Since 1988, a leader in the geosynthetics industry has produced high-performance geomembrane liners, geonets, geocomposites, and more from a single facility in South Carolina. With plans to expand into large-diameter HDPE pipe manufacturing, this company acquired a strategically located parcel on Charleston Harbor — a site with immense potential and equally significant challenges.
The Vision
The goal was to construct a new facility capable of producing HDPE pipe up to 11 feet in diameter and 2,000 feet in length, destined for both domestic and international markets. Given the sheer size of the pipe, the property’s direct access to rail, highway, and deep-water port infrastructure made it ideal for shipment via tugboat, truck, or train.
But there was a catch: the site was a designated brownfield, featuring freshwater and Critical Area coastal wetlands, legacy contamination, and historical industrial use dating back to the early 20th century.
Turning Challenges into Opportunities
GEL Engineering, LLC, (GEL) stepped in as a trusted partner to guide the client through a full spectrum of site assessment, remediation, permitting, and engineering design services — transforming a once-contaminated industrial site into a state-of-the-art manufacturing hub.
Site History and Environmental Conditions
The parcel was once home to a coal export facility. Decades of industrial activity left behind significant contamination, including asbestos-containing materials, semi-volatile organic compounds, and elevated levels of arsenic and metals in both soil and groundwater.
To move forward with development, GEL helped the client secure a South Carolina Voluntary Cleanup Contract (VCC) with the, then named, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC). This agreement laid the legal and environmental foundation for safe redevelopment as a Non-Responsible Party to the environmental site issues.
Environmental Remediation and Engineering Integration
GEL conducted extensive Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, followed by soil and groundwater testing to characterize site conditions. A key innovation in the remediation plan was the beneficial reuse of structurally suitable impacted soils in the construction of building pads and rail foundations — a cost-effective solution that minimized off-site disposal.
Other areas containing asbestos or elevated contaminants were safely removed or capped in accordance with environmental regulations.
Wetlands and Permitting Strategy
The site’s proximity to both freshwater and tidal wetlands required careful planning and regulatory coordination. GEL delineated all wetlands and secured critical permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and SCDHEC, allowing for:
- Strategic fill of specific wetlands to support facility layout
- Construction of docks and pipe feed infrastructure into the Cooper River
- A mooring area for temporary pipe storage prior to shipment
These designs were tightly integrated with GEL’s broader civil site planning, including stormwater systems, roadways, utility infrastructure, and rail connectivity.
Scope of Services Provided
GEL’s work spanned nearly every facet of the project lifecycle:
- Due Diligence: Phase I & II ESAs
- Remediation Design & Implementation: VCC planning, soil and groundwater management, asbestos abatement
- Permitting: Critical Area & NEPA wetlands permitting, air permits, MS4, municipal permits
- Engineering Design: Full civil site design (road, rail, sewer, stormwater), dock structures, mooring areas
- Surveying: Land and hydrographic surveys
- Environmental Compliance: NEPA biological assessments, long-term site management
The Result
The client's new manufacturing center officially began production of large-diameter HDPE pipes in 2017, serving a wide range of infrastructure projects worldwide. The successful transformation of a complex brownfield site into a high-capacity, intermodal manufacturing hub stands as a testament to strategic environmental planning, engineering innovation, and cross-agency collaboration.
This project showcases how environmentally sensitive redevelopment — when backed by strong technical expertise — can deliver both economic and ecological value.
Interested in partnering on your next complex industrial or environmental project?
Contact our team to learn how GEL can support your vision from permitting to production.