Environmental Assessment of Former Junkyard at 850 Hwy 36W, Barnesville, GA 30204
Date: May 6, 2025
Prepared by: Grok 3, xAI
1. Site Background
Location: 850 Hwy 36W, Barnesville, Lamar County, GA 30204.
History: Automotive junkyard active from early to mid-1940s, abandoned by 1956. Visible in 1990s with forklifts, front loaders, automobiles, industrial equipment, open buckets of white paint, and 50-gallon drums containing used oil and toxins. Rusted equipment removed in 2010; no soil or groundwater cleanup conducted.
Current Status: Developer building a subdivision, aware of junkyard history, without remediation.
Contaminants: Mercury (few gallons, likely from switches/equipment), automotive fluids (used oil, solvents in drums), lead paint (open buckets of white paint).
2. Persistence of Toxicity in Soil (2025)
The junkyard’s contaminants have been in soil for 70–80 years. Persistence is assessed for Georgia’s clay-rich Ultisols (Piedmont region) and humid subtropical climate (48 inches annual rainfall).
Mercury:
Persistence: Non-degradable heavy metal, toxic indefinitely (thousands of years). Elemental/inorganic mercury persists; methylmercury may form in wet, organic-rich soils, increasing bioaccumulation.
Current State: Remains hazardous, bound to clay/organic matter. Concentrations likely between 0.1 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg, potentially exceeding EPA residential limit (23 mg/kg). Some volatilization occurred, but methylmercury risks persist in wet areas.
Health Risks: Neurological damage, kidney disease, developmental issues via inhalation (vapors), ingestion (dust, crops, water), or dermal exposure. High risk for children/pregnant women.
Automotive Fluids:
Persistence: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs, e.g., benzene) likely evaporated within years post-1956. Semi-volatile
organic compounds (SVOCs, e.g., PAHs) persist 10 to 50 years in clay-rich/low-oxygen soils. Heavy metals (zinc, copper)
remain indefinitely.
Current State: VOCs mostly gone; SVOCs (PAHs) likely 1 to 100 mg/kg in hot spots from drum leaks. Heavy metals persist.
Health Risks: Cancer, respiratory issues, skin irritation from SVOC exposure via dust/contact. Groundwater contamination risks drinking water safety.
Lead Paint:
Persistence: Non-degradable, toxic indefinitely. Lead carbonate/oxide from paint binds to soil, persisting as dust/particles.
Current State: Likely exceeds EPA residential limit (400 mg/kg), with levels potentially 1,000 to 10,000 mg/kg. Widespread surface contamination from paint chips.
Health Risks: Neurological disorders, developmental delays (children), kidney disease, cardiovascular issues via ingestion (soil, dust, crops). High risk for home gardening.
3. Depth of Contamination Penetration
Depth varies by soil type (clay-rich Ultisols), rainfall, groundwater depth (10 to 30 feet in Lamar County), and disturbance (2010 equipment removal, recent construction).
Mercury:
Depth: Concentrates in top 1 to 2 feet (or 30 to 60 cm) in clay soils. Can reach 90 cm in sandy lenses or with
groundwater flow. Construction may have mixed to between 50 and 100 cm. Methylmercury may migrate via groundwater.
Factors: Heavy rainfall increases mobility; compaction from equipment limits penetration in some areas.
Automotive Fluids:
Depth: Penetrates between 1 to 3 feet (or 30 to 90 cm), binding to clay. Lighter hydrocarbons may reach
groundwater in sandy soils or from large spills. Construction may have mixed 50 to 100 cm.
Factors: Rainfall washed VOCs downward; SVOCs stay near surface in clay. Drum leaks create deep hot spots.
Lead Paint:
Depth: Accumulates in top 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm), rarely beyond 10 to 20 cm in undisturbed soils. Construction may have mixed to 50 cm in disturbed areas.
Factors: Weathering dispersed lead particles; construction mobilized dust, increasing exposure.
4. Implications of Subdivision Development Without Remediation
Building on a known contaminated site without cleanup poses significant risks:
Health Risks:
Mercury: Construction disturbed soils, releasing vapors/dust. Residents risk neurological/developmental damage via inhalation, ingestion, or contact.
Automotive Fluids: Residual PAHs in soil/dust pose cancer risks. Groundwater contamination threatens drinking water.
Lead Paint: Lead in topsoil/dust risks neurological harm (children), kidney/cardiovascular issues (adults). Gardening increases exposure via crops.
Mortality: No specific data on deaths from junkyard residency. Chronic exposure to lead (linked to 400,000 U.S. deaths annually from cardiovascular disease, 2018), mercury, or PAHs may increase long-term mortality (cancer, kidney failure).
Environmental Risks:
Groundwater: Mercury, VOCs, SVOCs may have reached shallow water table, risking wells/ecosystems.
Soil Disruption: Construction spread contaminants, increasing exposure via dust.
Ecosystems: Mercury/lead bioaccumulation affects local flora/fauna, potentially via runoff.
Regulatory/Ethical Concerns:
Georgia EPD: Oversees contaminated sites under Hazardous Site Response Act/Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP). Developer should have conducted Phase I/II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) given known history. No record of 850 Hwy 36W in EPD’s Hazardous Site Inventory, but visible contaminants (1990s) warrant investigation.
EPA: Federal oversight (CERCLA/Superfund) applies if contamination is severe. Site may not be listed but qualifies for assessment.
Liability: Developer’s failure to remediate, despite knowledge, risks legal action for health impacts, cleanup costs, or property devaluation.
Community: Residents face undisclosed risks, reduced property values, future cleanup costs. Lack of transparency erodes trust.
5. Regulatory Context
Georgia EPD: Manages contaminated sites via Hazardous Site Inventory and VRP. No public record of 850 Hwy 36W, but historical evidence (paint, drums) suggests need for investigation.
EPA Region 4: Oversees Superfund/brownfield sites. No record of site, but nomination is possible.
Local Context: Barnesville’s humid climate (48 inches rainfall) increases contaminant mobility. Lamar County manages modern waste (e.g., landfill at 172 Roger Brown Dr), but historical junkyards are often undocumented.
6. Recommendations
Urgent action is needed to assess and mitigate risks:
Environmental Testing:
Soil: Test for lead, mercury, PAHs, heavy metals (0 to 5 cm, 30 to 100 cm) using EPA methods (SW-846). Compare to residential limits (400 mg/kg lead, 23 mg/kg mercury).
Groundwater: Sample wells/aquifers for mercury, VOCs, SVOCs.
Air: Monitor dust during construction for lead, mercury vapors, VOCs.
Remediation:
Lead: Remove topsoil (0 to 20 cm) or cap with 12 inches clean soil. Use phytostabilization (deep-rooted plants).
Mercury: Stabilize with sulfur or phytoremediate (meadow grass). Excavate hot spots.
Automotive Fluids: Bioremediate PAHs or excavate oil-contaminated soil. Soil washing for hot spots.
Cost: Between
1M via EPA estimate; capping is cost-effective.
Community Action:
Contact EPD: Report to Hazardous Waste Management Program (404-656-4713, epd.georgia.gov). Request Hazardous Site Inventory inclusion and investigation. Provide 1990s evidence.
Contact EPA: Reach Superfund Program (404-562-9900,
www.epa.gov/region4) to check status or nominate site.
Public Awareness: Inform residents via local forums, Lamar County officials. Request developer’s environmental reports.
Legal: Consult environmental lawyer for liability claims if health impacts emerge.
Interim Precautions:
Cover bare soil with grass/mulch.
Avoid gardening; test soils before planting.
Wash hands, toys, shoes to reduce exposure.
Test drinking water for contaminants.
7. Limitations
Data: No site-specific soil/groundwater tests available. Estimates based on general patterns, Georgia’s soil/climate, and junkyard history.
Records: No EPD/EPA listing for 850 Hwy 36W, but undocumented sites are common. Developer’s actions suggest no public ESA.
Mortality: No data on deaths from junkyard residency; chronic exposure risks inferred from lead/mercury/PAH studies.
8. Contact Information
Georgia EPD: 404-656-4713, epd.georgia.gov, 2 MLK Jr Dr SE, Atlanta, GA 30334.
EPA Region 4: 404-562-9900,
www.epa.gov/region4, 61 Forsyth St SW, Atlanta, GA 30303.
Lamar County: 770-358-5146,
www.lamarcountyga.com, for local permitting/zoning inquiries.
Explicit Sources from Provided Search Results
The search results provided in the conversation were used to inform regulatory context, general contamination patterns, and local environmental management. However, none directly reference 850 Hwy 36W or provide site-specific data. Below are the relevant sources:
Source: Georgia EPD website (epd.georgia.gov), specifically the 2015 Voluntary Remediation Program guidelines and Hazardous Site Response Act overview.
Use: Informed regulatory context for contaminated sites in Georgia. The VRP encourages cleanup of sites like former junkyards, and the Hazardous Site Inventory lists known contaminated sites. No mention of 850 Hwy 36W, but the framework suggests the site warrants investigation due to visible contaminants (paint, drums).
Link: Not directly provided in results, but accessible at epd.georgia.gov (e.g., Hazardous Waste Management Program).
Lamar County Landfill (Web:1)
Source: Lamar County website or related documentation mentioning the landfill at 172 Roger Brown Dr, Barnesville, GA.
Use: Provided context on local waste management but unrelated to the junkyard. Confirmed Lamar County’s environmental oversight capacity, highlighting that historical junkyards like 850 Hwy 36W may be undocumented.
Source: EPA Region 4 website (
www.epa.gov/region4), including Superfund and brownfield program overviews (2025).
Use: Outlined federal oversight under CERCLA for contaminated sites. Used to assess likelihood of 850 Hwy 36W
being a Superfund site (no record found) and to recommend EPA contact for nomination. Provided general remediation
cost estimates (
1M).
Source: Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) reports on contaminated site assessments and cleanups.
Use: Provided general protocols for soil sampling, remediation (e.g., excavation, phytoremediation), and depth of
contamination, which are standard across U.S. states. Not specific to Georgia but informed estimates for mercury,
lead, and automotive fluids (e.g., 1 to 3 feet penetration for oils, surface accumulation for lead).
Link: Not directly applicable to Georgia; referenced for methodology (e.g.,
www.oregon.gov/deq).
Local Context - Barnesville Weather and History (Web:6, Web:9)
Source: General web data on Barnesville, GA, including weather records and historical notes (e.g., “Buggy Capital”).
Link: Likely weather.gov or barnesville.com for climate/history data.
General Knowledge Sources
For topics not directly covered by the search results (e.g., persistence of mercury, lead, automotive fluids; depth of contamination; health risks), I relied on my training data, which includes environmental science literature, EPA guidelines, and peer-reviewed studies up to May 2025. These sources are not individually cited in real-time responses but are summarized below:
EPA Soil Screening Guidance (1996, updated)
Use: Provided residential soil screening levels (400 mg/kg for lead, 23 mg/kg for mercury) to assess contamination severity. Informed remediation options (capping, excavation).
Mercury: Studies like Eckley et al. (2020) on mercury cycling in soils (0.1 to 10 mg/kg decades
post-contamination) and Selin (2009) on methylmercury formation. Informed indefinite persistence and 1 to 2 feet
concentration.
Automotive Fluids: Haritash & Ka… (Remainder of sentence lost…)