Environmental health experts from FAMU tour abandoned Jacksonville wood plant

Neighbors in Durkeeville have concerns about a former Wood Treaters facility right in their backyards. The plant has been shut down for years.

It sits behind a chain-link fence with signs warning people of the possible dangerous materials inside.

The former Wood Treaters facility has been off Fairfax Street in the Durkeeville community for years, but neighbors say they want it gone for good.

“They have no business putting a chemical plant in a neighborhood like that. To me it’s a form of genocide,” said one neighbor.

Neighbors say chemicals used inside the old plant weren’t cleaned up properly, causing people to get sick.

“Diabetes, night sweats, my feet, they messed up. The chemicals were so strong, they used to eat through our boots,” former Wood Treaters worker Frederick said.

It’s a memory Frederick said he can’t forget. He worked at the plant for 12 years, and remembers every single minute of his experience.

“We had chemical spills late at night. You see that big tank right there, that’s 61 foot long and it’s about 6, 7 feet high. You could stand in it and walk in it,” Frederick said.

Environmental health experts from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee toured the old plant Friday. The Superfund site is still awaiting final cleanup, seven years after the company went bankrupt and shut down.

Action News Jax found a total of 11 sites throughout Duval County on the Environmental Protection Agency website.

The EPA sent Action News Jax the following information about about the timeline for cleanup at the Wood Treaters site:

"On August 22, 2017, a remedy to clean up the Fairfax Street Wood Treaters Site (FSWT) was selected.  That remedy includes:
•    Soil and sediment removal directly from the site
•    Demolition of the buildings and building slabs
•    Off-site disposal of waste
•    Restoring the property to the point to where it can be used again
•    Soil removal and restoration of selected residential properties

"EPA is currently in the process of completing:
•    A Remedial Design (RD) which is the phase in Superfund where procedures for removal of contaminated soil and restoration of property are designed.
•    It will take a 12 to 18 months to complete
•    As part of the RD, the EPA will be collecting additional residential samples this Fall/Winter

"Once the RD is completed and depending on funding, EPA will begin the cleanup."

Cox Media Group