Chemical contamination means remediation will continue long after the buildings are gone.
After four years of trying to sell its Albany plant, Merck & Co. officials say they will demolish the facilities on Radium Springs Road, restoring it to the green space it was prior to the plant’s construction nearly 60 years ago.
But Georgia state and federal officials say that Merck’s challenge to restore the land where it was before it started production in 1952 will continue long after the walls come down, as investigations and environmental cleanup efforts continue on the 1,000-acre site in southern Dougherty County.
Following inquiries by The Albany Herald, the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the state’s Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources (EPD) have released information relating to the Merck facility site at 3517 Radium Springs Road.
According to those two agencies and Merck officials, the former chemical manufacturer is currently remediating contaminated soil and groundwater on the Merck site that was exposed to various chemicals over the company’s history.
“During its many years of operation, Merck has had releases to the environment that have impacted soils and groundwater (the main constituents are toluene and methylene chloride). The investigation and some remediation that was required by the permit was ongoing prior to the facility’s decision to close, and will continue after demolition,” EPD Communications Director Kevin Chambers wrote.
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