Table EIR 7. Hazardous waste incident, phenolic sludges discharged into Bayou 

 Chico, Escambia County (Teaf 1980) . 



Personal damage: None . 



Environmental damage: The soil surrounding the Reichold Chemical Co. plant 

 contains extensive hydrocarbon residues from chemical processing dating back 

 50 years or more . 



Economic damage: Improvements in treatment facilities to reduce discharge 

 were estimated to cost approximately $83,000. Costs of monitoring and 

 enforcement were not available. 



Cause of problem: Presence of hydrocarbons in soils of Reichold Chemical 

 Co. This problem is aggravated by inadequate treatment and retention 

 of industrial wastes by Reichold's current operation. Soils produce a 

 chronic discharge of hydrocarbons into Bayou Chico. 



Type and quantity of hazardous waste: Soil contains rosins and various 

 hydrocarbons including oils, grease and phenols. Phenol concentration 

 has been measured at 400 micrograms/1 iter in Bayou Chico near discharge 

 point. Volume of the discharge has not been estimated. 



Date of incident: This is a chronic problem dating back many years. Occasion- 

 al equipment malfunctions aggravate the problem. 



Location: Reichold Chemical Co. plant on the NE . arm of Bayou Chico, Escambia 

 County. 



Remedial action: Reichold Chemical Co. is currently improving their treatment 

 facilities to reduce sludge discharge in accordance with agreements worked 

 out with the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation (DER) . 



Narrative: Reichold Chemical Co. has been in operation for 50 or more years. 

 Their original business was removing old pine stumps and processing them to 

 obtain turpentine and other hydrocarbon products. This activity was carried 

 on for many years without regard for pollution of the surrounding area. 

 Consequently, hydrocarbon wastes have built up in the soil to the extent 

 that a chronic discharge of these wastes into Bayou Chico occurs. 



This chronic problem led to investigation of Reichold's current waste 

 treatment facilities. These were found to be inadequate. On 26 March 

 1979 Reichold Chemical Co. signed a Florida DER consent order thereby 

 agreeing to improve their treatment facilities. These improvements are 

 designed to reduce the amount of discharge, particularly phenols. 



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