Public records reveal the contaminants on the property of the proposed ICE facility location just off U.S. Highway 301 in Starke include the volatile organic compounds tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE) and vinyl chloride (VC).
Scott Smith is an independent testing expert with more than 25 patents related to environmental remediation and testing. Smith has performed independent testing on the water and soil of over 80 disaster sites. In 2006, Smith was personally impacted by a disaster that covered his community with oil-contaminated flood waters.
“The testing is flawed, it’s gamed, it’s not independent" Smith said. “So I started going into communities, trying to help other communities not have to go through what I went through.”
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Arcadis conducted a semiannual groundwater monitoring report in September 2025. That report focuses specifically on the Douglas Warehouse property located at 14281 U.S. Highway 301 South Starke, Florida.
Smith spoke to WUFT about which contaminants were revealed in the report and their potential risks.
This interview has been edited for clarity and concision.
Ginsberg: Can you explain to me what the semiannual report revealed regarding VOCs?
Smith: VOCs I describe are like gasoline. Gasoline goes right into the air and some volatiles are like diesel. They kind of hang around. There's no testing done on semivolatile organic compounds and the forever chemicals are like radiation. You can't see it and you can't necessarily smell it. So they're only looking for the VOCs or the gasoline that go airborne. Those are the easiest test results to gain.
Ginsberg: Are there any contaminants that jumped out to you as a cause of concern?
Smith: What jumps out is vinyl chloride and that compound TCE. Known carcinogens are very dangerous and so is vinyl chloride. They are a mixture of chemicals. The other thing viewers should know is that there are no standards for mixtures of chemicals. You're going to hear the state of Florida or the EPA cite a singular exposure to a singular chemical.
For example, if you're exposed to vinyl chloride or if you're exposed to a benzene compound, there are no standards because those chemicals can react in a way where you could be under the so-called safe level for the singular exposure, but there are no standards for the mixtures.
Ginsberg: Public records show that Vinyl Chloride was present, but we don’t know how much was present. Explain the presence of any amount of vinyl chloride.
Smith: When it comes to these very dangerous, cancer-causing chemicals, the mere presence of it is a concern. It should immediately require routine and regular follow-up testing. It's not like other chemicals that are less toxic. It's about the presence that they clearly should not be in the drinking water.
To the best of my knowledge, TCE and vinyl chloride are known carcinogens that should not be anywhere in your well water. So that's very concerning.
Ginsberg: A nearby neighbor told me Arcadis was doing testing in their well water, but they weren’t concerned because they weren’t actively using their well water. What other forms could these contaminants be present in?
Smith: Let's say you fill your pool with the well water, you have children swimming or you fill bowls for dogs or cats. I mean, there are potential exposure issues here, which is why it should be tested.
Ginsberg: What is a PCE and a TCE?
Smith: The bottom line is, if they're chemicals that you can breathe in, then you can be exposed to drinking water or showering with these chemicals. They are known carcinogens, and they can cause a lot of adverse health problems. Everything from bleeding, brain fog, respiratory issues and cancer.
Ginsberg: If construction on this property were to begin, public records show the risk of vapor intrusion extending to nearby properties will increase. Can you explain what that means?
Smith: A vapor intrusion would be these volatile chemicals moving around in the water tables in the groundwater. So whatever they're doing on construction is creating pressure and moving it around. Vapor intrusion will literally come through your walls, up your dryer drains and intrude the air you’re breathing in your home.
Ginsberg: What can neighbors who are in the temporary point of compliance do to protect themselves from the risk of these contaminants on their property?
Smith: I would say regular testing. People should demand independent testing.
The good news is, if you do regular testing, you will know what is there. So it can be remediated and filtered or stopped before you have exposure issues. So there's really no cause for concern if you have comprehensive, complete, independent testing.
Where it gets concerning is if you're not looking for the full spectrum of chemicals. They are not looking for semivolatile organic compounds or forever chemicals like dioxins. And all of the sudden, you've got potential issues where your pets get sick, your kids get sick, but this can all be prevented with proper testing.
The city could engage a truly independent testing organization. There are plenty of independent testing organizations and experts, especially in Florida. There are many ways to go about that.
I have an expression — ‘You can’t find what you don’t look for.’