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HRT for Women in Clermont, FL
Discover Effortless Aging with Hormone Therapy for Women
There's real substance to the notion that every woman is different. No two person's attitudes, bodies, or goals in life are ever exactly the same. But if there's one thing that every person shares, it's that our bodies change as we get older. That's especially true for females over the age of 50. One day you wake up, roll out of bed, and attack the day with vigor and positivity.
The next day, it seems like your emotions are out of control. Despite dieting and healthy life choices, your weight won't go down. It seems like you're having to deal with uncomfortable hot flashes every other hour of the day. Life can be hard after 50, especially when it seems like your body is plotting against you.
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But the truth is, these changes are a completely normal part of the aging process for women. As you might be aware, this change is called menopause, and according to the NIH, more than one million women go through it every year. This change in life marks the end of your period. During this time, your hormones begin to deplete, causing a range of symptoms that can be difficult to deal with without professional help. Some of the most common symptoms of menopause include:
- Hot Flashes
- Vaginal Dryness
- Low Libido or Sexual Desire
- Mood Swings
- Lack of Focus
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Chronic Tiredness
- Increased Body Weight
Trying to juggle and cope with the symptoms of hormone deficiency can be rough for women and their partners because many of them are linked to nutrition, stress, and lack of exercise.
Fortunately, getting older and going through menopause doesn't have to be the worst time in your life. Hormone replacement therapy for women in Clermont, FL, can help correct the imbalances in your body that are brought on by menopause. These safe, proven treatments from NV Medical Orlando can help balance your hormones during menopause and even help you reclaim your youth.
AboutWhat is HRT for Women?
As a locally owned and operated shutter business, doing right by our customers is our top priority. We know that there are many options out there, so we at the Shutter Shop specialize in providing our customers the highest quality product at the most reasonable price.
We're able to offer impeccable customer service and high-quality shutters and blinds at low prices because, unlike others, we are the manufacturers. That means everything you order from the Shutter Shop is made right here in Georgetown, FL by our talented team. We're proud to say that products made here at The Shutter Shop are shipped to builders and homeowners all across the United States.
It all started when Shawn Reardon, The Shutter Shop's sole owner, and his wife moved from Santee to Georgetown in 2003. They were new to the ins and outs of shutters but wanted to start up a new business on the coast of South Carolina. They started out manufacturing plantation shutters only and a couple years later began manufacturing all exterior window coverings also.
How Does Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women Work?
At NV Medical Orlando, our HRT treatments for women include the use of pellets, which are about the size of a tic-tac and contain hormones like estrogen and testosterone. These pellets are implanted subcutaneously to supply your body with the hormones it needs. Each pellet contains a tiny number of bioidentical hormones that are released steadily into your bloodstream for up to five months.
Unlike other sexual health centers, every HRT treatment provided by our women's sexual health clinic is tailored to our patients. While natural hormone replacement therapy is effective for many women, every patient is different. That's why it's important that you speak with a board-certified doctor, like Gina Kirkpatrick, before starting any HRT treatment to make sure it's right for you.
Is HRT for Women in Clermont, FL, Right for You?
When a woman's hormones are balanced, there's a better chance that she will be able to live a happy, normal life. That's where the beauty of HRT for women begins to unfold because it balances hormones in your body that would otherwise be disrupted due to menopause.
HRT treatments for women are revolutionary in that they allow you to enjoy life without suffering through all the pitfalls associated with getting older. However, at NV Medical Orlando, our team understands that no two women have the same bodies or hormone imbalances. That's why our board-certified and fellowship-trained urologist, Gina Kirkpatrick, D.O., provides personalized HRT therapy options for women.
Is HRT treatment from NV Medical Orlando the answer to your mood, weight, and exhaustion problems? That's the million-dollar question we get almost every day. And honestly, it's difficult to say until we can see you in our office and conduct a thorough examination. What we can say is that when your hormones are balanced optimally during menopause, you have a much better chance of living a normal life without the overwhelming symptoms that many women experience.
At NV Medical Orlando, we prioritize helping women balance their hormones to live healthy, fulfilling lives. Our HRT therapy options aren't just about getting you on a regimen - it's about giving your body the nutrition and love it deserves through a patient-first approach.
DifferenceThe NV Medical Orlando Difference
Unlike some clinics that rush their patients into therapy, our team focuses on our patient's needs and goals first. To achieve those goals, we conduct thorough blood tests and comprehensively examine your health during your first visit. That way, we can discover your underlying problems, determine your hormone levels, and get a better sense of your needs.
After that, our dedicated physician will develop a personalized treatment plan for you. The goal of this plan is to outline your HRT journey so that we can balance your hormones and your whole body. During this process, we'll keep a close eye on your hormone replacement therapy for women in Clermont, FL. Like a web, HRT therapy covers several facets of female health. Each piece of that web works in tandem with others to make up how you feel. If we need to tweak aspects of your plan to help you feel better, we'll let you know and will adjust accordingly.
At the end of the day, we want you to feel safe, empowered, and like you're part of our family. After all, true HRT for women doesn't just balance hormones - it optimizes wellbeing and health, too. That's why NV Medical Orlando is dedicated to giving you a one-of-a-kind experience and specialized care, so you'll never feel like you're falling through the cracks.
Up to this point, we've talked about all the greatness that can come with HRT from NV Medical Orlando - but what are the actual benefits? Let's take a look.
Benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women in Clermont, FL
Most women who consider natural hormone therapy are curious about its benefits and the results of long-term clinical investigations. Who wouldn't be? When it comes to the symptoms of menopause, natural estrogen therapy can be incredibly effective for conditions like lack of sleep, weight gain, excessive sweating, mood swings, and more.
In addition to promoting overall health, HRT for women can help reverse sexual symptoms of menopause, like vaginal dryness and general discomfort during intercourse.
When used as part of a comprehensive preventive healthcare plan, HRT can be an invaluable tool for women. That's because hormone therapies like estrogen treatment have been shown in clinical investigations to reduce the risk of serious concerns like osteoporosis and bone loss.
But that's just the start. Clinical studies report a wide range of HRT benefits, including:
- Improved Mood
- Better Memory
- Improved Concentration
- Longer and Healthier Sleep
- Fewer Hot Flashes
- Less Chance of Depression
- Optimized Vaginal Health
- Improved Muscle Mass and Strength
- Improved Blood Pressure
- Better Cholesterol Levels
- Less Risk of Alzheimer's
- Reduced Risk of Breast Cancer
To learn more about the benefits of HRT and whether treatment is right for you, contact our office today. If you're ready to feel better about getting older, NV Medical Orlando is here to help you every step of the way.
Your HRT Timeline
As we mentioned earlier, no two women will have the same hormone levels or HRT therapy needs. As such, every woman's timeline for menopause relief will be different. Generally, however, a standard HRT timeline may look like this:
Around week one, many women notice that they experience fewer hot flashes than normal. Some women notice these improvements only a few days after their first treatment.
After about two to three weeks of HRT for women in Clermont, FL, many women notice that they have less irritability, anxiety, and fewer mood swings. During this phase, hot flashes should continue diminishing, and sleep may improve. Other benefits of HRT, like increased libido and more energy, are also expected during this phase.
Starting around weeks three to four, many HRT patients will notice drastic improvements in menopausal symptoms.
Around weeks five and six, it's common for women to notice physical differences like healthier skin, less hair loss, and even weight loss. With time, these improvements become even more pronounced.
Additional Services for Optimal Female Health
At NV Medical Orlando, we don't only treat our patients for sexual health and wellness. Because Dr. Gina Kirkpatrick is a fellowship-trained urologist, our clinic has the capacity to treat all matters related to sexual health and wellness, including certain urologic conditions.
Vaginal Rejuvenation
Have you started to notice that things “down under†are different than they were years ago? Are you experiencing disconcerting symptoms such as:
- Burning
- Irritation After Sex
- Dryness
- Urinary Incontinence
- Unfulfilling Intercourse
- Vaginal Laxity (Lack of Tightness)
- Diminished Lubrication During Intercourse
If you've noticed any of the above symptoms, you may be dealing with vaginal or pelvic floor laxity. For women dealing with these issues, vaginal rejuvenation often answers their problems. Vaginal rejuvenation is an umbrella term that covers several vaginal corrective procedures. These procedures can correct problems that occur after giving birth or during menopause.
Traditionally, these conditions have been treated with invasive surgeries and with supplements like vaginal estrogen or hyaluronic acid. However, modern treatment options like laser vaginal rejuvenation are growing in popularity and can help women avoid the pitfalls of surgery.
In fact, study centers around the world are using monopolar radiofrequency for vaginal laxity in premenopausal women. Studies show that treatment is safe and helps improve vaginal laxity and other sexual dysfunctions. Additionally, anecdotal evidence shows that patients have less urine leakage when coughing, laughing, sneezing, and exercising.
If you're unsatisfied with the appearance of your vagina or have noticed increased looseness or diminished lubrication, don't lose hope. Vaginal rejuvenation, HRT for women in Clermont, FL, or a combo of the two may be right for you.
Vaginal Dryness
The primary cause of vaginal atrophy or vaginal dryness is the reduction of estrogen. Typically, women lose estrogen during and after menopause. Childbirth and hysterectomy can also be causes that reduce estrogen production. To help women restore natural levels of estrogen, thereby treating vaginal dryness, NV Medical Orlando offers three types of therapies:
Vaginal Therapy
Estrogen cream is applied intravaginally at night to improve vaginal blood flow, lubrication, and elasticity. Alternatively, women can choose s Hyaluronic Acid Vaginal Suppository, which provides hormone-free relief from vaginal dryness. This treatment is best for women who cannot undergo hormone replacement therapy.
Minimally Invasive Vaginal Therapy
Viveve Radiofrequency Technology, which uses cryogen-cooled radio frequencies to heat and cool vaginal tissue, is designed to improve:
- Blood Flow
- Vaginal Lubrication
- Vaginal Laxity
- Stress Urinary Incontinence
This popular treatment is performed discreetly, is painless, and usually takes less than an hour to complete.
Systemic Therapy
HRT for women in Clermont, FL, can be administered as oral pills, creams, pellets, or as injections under the skin. The specific type of hormones, their delivery mechanisms, and dosage levels are determined on a patient-by-patient basis after a detailed history, physical exam, and laboratory study.
Low Libido in Women
If you're a woman who finds herself lacking sexual desire or the act of sexual intercourse, you're not alone. In fact, research from 1999 shows that as much as 22% of women in the U.S. report low sex drive. Though this issue is often underreported, its causes and the available treatments are well-known.
Causes of low libido in women include:
Surgery
Hysterectomies often result in a drastic drop of testosterone and estrogen in a woman's body. This drop in hormones has been linked to low libido.
Medications
Some medicines that are used to treat depression and anxiety, specifically SSRIs that inhibit serotonin, have been demonstrated to reduce sexual arousal.
Hormones
Estrogen affects blood flow to vaginal and genital tissues. Reducing estrogen, which can occur during and after menopause, childbirth or surgical menopause created secondary to a hysterectomy can result in reduced vaginal blood flow and lubrication.
Overall Health
Studies on post-menopausal women have demonstrated that patients in poor health report lower sexual desire. In fact, symptoms like chronic pain, fatigue, and mood swings caused by chronic illnesses all contribute to decreased female libido.
Though low libido and the effects of unbalanced hormones can be concerning, treatment is available at NV Medical Orlando. First, a thorough physical exam and health history will be conducted to help our experts develop an optimal treatment plan for you. During your evaluation, you may be asked to complete a questionnaire that helps us assess your symptoms further. That way, we can craft an appropriate treatment regimen to address your symptoms and concerns.
The type of treatment recommended depends on your identified needs and may include hormone replacement therapy for women, vaginal treatments, oral medications, sexual therapies, or additional treatment regimens.
The Premier Choice for FDA-Approved HRT for Women in Clermont, FL
If you're a woman suffering day-to-day from the symptoms of menopause, now is the time to balance your hormones and reclaim your life. Sure, menopause is a natural process that occurs in almost every woman's body. But that doesn't mean you must forego treatments like HRT to make your transition easier. Who says the second half of your life can't be better than the first?
At NV Medical Orlando, we have helped countless women overcome the life-changing symptoms associated with menopause and hormone imbalances, and we're here for you, too. Contact our office today to schedule your evaluation and take the first step toward long-term relief.
407-730-4244
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Latest News in Clermont, FL
Some Clermont residents upset over proposed apartment complex off Hancock Road
Katie Streithttps://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2023/10/03/clermont-residents-upset-over-proposed-apartment-complex
CLERMONT, Fla. — Clermont’s Planning and Zoning Committee is considering a new apartment complex, but the project is causing concern for some people who live in the area.The complex is set to be built in the area of Hancock Road and Hooks Street, near State Road 50. Many residents told Spectrum News that it's not the development that’s the issue, it’s the location.What You Need To Know Chipping away at yard work, Damaris Maraza said there’s no place like Clermont.&qu...
CLERMONT, Fla. — Clermont’s Planning and Zoning Committee is considering a new apartment complex, but the project is causing concern for some people who live in the area.
The complex is set to be built in the area of Hancock Road and Hooks Street, near State Road 50. Many residents told Spectrum News that it's not the development that’s the issue, it’s the location.
What You Need To Know
Chipping away at yard work, Damaris Maraza said there’s no place like Clermont.
"For me being part of a community that was growing was wonderful," she said. "It was an experience coming from Puerto Rico, having the opportunity to build my house from the ground up."
Back in 2001, Maraza said the rolling hills of south Lake County are what attracted her to call Clermont home. But she says her once-quiet town is far from silent anymore.
"It’s growing to a point that every corner is being filled with commercial (property)," said Maraza.
She said traffic and an increased cost of living are the new reality, and the area continues to grow.
"I don’t mind having some growth with that piece of property, but not multifamily," she said.
Maraza is talking about Hancock Commons, a proposed 230-unit apartment complex that could soon be neighboring her home. She said it’s not just the prospect of an eyesore the apartment complex may bring, it’s also the added cars on the road.
"We have a lot of accidents," she said. "I use to sit down on my patio and not hear the sirens, but now every 5-10 minutes I hear the sirens of the fire truck. The accidents in that corner of Hooks and Hancock are terrible."
The developers prepared a traffic impact analysis that confirmed State Road 50 is over-capacity. In their analysis, they say the added traffic from the proposed apartment complex would be best served on Hancock Road and Hooks Street.
But Damaris told Spectrum News that even if the developers expanded the road, like State Road 50, Hancock Road is also over-capacity. She said the additional residents will only make matters worse.
"There’s no hills anymore sadly, it’s being leveled down everywhere," she said. "The charm of Clermont is slowly disappearing."
While the fate of the Hancock Commons Apartments is still up in the air, Damaris said she hopes city and county leaders focus on fixing the current infrastructure before building more homes.
Downtown Clermont lumber yard could turn into stores, restaurants, hundreds of apartments
Nick Papantonishttps://www.wftv.com/news/local/downtown-clermont-lumber-yard-could-turn-into-stores-restaurants-hundreds-apartments/3DSVMWM5LBGNNCTWGPFJZZJPHA/
CLERMONT, Fla. — For as long as anyone can remember, the lumber yard next to downtown Clermont has served the needs of community members building and renovating their homes and businesses.▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWSThe family that owns the property has a new vision for the parcel: transforming a half-abandoned space into 392 apartments, plus 53 thousand square feet of commercial and office space.The proposal would transform and...
CLERMONT, Fla. — For as long as anyone can remember, the lumber yard next to downtown Clermont has served the needs of community members building and renovating their homes and businesses.
▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS
The family that owns the property has a new vision for the parcel: transforming a half-abandoned space into 392 apartments, plus 53 thousand square feet of commercial and office space.
The proposal would transform and greatly expand downtown Clermont, though not everyone is sold, especially on the apartments.
Read: Court Says ‘Marsy’s Law’ Doesn’t Shield Names
David Wallace said his family filed the application in October after many conversations with the city. They passed their first hurdle Tuesday when the city agreed to vacate the road that runs through his planned district.
“We’ve known for decades this day would come, and finally the day is here,” he said. “We’re really excited about it.”
By many counts, the land is top-tier residential quality. It’s within walking distance of Main Street, directly on the bike path that runs to Winter Garden, and on the shore of a lake. It’s also adjacent to a city park.
The additional retail space fulfills the desire of community leaders to see their downtown area grow, and the apartments give workers a place to live.
Wallace said he wanted to be a good steward to the town and a good neighbor to all who live, work or visit the downtown area.
The opposition to the apartments is in part unrelated to the project itself. Clermont has grown by an average of 17% for more than two decades, from 9,000 people to 46,000.
Read: Cost of housing top issue for Florida voters ahead of 2024 election, poll shows
Rolling hills and orange groves have been replaced by subdivisions and strip malls.
“They’re approving a lot of projects that just change the whole character of the area,” William Floyd, a retired principal, said. “The character of that area is what brought us here.”
Others, though, called the lumber yard an eyesore and said they were happy to see it go, even if they were worried about the number of apartment units and commuter traffic clogging roads.
Read: Construction continues to boom at Universal’s Epic Universe theme park in Orlando
Wallace didn’t give a time frame for construction, only saying zoning was next in the process and he’d likely break ground six months after the city fully approves the project.
He said more details would be released soon.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Business Spotlight Shines On Tesla Clermont (Now Open)
South Lake Tablethttps://sltablet.com/2023/12/11/business-spotlight-shines-on-tesla-clermont-now-open/
Tesla Clermont sales, service and delivery center recently celebrated its grand opening. The 61,000-square-foot store features state-of-the-art electric vehicles and supercharger stations, pick-up stations, and maintenance service.The Purchase of a new Tesla is eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit and has an estimated gas savings of $3,000 over 3 years.Drop by and meet the Tesla Team at 16775 E SR 50 Clermont and view the cars that Tesla has to offer.New Beginnings of Central Florida has proudly welcomed Jeremy Ellio...
Tesla Clermont sales, service and delivery center recently celebrated its grand opening. The 61,000-square-foot store features state-of-the-art electric vehicles and supercharger stations, pick-up stations, and maintenance service.
The Purchase of a new Tesla is eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit and has an estimated gas savings of $3,000 over 3 years.
Drop by and meet the Tesla Team at 16775 E SR 50 Clermont and view the cars that Tesla has to offer.
New Beginnings of Central Florida has proudly welcomed Jeremy Elliott as their new Community Resource Manager.
Executive Director Steve Smith notes, “In this pivotal role, Elliott will serve as a beacon of compassion, connecting our community with the diverse resources we offer. Jeremy embodies the ethos of New Beginnings — dedicated to empowering individuals toward responsible living. As a Person of God, he will foster deep community relations, expanding our New Beginnings family and forging strong community bonds. Jeremy’s vision includes an unwavering commitment to empowerment, marketing, and elevating awareness of our mission. With a servant’s heart at its core, Jeremy’s leadership promises to further our commitment to facilitating positive change, empowering, educating, and offering hope to those in need.”
Elliott has many years of experience with non-profit organizational management, marketing, and sales in the theatrical industry with groups like the Denver Center, Off-Broadway productions, and the Aurora Fox theater companies. Mostly in marketing director and sales roles. While working at New Beginnings, he will be returning to school, working towards his bachelor’s degree in business management at UCF and Lake Sumter State College.
Jeremy Elliott notes, “I am extremely excited to be invited back home to work with my New Beginnings family as the new Community Resource Manager. God has opened the door to merge my experiences with their community and outreach needs. I am proud to have a long-standing history and dedication of New Beginnings towards the goals of transforming lives. I have worked in many aspects with this compassionate team of believers throughout the past 6 years. First, as a client in the diversion program, and then as a volunteer, Event Master of Ceremones, thrift store merchandiser, and mentor consultant. I am thrilled to add my passion and commitment to supporting the mission of NB to help create opportunities to empower people to live responsible lives.”
New Beginnings of Central Florida is dedicated to helping the homeless and less fortunate in central Florida to transform their lives through counseling, life, and computer skills with job training that leads to a sustainable wage job and an affordable home.
New Beginnings will soon be celebrating 17 years of service and commitment to providing a hand up, not a hand out – since 2007. New Beginnings of Central Florida, is a 501-C3 non-profit faith-based ministry. They seek volunteers, donations, and community support.to empower people to live responsible lives and be self-sufficient.
For more information, call 352-404-6946 or visit their Thrift Store at 415 Citrus Tower Boulevard in Clermont, FL 34711. Visit: www.nbcfl.org.. Like and follow them on Facebook to see the exciting new projects they have coming up at: https://www.facebook.com/NewBeginningsofCentralFlorida/.
Jeff’s Bagel Run announces plans to open shop in Clermont
Thomas Mateshttps://www.clickorlando.com/food/2023/11/06/jeffs-bagel-run-announces-plans-to-open-shop-in-clermont/
1,200-square-foot store will be 5th store announced this year, 7th location overallCLERMONT, Fla. – The rapidly expanding Central Florida bagel chain Jeff’s Bagel Run is set to open up its first shop in Clermont.The company announced the new location, set to open at 16530 SR-50, in a news release Monday.Recommended VideosJeff’s Bagel Run aggressively expanding in Florida with help of new bus...
1,200-square-foot store will be 5th store announced this year, 7th location overall
CLERMONT, Fla. – The rapidly expanding Central Florida bagel chain Jeff’s Bagel Run is set to open up its first shop in Clermont.
The company announced the new location, set to open at 16530 SR-50, in a news release Monday.
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Jeff’s Bagel Run aggressively expanding in Florida with help of new business partner
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According to the release, the 1,200-square-foot store will be the fifth store announced this year and the seventh location overall which will include shops in Celebration, O-Town West, Oviedo and Winter Park, as well as the two locations already open in Ocoee and Orlando.
No opening date has been announced for the Clermont location.
[ADD YOUR BUSINESS TO THE FLORIDA FOODIE DIRECTORY]
Jeff’s Bagel Run announced plans to aggressively expand the chain’s footprint across Central Florida in early 2023, following a partnership with Justin Wetherill, the owner of 1337 Capital and the co-founder of the uBreakiFix chain of mobile device repair shops.
Find every episode of Florida Foodie on YouTube:
The chain first started in 2020, run out of the home kitchen of the owners, Jeff and Danielle Perera. The pair opened their first brick-and-mortar location in July 2021, followed by a second shop in Orlando’s College Park neighborhood in 2022.
Check out the Florida Foodie podcast. You can find every episode in the media player below:
Florida Foodie
Central Florida woman went from stay-at-home mom to working cook, running her own cottage bakery
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Central Florida woman went from stay-at-home mom to working cook, running her own cottage bakery
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Crooked Can Brewing remains focused on Central Florida as it readies for big expansion
Pizza hobby becomes nostalgic business for SoDough Square’s owner
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Pandemic-induced boredom led to success of Central Florida bakery Stackd Brownies
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In an aging Central Florida Superfund site, huge machines aim to knock out a toxic mess
Kevin Spearhttps://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/11/26/in-an-aging-central-florida-superfund-site-huge-machines-aim-to-knock-out-a-toxic-mess/
Enormous cranes are building a structure near Clermont that may seem astounishing not only for its weight, about 250 million pounds, and size, a mass larger than a football field, but also for its place and purpose.The behemoth is taking shape entirely underground — a monolithic, rock-like tomb to solve one of the nation’s earliest Superfund challenges, the storied brew of dangerous pesticide ingredients called the Tower Chemical site 20 miles west of Orlando city hall.“It looks like a mess,” said Bill N...
Enormous cranes are building a structure near Clermont that may seem astounishing not only for its weight, about 250 million pounds, and size, a mass larger than a football field, but also for its place and purpose.
The behemoth is taking shape entirely underground — a monolithic, rock-like tomb to solve one of the nation’s earliest Superfund challenges, the storied brew of dangerous pesticide ingredients called the Tower Chemical site 20 miles west of Orlando city hall.
“It looks like a mess,” said Bill Neimes, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project engineer, of slop suggesting congealing turkey gravy smothering a portion of the work area, “but if you scrape it away, it would be a solid slab.”
Once tucked amid rural citrus groves of what is now a fast-developing corridor of Lake County, the Tower Chemical project north of State Road 50 punctuates the takeaway from so many hazardous pollution sites: It takes so little effort to create one compared to the prolonged, costly and muscular toil needed to clean it up.
The Tower Chemical job will last a year, use several contractors and suppliers, have as many as 30 workers on site at a time and require brute-force tools and techniques.
“It’s a big job that’s been years in the making,” said Rob Pope, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency manager for Tower Chemical.
In 1983, the Environmental Protection Agency labeled the 16-acre Tower Chemical property a Superfund project.
At the time, EPA conducted emergency excavations of nearly 4,000 cubic yards of the most contaminated soils, demolished buildings, hauled away 72 chemical drums, protected neighboring residents from contaminated water and covered the site with clean gravel and fill 12 feet thick.
Those efforts coupled with years of testing, designs and interim interventions have already cost nearly $9 million.
The current construction will run through next summer and add another $15 to $20 million to the tab, depending on ongoing calibrations of the outermost extent of contamination.
The latest funding came from the 2021, $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which, among its wide range of investments, has reinvigorated EPA actions at dozens of Superfund projects nationwide and several in Florida.
“It’s going to work,” Pope said. “We are removing the high concentrations permanently.”
The history of Tower Chemical was written for Superfund’s ultimate mission: taking over a costly cleanup of difficult hazardous pollution when there is no responsible party.
Operating from 1957, Tower Chemical was a mom-and-pop business that processed now-infamous DDT to concoct other insecticides for application by Lake County’s enormous citrus industry at the time.
Toxic waste from Tower Chemical’s operations included the pesticide dicofol and the most problematic chemical compound, 4,4′-dichlorobenzophenone, or DCBP.
The wastes were burned in a pit or dumped into an on-site wetlands lagoon, which, unfortunately, concealed the throat of an ancient sinkhole that tunneled 70 feet down to the top of the Floridan Aquifer, the region’s prime source of drinking water.
Tower Chemical shut down in 1980. The owner, a county environmental official facing scrutiny, fled the country.
Pope said the contaminants so far have not invaded the Floridan Aquifer because of its protective cap of rock and clay. But that risk will remain until the pollution, which settled into a layer 40 feet to 70 feet deep, is captured, he said.
The EPA has many tools for tackling toxic substances that have migrated underground but only one has turned out to be effective for DCBP, Pope said, and that’s the approach of building a giant tomb to contain the chemical.
Pope said that previous projects tried to pump DCBP out of the ground and to inject it with neutralizing chemicals. “None of that really had any impact,” he said.
Don Clift, project manager for Geo-Solutions Inc., which specializes in heavy, underground construction, is responsible for the pair of enormous cranes brought to the Tower Chemical site.
Their technique, which has evolved over 40 years, Clift said, is somewhat comparable to a stick blender making a smoothie.
Each crane suspends a drilling shaft nearly 90 feet long, which hangs vertically to bore straight down into the ground.
At the bottom end of the drilling shaft is a cutting tool. It’s configured sort of like the business end of the stick blender, only of heavy-gauge steel 10 feet across.
In all, the crane and its boring tool weigh 400,000 pounds. The power plant that spins the tool can deliver a half-million pounds of torque, while a powerful diesel truck engine, by comparison, can generate a mere 2,000 pounds.
Using gravity to press downward with 20,000 pounds of force, the tool cuts into the ground at a rate of about a foot a minute.
Operators are patient, not forcing progress. “You want to make sure you are running straight for the right direction and depth,” Clift said.
As the hole deepens, a liquid slurry containing cement and finely powdered blast-furnace slag is pumped down through the shaft and cutting tool to blend with the soil.
The result of the mixing is brown, gravy-like slop. Some of it – relatively little – pushes upward to the surface and overflows from the hole, where it is captured and impounded by bulldozers and excavators.
Days later, the slop in the hole cures. “It will get hard pretty fast,” Pope said.
Technically, the solidified mix will be about a third as hard as the concrete of a sidewalk. Its real strength lies in its impermeability, which is approximately similar to highly compressed clay.
A sample of the hardened material, obtained from the slab for quality-assurance testing, resembles tan, finely grained rock.
Ultimately, nearly 700 holes varying from 40 feet to 70 feet deep will be dug in parallel in a tightly overlapping pattern – each of the completed borings is called a column – to construct the continuous slab. Contained within these columns, the toxic chemicals can no longer spread.
To finish the job, all the slop that spilled over on the surface will be removed and replaced with a layer of gravel and sand three feet thick. The site will then resume its role for the past several years as an RV and boat storage business.
The EPA will monitor the site, including with a major review every five years, to ensure the vast majority of contamination has been locked in the tomb and is not escaping or entering the Floridan Aquifer.
“We will never get to walk away,” Pope said of his agency.
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