STANLY COUNTY, N.C. — A new report by the state Department of Environmental Quality said contaminants were found in some samples taken at an old ballpark close to Badin Lake in Stanly County.
Thousands of people swim and fish in the lake every year and neighbors in the small community have expressed concerns about the findings.
The old ball field is on a 14-acre plot of land across from a former aluminum smelter once operated by Alcoa Badin Works. The company produced aluminum near the site for nearly 90 years.
In September 2012 and November 2013, the Duke Environmental Law and Policy Clinic collected samples of solid debris from the ground surface and water from a nearby catch basin at the ballpark location.
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Based on laboratory testing, DELPC concluded that the spent pot liner and carbon anode waste from Alcoa had been disposed of on the property. Based on the findings, the DELPC petitioned EPA Region 4 to conduct a preliminary assessment of the ball field property.
In order to conduct the assessment, Alcoa’s environmental contractor and the Department of Environmental Quality over the summer also examined sediment and water samples from Badin Lake and from soil and sediment and water near a stormwater catch basin in the old ballpark.
A DEQ report said metals like chromium, lead and zinc, were found in some samples above EPA screening standards. Officials from the department said the levels are no cause for alarm now, but they said the findings warrant further evaluation.
Neighbors and Yadkin Riverkeeper Will Scott said they were awaiting the results of further evaluation.
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They were concerned about rainy days when possible contaminants in the soil could drain into nearby Lake Badin.
People swim and fish in the lake. Despite posted warning signs not to eat the fish, some still do.
“I'd probably eat a catfish out of here,” fisherman Luke Livengood said.
The state is currently evaluating the findings and trying to determine whether the contaminants are cause for concern. Officials want to know if the contaminants were caused by Alcoa, or if they’re naturally occurring. If they’re deemed a problem, cleanup might be required.
Scott hopes the company will step forward.
“We just hope they would look at this problem and say this is something we should clean up,” Scott said.
The company sent a statement to Eyewitness News from Yadkin relicensing manager Ray Barham, saying the compounds found on site can “come from a variety of sources and are not necessarily indicative of industrial activities.”
"Alcoa is committed to addressing environmental issues associated with the Badin Works site in a responsible and thorough manner. We will continue to work closely with state and federal agencies and take appropriate steps to address any concerns," Barham said.
The DEQ report said that during further evaluation, it would look into allegations that Alcoa might have backfilled a ditch near the lake with contaminants from the plant. In response to those allegations, the company said: “These allegations are false. Alcoa did not conduct industrial activities near the ball field and never used spent pot liner to backfill ditches.”
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