The Northern Virginia Daily

Article date: June 20, 1996

 Team says Avtex building OK for light industry

By: Diane Hartson

An evaluation team has told the Warren County Redevelopment Corp. that the buildings it's considering taking over at the former Avtex Fibers plant are structurally sound and could be used for light industry.

The team also found that many pipes in the buildings are wrapped in asbestos, which will have to be removed, and some flaking paint "probably" contains lead.

But corporation Chairman Frederick P. Foster said Wednesday that those problems aren't insurmountable.

The team was made up of Yelena Golod, Alan Wimer and Shelley Edwards, volunteers from the local Du Pont plant; Rich Anderson of the state Department of Environmental Quality; Tom Preston of the corporation; and John Hazard, the emergency response manager for the FMC Corp., a former owner of the plant.

"The tour covered areas of the site that had been previously identified as having potential for light industrial use, approximately 400,000 square feet," the June 14 report says. "Those of us from Du Pont concluded after the tour that these areas, especially the newer polyester facility and shipping areas, were structurally sound."

The team found roofs to be structurally sound but leaking in some areas and warned that "structural damage will result if repairs are not addressed in a reasonable time frame."

The one-page report also says the team found many pipes with asbestos insulation and steel structural members with flaking paint that's believed to contain lead.

“These concerns would need to be addressed," the report says.

"In summary, I believe the toured sections of the site have excellent potential for light industrial use or warehousing and could be placed back into operation with some facilities upgrades including services such as electrical, water, sanitary sewer, heat and roof repairs," says the report signed by Ms. Edwards. "I can also see some real advantages to the town and state through improved tax base, new jobs and elimination of a potential eyesore." 

Foster said he's concerned about the leaking roofs because the corporation may not take ownership of the site for several months or even a year. 

The Environmental Protection Agency and the corporation are negotiating an agreement that would turn over clean portions of the plant, which is a federal Superfund site, to the corporation for redevelopment. 

Foster said the corporation has no estimate of what removal of the asbestos will cost, but said it may seek a tenant that will be given a "good deal” on space at the plant in exchange for remodeling work, including removing the asbestos.

“I’m concerned but not overly concerned because it's a cost of doing business," he said.

State or federal grants to cover the cost of the removal also may be available, he said. 

Corporation officials will meet later this month with EPA officials in Washington, D.C., to review a draft agreement for the turnover of the clean sections of the plant, Foster said. 

That draft, which was written by the EPA, will be explained to corporation officials and revisions that need to be made to it will be discussed at the meeting, he said. 

Foster said the corporation will seek to have an attorney who is a specialist in environmental law review the agreement before it’s signed. 

“We have to make sure this community is protected” against any liability for pollution at the plant, he said. 

The plant closed in 1989 after more than 2,000 violations of environmental laws.