This discarded ballast became the inexpensive raw material for precipitated calcium carbonate at the newly formed company.

[8][9] A Stauffer Chemical factory in Tarpon Springs, Florida in Pinellas County (28°10′00″N 82°46′32″W / 28.16666°N 082.77569°W / 28.16666; -082.77569), produced elemental phosphorus from phosphate ore operated from 1947 until 1981.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency reported that "Site operations resulted in the contamination of soils, ground water, and waste ponds on the property.

The main contaminants of concern (COCs) in soil include arsenic, antimony, beryllium, elemental phosphorus, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), radium-226, and thallium.

Phosphorus trichloride is well known for its dual use capacity as a precursor for the manufacture of organophosphates including both pesticides and nerve agents such as Sarin and Tabun.