celanese corp. (shelby fiber operations)

HWY 198

The site is located near Shelby in a mostly rural area of Cleveland County, North Carolina. Surrounding land uses include residential and agricultural areas. The 450-acre site includes an active manufacturing facility owned and operated by Ticona, which is a Celanese subsidiary. CNA Holdings, Inc., another Celanese subsidiary, owns the site property and is responsible for environmental work there. The manufacturing facility has been operating on site since 1960. The Celanese plant originally produced filament thread and polyester staples used for apparel and bedding products. The facility continues to operate but in a limited capacity. The site includes a main plant production area, a wastewater treatment area, former waste disposal areas, and recreation and wooded areas. Operators previously used several areas around the plant for waste disposal. Operators disposed of plant wastes in old burning pits. North and east of the burning pits, operators disposed of glycol recovery unit bottoms (GRUBs) during the 1960s in trenches. In 1986, the EPA listed the site on the NPL.