Marsh Lumber Sawmill Site

Overview/Site History  

Marsh Lumber Sawmill Site property is located at 119 Sixth Avenue, Pamplico, Florence County, South Carolina. The Property includes approximately 15 acres of an approximate 28-acre parcel. The current owner is Marsh Furniture Company, Inc. (MARSH). The property is zoned industrial and occupied by MARSH operations. The site is zoned as light industrial in Florence County, South Carolina. 

On May 17, 1946, MARSH acquired the property from H.M Propst. MARSH constructed and began operation of the first sawmill in 1953. Following 1953, MARSH activities on the property has included lumber handling and storage, saw and dimension milling, and lumber treating and drying. 

Soil and Groundwater Contamination  

The lumber treatment, at the Site, included the use of a dip tank containing liquid sodium pentachlorophenol (PCP) and a drip pad located in the “Green Chain Area.”  This was a common process for lumber mills to treat wood during this period of operation.  

A concrete pad was constructed beneath the conveyor in the Green Chain Area and a portion of the temporary wood drying/storage area in the late 1980’s. The concrete drip pad beneath the Green Chain was reportedly designed to channel residual wood preservative chemicals to a sump where excess liquids were pumped back into a storage unit in the dip tank area. Soil contamination is limited to a small area within the Green Chain Area. The use of this chemical ceased at the site in 1986. 

Groundwater  

Groundwater contamination consists of pentachlorophenol contamination that has migrated into the groundwater from contaminated soils. Groundwater assessment shows that contamination is contained within the property boundary. 

DHEC’s Preferred Cleanup Alternative  

DHEC has completed an evaluation of cleanup alternatives to address soil and groundwater contamination at the Site and has selected Air Sparging as the preferred alternative.   

Air Sparging is groundwater remediation technology in which air is injected into the groundwater aquifer using system made up with a series of vertical or horizontal injection points. The injections points are located based on the expected area of influence of each well and the groundwater flow direction. 

This Alternative was further developed for detailed analysis from the installation and field pilot testing of air sparging system. The pilot study concluded reduction of PCP concentration in the groundwater and has acted like a barrier to downstream migration. The system will be operated for approximately five (5) years or until the groundwater contamination has been adequately treated. 

The total estimated net present worth of this alternative combination is approximately $630,000. It is the Department’s judgment that the Preferred Alternative identified in this Proposed Plan is necessary to protect public health and the environment.  

Administrative Record  

The Administrative Record includes historic and recent documents used by DHEC in its oversight role. This information can be found in the local Pamplico Library. The documents are also provided below for convenient access by those who are interested in learning more about the site.  

Community Engagement  

DHEC will accept comments on the Proposed Plan and cleanup alternatives through October 9, 2021.  In preparation of submitting comments, interested persons are encouraged to watch the presentation below and review the Proposed Plan and other information in DHEC’s Administrative Record also available on this web page.      

The DHEC presentation below provides:  

  • a brief history of the Site;   
  • an overview of the Proposed Plan;   
  • the cleanup alternatives evaluated by DHEC; and  
  • DHEC’s preferred alternative for site cleanup.    

For additional information or to discuss the site in more detail, please contact: 

Kimberly Kuhn, Project Manager     
SC DHEC Bureau of Land & Waste Management     
2600 Bull Street 
Columbia, SC  29201 
kuhnkm@dhec.sc.gov  
(803) 898-0722