DuPont

Background

DuPont built the former Antioch plant in the late 1950s and early 1960s, at a time before it was recognized that standard industry practices were inadequate to prevent spills and releases that would have environmental consequences in the future. In 1980, with the promulgation by Congress of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), changes were required in design, construction, and operational practices to prevent releases and to protect soil and groundwater. By that time, the vast number of industrial facilities built and operated before RCRA were faced with at least some degree of soil or groundwater contamination.. The Antioch facility was no exception.

DuPont began to address this problem by working with the Water Board and the Department of Health Services (a precursor to the Department of Toxic Substances Control, or DTSC) in the 1980s. Materials handling systems and operational practices were changed to prevent spills and a number of active surface impoundments were closed. In addition, a groundwater recovery system was installed to pump and treat contaminated groundwater. In 2001, the Water Board approved a Permeable Reactive Barrier to treat groundwater in-situ and authorized decommissioning of the pump-and-treat system. In 2003, the DTSC was given regulatory oversight responsibility for DuPont's completion of the corrective action program at Oakley (the former Antioch facility).

Since that time, DuPont has performed extensive multi-media investigations to define the nature and extent of contamination remaining at the site. These investigations also provide engineers with important information necessary to design additional soil and groundwater remedies that will be required before site redevelopment. DuPont's primary mission at Oakley is to protect people and the environment, so before any portion of the site is released for redevelopment, DuPont, the DTSC, and the public must agree that all residual contamination has been identified and removed or controlled to meet exacting standards for safe public access and environmental protection. To date, two parcels have met the standards for unrestricted future use. (Because the DuPont site is a significant part of the City of Oakley's revitalization plans, the corrective action program focuses on a phased schedule for the investigation, remediation, and release of logical, contiguous parcels. This phased approach to cleanup and development can be furthered explored on our Site Redevelopment pages.)

Please click on any of these photos to view a larger image and descriptive text.

Other pages in this section:

• Background
• What's Happening Now – Soil Remediation
• Groundwater and Surface Water Monitoring
• Groundwater Remediation
• More Information