The Pickens Railway was established in 1898 as a shortline railroad from Easley to Pickens. From 1955 until 1987, Sangamo-Weston Inc. operated a capacitor manufacturing facility just outside Pickens. Until they were banned in the US, Sangamo discharged a significant amount of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into a tributary of the Twelve Mile River which feeds into Lake Hartwell. Sangamo also dumped contaminated waste in six locations in the vicinity of Pickens. In two of these locations, the waste was burned, forming more dangerous dioxins. According to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, contamination was discovered at the "Breazeale site", southwest of town. Schlumberger paid $11.8 million to federal and state agencies for injuries to natural resources caused by the contamination.
The Pickens Railway was established in 1898 as a shortline railroad from Easley to Pickens From 1955 until 1987 Sangamo-Weston Inc operated a capacitor manufacturing facility just outside Pickens Until they were banned in the US Sangamo discharged a significant amount of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into a tributary of the Twelve Mile River which feeds into Lake Hartwell Sangamo also dumped contaminated waste in six locations in the vicinity of Pickens In two of these locations the waste was burned forming more dangerous dioxins According to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal contamination was discovered at the "Breazeale site" southwest of town Schlumberger paid $118 million to federal and state agencies for injuries to natural resources caused by the contamination