Alabama Army Ammunition Plant

The Alabama Army Ammunition Plant is a former munitions manufacturing facility located in Talladega County, Alabama, about four miles north of the town of Childersburg. Construction began in April 1941, and the government-owned, contractor-operated plant produced nitrocellulose, smokeless powder, and nitroaromatic explosives such as trinitrotoluene (TNT), dinitrotoluene (DNT), and tetryl during World War II. At its peak the facility employed a large wartime workforce and reached production rates of tens of millions of pounds of munitions per month. Operations ceased in 1945, after which the plant was placed on standby status, and the property was later divided into separate areas and partially transferred for civilian use. Decades of manufacturing left behind soil, sediment, and groundwater conditions that drew federal environmental attention.

Investigations at the site documented widespread contamination from nitroaromatic explosive compounds, heavy metals, and asbestos in on-site soils, in shallow groundwater beneath the property, and in sediments within several former process and waste areas. Because of these findings, the installation has been associated with concerns about potential exposure among people who worked at or lived near the plant.

1. Explosives (TNT, DNT, tetryl): These nitroaromatic compounds were the primary products manufactured at the plant for use in munitions during World War II. Manufacturing and waste handling of these materials contaminated soils and groundwater in the production and disposal areas. Exposure to certain explosive compounds has been associated in some studies with effects on the blood, liver, and other systems, and concerns about potential exposure remain a focus of ongoing site investigation.
2. Heavy metals: Metals, including lead, were identified in on-site soils and sediments as a result of past operations. Heavy metals do not break down in the environment, and prolonged exposure to certain metals has been associated with a range of potential health effects, which is part of why the site has been studied so closely.
3. Asbestos: Asbestos-containing materials were present in the plant's wartime structures and equipment and have been addressed through abatement efforts at the site. Asbestos fibers, when disturbed and inhaled, have been associated with concerns about long-term respiratory conditions, and the Army has continued to evaluate and address asbestos as part of its remediation work.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency placed the Alabama Army Ammunition Plant on the Superfund program's National Priorities List on July 22, 1987, because past operations had contaminated soil, sediments, and groundwater. The Army, EPA, and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management have worked together since the 1990s to address contaminated soils, with roughly 120,000 cubic yards of soil treated between 1994 and 1997 and area soil cleanups completed in the following years. Groundwater monitoring and asbestos work have continued, with a Five-Year Review completed in 2023 as the agencies evaluate remaining conditions.

Veterans who served at or were stationed near the Alabama Army Ammunition Plant may wish to stay informed about the site's environmental history and ongoing cleanup. Anyone with questions about possible exposure and related health concerns is encouraged to speak with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which can provide current guidance on eligibility, screening, and available resources.