CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- FMC Corporation is demolishing its old Spring Hill hydrogen peroxide plant, a company official said.

The plant, the last of the Philadelphia-based company's West Virginia operations, stopped production in 2003, but remained a distribution site for the company until 2008, when it closed.

Jim Bodamer, the company's environmental remediation manager, said the plant's closing was for economic reasons. 

"Markets change and we could make the peroxide for less money at some of our other plants, which were newer," he said.

The demolition started in August with asbestos removal, which has been completed, Bodamer said.

"[They'll] start pulling equipment out and they're going to sell that equipment and then once they're finished with that, they'll take the plant down all the way to the ground."

The 40 acres of land the plant sits on will eventually be sold, Bodamer said.

"We're in the process of cleaning up that property, which we'll do once the plant is demolished," he said.

FMC entered the site into a voluntary cleanup program, he said.

"[We've] finished our investigation of the site and [we're] in the process of putting together a remedial action work plan," Bodamer said. He added the company is working closely with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection on the project. "They oversee the whole program. That's how you ensure the site is being cleaned up properly."

The demolition will likely continue until May, Bodamer said.

After that, cleaning up the plant would likely take the rest of 2013 and possibly part of 2014, he said.

"Once we're done cleaning up the property then yes, we do intend to sell it," he said.

Reach Lori Kersey at lori.ker...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1240.