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General Tire and Rubber (Mayfield Landfill)
National Information
Additional Resources
- Site Cleanup Terms - can be found in EPA's glossary
- EPA Guides to Cleanup Technologies
- Superfund Community Involvement (PDF) (17 pp, 130K, About PDF)
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
Site Summary Profile
EPA ID: KYD006371074
Location: Howe Valley, Hardin County, KY
Lat/Long: 36.790600, -088.635800
Congressional District: 01
NPL Status: Proposed: 06/24/88; Final: 02/21/90; Deleted: 10/27/2000
Affected Media: Ground water
Cleanup Status: Deleted - physical cleanup activities have been completed
Human Exposure Under Control: Yes
Groundwater Migration Under Control: not a ground water site
Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Use: Yes
Site Reuse/Redevelopment: Currently unused
Site Manager: Nestor Young (young.nestor@epa.gov)
Current Site Status
The General Tire & Rubber Co. (Mayfield Landfill) site includes the area where the General Tire and Rubber Company (General Tire) disposed of manufacturing waste from 1970 until 1984. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990 because of contaminated ground water resulting from the landfill. EPA, the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP) and Continental Tire North America, the site’s potentially responsible party (PRP), investigated site conditions. After careful evaluation, EPA concluded that the landfill does not pose an unacceptable risk to people or the environment and did not require cleanup under the Superfund program. In 2000, EPA deleted the site from the NPL. The PRP continues to monitor ground water at the site in coordination with KDEP.
Site Location and Background
The site is a 58-acre landfill located east of State Highway 45, approximately two miles north of Mayfield in Graves County, Kentucky. The landfill is next to the former General Tire manufacturing plant, between the Paducah/Louisville Railroad and Mayfield Creek. Mayfield Creek is located 150 yards from the eastern edge of the landfill. Most of the surrounding area is farmland.
The General Tire plant started operating in the early 1960s. Throughout its operations, the plant manufactured automobile, truck and tractor tires. In 1970, following approval from the Commonwealth of Kentucky (the State), General Tire constructed a landfill at the site. Between 1970 and 1979, General Tire disposed of an estimated 152 tons of hazardous wastes in trenches at the site.
In 1981, General Tire began a ground water monitoring program in compliance with a state request. General Tire continued to dispose of non-hazardous waste at the landfill until late 1984, under a permit issued by the State. In 1985, the State approved a closure plan for the landfill. The plan consisted of covering the trenches with two feet of clean soil and monitoring ground water for a two-year period after General Tire completed construction of the cover. In 1985, General Tire covered and seeded the landfill.
In 1990, EPA listed the landfill (i.e., the site) on the NPL. The landfill is currently vacant.
In 1987, Continental Tire purchased General Tire, eventually becoming Continental Tire North America, and continued to operate the plant. The plant closed in October 2006.
Threats and Contaminants
Site investigations found contamination in ground water that could potentially harm people in the area. After careful evaluation of all exposure routes, estimated cancer-causing and other health risks, and ecological impacts, EPA concluded that the landfill does not pose an unacceptable risk to people or the environment.
Continental Tire North America, the site’s PRP, continues to monitor ground water at the site in coordination with KDEP.
Investigation and Cleanup Responsibility / Oversight
The site’s PRP led site investigation activities, with oversight provided by EPA and KDEP.
Site Cleanup Plan
In 1993, EPA issued a cleanup plan (a Record of Decision, or ROD) for the site referred to as a “no further action remedy.” EPA based its decision on the data collected from the in-depth site investigation and estimated health risks. In the ROD, EPA further explained that the six ground water extraction wells that deliver non-contact cooling water to the adjacent General Tire plant provide a significant level of protection to human health and the environment. The wells prevent the spread of any contaminants potentially released into the ground water.
EPA then deferred the site to KDEP to continue monitoring ground water and to evaluate ground water if plant operators shut down the extraction wells.
A summary of the "no action remedy" is available online in the site’s ROD.
Cleanup Progress
In 1985, the PRP covered and seeded the landfill.
EPA deleted the site from the NPL on October 27, 2000, with the final deletion notice stating, “EPA's remedial investigation and subsequent follow up groundwater studies conducted under state supervision, indicated that the site does not pose a significant threat to public health or the environment, and, therefore, active remedial measures are not appropriate.”
More information is available in the site's deletion notice online.
Enforcement Activities
In 1989, the site’s PRP entered into a legal agreement with EPA to conduct the remedial investigation/feasibility study.
The ROD online provides information on specific legal agreements for the site.
Community Involvement
EPA worked with the community and its state partner to develop a long-term cleanup plan for the site, reflecting the Agency’s commitment to safe, healthy communities and environmental protection. Community engagement and public outreach are core components of EPA program activities.
EPA conducted a range of community involvement activities to solicit community input and to make sure the public remains informed about site activities throughout the cleanup process. Outreach efforts included public notices and information meetings.
Future Work
EPA is not required to conduct Five-Year Reviews for the site.
No further updates are warranted at this time.
Continental Tire North America continues to monitor ground water at the site in coordination with KDEP.
Additinal Information
EPA keeps additional site documents and information in a site information repository at the location below. EPA also posts site documents, when available, on EPA’s CERCLIS Site Profile page. For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office.
Site Repository
Graves County Library
601 N. 17 Street
Mayfield, KY 42066