| Voluntary Purchasing Company, Highway 82 West, Bonham, Texas |
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| EPA Region |
Location of facility | Type of facility | Amount of ore received (in tons) |
Did EPA visit the site? |
Were samples taken? |
Results of evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Highway 82 West, Bonham, Texas | Active exfoliation facility | 48,448.7 | Yes-July 31, 2000 | No | According to an EPA database compiled from W.R. Grace shipping invoices, 48,448.7 tons of vermiculite ore from the Libby mine were shipped to this site between March 1980 and September 1985. At the time of EPA's visit, this facility was blending and distributing fertilizers and pesticides and used vermiculite as an inert ingredient in the fertilizer. The facility received the vermiculite by truck and then stored it in bays before feeding it into a furnace for expansion. Once expanded, the vermiculite was stored in bins until it was blended with fertilizer. This business was a cooperative that had operated at this site since 1974. All products were distributed to members of the cooperative, located in 47 states. The business had been located previously in downtown Bonham, but no vermiculite was expanded there. Voluntary Purchasing did not sell expanded vermiculite. All waste was recycled back into the production process. Company representatives said Libby ore had been used about 20 years ago (around 1980). Vermiculite from Carolina Vermiculite was being used at the time of EPA's visit (Carolina Vermiculite was also reviewed by EPA and is listed separately in this database). EPA determined that issues at this site were being addressed through the Voluntary Cleanup Program under the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), although, to EPA’s knowledge, TCEQ has not required sampling specifically for asbestos containing vermiculite and additional action may be needed. |
| GAO-09-6R |