whirlpool and the city agreeing to a donation of land and monitoring by the company of the TCE in the area.

"So we've drafted an agreement with Whirlpool that would give them access to the construction site if they need it. It would also require that if the city has to take extraordinary measures during the construction because of the TCE contamination, that Whirlpool would reimburse the city for the cost of implementing those measures to deal with the TCE contamination," City Administrator Ray Gosack told the Board at its Sept. 2 meeting, when an agreement between the two parties was approved by city directors.

Following a review of the proposed supplement, Whirlpool said the proposed remediation activities would begin.

"Following ADEQ approval, receipt of all necessary permits and mobilization of contractors, the proposed work will be implemented over a period of approximately 8 to 11 weeks," Whirlpool's press release said.