Expansion of 'forever chemical' company welcomed in Round Rock after protest in Florence

Claire Osborn, Austin American-Statesman
Updated ·5 min read
3

A chemical company is expanding in Round Rock after a proposed facility near Florence drew protests from residents concerned about air and water pollution.

Exfluor, which has its headquarters in Round Rock, broke ground in April on an addition to its 14,200-square-foot facility at 2350 Double Creek Drive, near Texas 45 and Interstate 35.

"In Round Rock, we plan to recycle all our process water so that no fluoride, acid or 'forever chemicals' are sent to the wastewater treatment plant," said Thomas Bierschenk, the co-owner of Exfluor Research Corp. said in an email.  "We are excited about this change that is currently being implemented."

Bierschenk declined to provide further details about the new facility.

Exfluor Research Corp. is building an addition by its Round Rock headquarters, including a lab. Exfluor makes "forever chemicals," which don't degrade and have raised environmental questions.
Exfluor Research Corp. is building an addition by its Round Rock headquarters, including a lab. Exfluor makes "forever chemicals," which don't degrade and have raised environmental questions.

According to the information Exfluor provided to the city of Round Rock, the expansion will be a two-story, 35,000-square-foot building. It will have business offices, lab space, production space, a separate flammable gas/liquid storage space and warehouse storage space.

"The production area of the building will have a 0.5-inch berm which will provide spill control and secondary containment with a calculated capacity of approximately 7,600 gallons," according to the information given in a fire protection evaluation. "The outdoor storage area will have a 4-inch berm with a calculated capacity of approximately 9,700 gallons."

Two private fire hydrants will be installed to protect the new building, according to the plans submitted to the city.

Forever chemicals have ended up in soil, water and landfills across the country, according to Michael Wong, chairman of the chemical and biomolecular engineering department at Rice University in Houston. Wong has said some studies have shown high concentrations are related to some cancers.

Exfluor has told the city of Round Rock that the expansion will have business offices, lab space, production space, a separate flammable gas/liquid storage space and warehouse storage space.
Exfluor has told the city of Round Rock that the expansion will have business offices, lab space, production space, a separate flammable gas/liquid storage space and warehouse storage space.

Exfluor did not need approval from the Round Rock City Council to expand because it has an existing facility with the proper zoning in place, said Sara Bustilloz, a city spokeswoman. The site development permits and building permits are being handled administratively at the staff level, she said.

More: Neighbors fear 'forever chemical' business will ruin rural area in Williamson County

"We have required Exfluor to provide a letter from a third-party, licensed fire protection engineer certifying that they will be properly handling and storing their chemicals and hazardous combustibles," Bustilloz said. "As part of that letter, they are required to divulge what materials are stored on-site so that our first responders are readily informed of any situation they might be getting into and can be equipped with the right firefighting techniques. This is a common request for this type of facility in Round Rock, and Exfluor has complied in the past."

State and federal regulators have standards about the storage and use of chemicals, and Exfluor is required to work directly with the relevant agencies, Bustilloz said. If violations occur, she said, the regulating agency would notify the city.

Exfluor, a chemical company based in Round Rock, is expanding by at least 35,000 square feet at its current location after facing protests at a proposed site in the Florence area.
Exfluor, a chemical company based in Round Rock, is expanding by at least 35,000 square feet at its current location after facing protests at a proposed site in the Florence area.

More: Neighbors win in fight against proposed 'forever chemical' plant near Florence

Exfluor has operated in the city for 40 years, according to a news release from the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce.

“Exfluor’s expansion contributes significant value to the overall growth and economic generation of Round Rock,” Jordan Robinson, president and CEO of the Round Rock Chamber, said in the release. “Business retention and expansion is an important part of our economic development strategy, and the opportunity for a company who has called Round Rock home for 40 years to triple their space is a win for our community.”

Exfluor has a history of spills and leaks, according to reports from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Brushy Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment System.

In 2014, the company had a leak of 33 pounds of a hazardous chemical from a storage cylinder with an improperly installed valve at its Round Rock location, according to a TCEQ report.

The Round Rock Fire Department issued a shelter-in-place order for the area, and the Williamson County hazmat team evacuated and evaluated a neighboring business for the presence of the chemicals, the report said. The leak, which resulted in a gaseous cloud, was contained in the Exfluor building, the American-Statesman reported. A TCEQ administrative report said the company was ordered to pay a $3,900 fine.

Exfluor also violated daily average discharge limits of fluoride and mercury in its pretreated wastewater in 2019-20, according to a public notice published in the Statesman in October 2020. The Environmental Protection Agency requires the Brushy Creek Regional Wastewater System to annually publish news about industrial users "in significant noncompliance," the notice said.

Thomas Bierschenk, the co-owner of Exfluor, has said the company has instituted many changes to prevent similar problems, including installing equipment to prevent wastewater from discharging if the fluoride level exceeds the allowed limit and more sensors to detect leaks.

The company has disputed the mercury violations, saying mercury is not allowed in its buildings.

Exfluor, which has a 14,200-square-foot facility at 2350 Double Creek Drive, near Texas 45 and Interstate 35, broke ground on its addition in April.
Exfluor, which has a 14,200-square-foot facility at 2350 Double Creek Drive, near Texas 45 and Interstate 35, broke ground on its addition in April.

Exfluor faced opposition in 2022 when it wanted to expand in the Florence area on County Road 236 in northwestern Williamson County. More than 2,000 residents signed a petition asking the TCEQ to deny the business an air permit. They asked that the business be built in a more industrial area because the proposed facility is near family farms and ranches.

Residents in the area said they were concerned about air pollution from the facility affecting them as well as livestock and wildlife. They also were concerned about spills getting into an aquifer and the nearby north fork of the San Gabriel River. Exfluor officials had said they planned to make forever chemicals at the proposed facility. Such chemicals are used to make products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease and water.

Bierschenk previously said that the business, if built in the Florence area, would use the best available technology to ensure no air pollutants were emitted and also would prevent liquid spills from an evaporation pond by designing it for a 100-year flood.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Expansion of Exfluor Research Corp. welcomed in Round Rock