Showing posts with label VOCs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label VOCs. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
News Release from EPA
Metro Container Corp. site added to Superfund list
PHILADELPHIA (March 13, 2012) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced the addition of the Metro Container Corporation site in Trainer, Delaware County, Pa. to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL).
The NPL is a national list of sites where hazardous substances could impact human health and/or the environment. These sites first undergo a thorough investigation to determine the full nature and extent of contamination. EPA or the parties responsible for the contamination then address whatever risks the sites pose to human health and the environment.
Located about 20 miles south of Philadelphia near the Delaware River, the site has a long industrial history, which includes its use as a chemical manufacturing plant by the Stauffer Chemical Company from 1920 to 1959. The property was also used as a steel drum reconditioning facility by several companies including the Metro Container Corporation, which filed for bankruptcy in 1987. The site is currently owned by Trainer Industries, an industrial painting company that uses the property mainly for storage.
The main source of contamination on the property is a half-acre backfilled industrial waste lagoon that was used for disposal of drum contents and wastewater. The unlined lagoon was eventually filled in with soil and artificial fill materials and is no longer accessible. Additionally, site soils are contaminated. The contaminants of concern at the site are polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), inorganics, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Potential impacts to the surrounding community and environment include contamination to the Delaware River and along the tidal flats of the Delaware River.
The Metro Container site is one of nine sites nationwide that EPA is adding to the NPL today. EPA is also proposing 10 other sites to the list today.
For Federal Register notices and supporting documents for this and other sites, please visit http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/current.htm .
For information about how a site is listed on the NPL, visit: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/npl_hrs.htm .
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
News Release from EPA Region 10
Seeing no levels of concern, EPA curtails emergency air monitoring at BP refinery fire site near Bellingham, Washington
Contact Info: Mark MacIntyre, EPA Public Affaris, macintyre.mark@epa.gov, 206-369-7999 (cell)
(Seattle, Washington) - As cleanup begins in earnest at the BP refinery fire site, 20 miles northwest of Bellingham, Washington, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's air monitoring team is standing down after seeing no measurable threats to public health from airborne pollutants related to the fire.
As EPA responders arrived at the scene last night, a team of four EPA contractors, accompanied by a BP Industrial Hygienist, conducted air monitoring at several locations around the perimeter of the facility, including locations downwind.
The sweep was completed by midnight and the results were compared to similar locations that BP responders had monitored earlier in the day. EPA measured for elevated Volatile Organic Compounds, particulate matter, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon monoxide. According to Andy Smith, EPA Federal On-Scene Coordinator, "No readingswere found to be above background or demonstrate any level of concern."
Once the site was stabilized and secured, EPA and Department of Ecology responders completed their assessment and demobilized.
As EPA responders arrived at the scene last night, a team of four EPA contractors, accompanied by a BP Industrial Hygienist, conducted air monitoring at several locations around the perimeter of the facility, including locations downwind.
The sweep was completed by midnight and the results were compared to similar locations that BP responders had monitored earlier in the day. EPA measured for elevated Volatile Organic Compounds, particulate matter, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon monoxide. According to Andy Smith, EPA Federal On-Scene Coordinator, "No readingswere found to be above background or demonstrate any level of concern."
Once the site was stabilized and secured, EPA and Department of Ecology responders completed their assessment and demobilized.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
EPA Seeks Comments
News release from EPA Region 2:
EPA Seeks Public Input on Plan for Cleanup at
American Cyanamid Superfund Site in Bridgewater Township, N.J.
Contact: Elias Rodriguez, 212-637-3664, rodriguez.elias@epa.gov
(New York, N.Y. - Feb. 16, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a cleanup plan for contaminated soil, ground water and six waste disposal areas at the American Cyanamid Superfund Site in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey, located on the Raritan River. The soil, ground water and waste disposal areas, called impoundments, are contaminated with volatile organic compounds and other hazardous materials. The ground water underlying the site is highly contaminated with benzene. Area residents are serviced by a public water supply that provides a safe source of drinking water.
The EPA is encouraging the public to comment on the plan through March 31, 2012 and will hold a public meeting on March 8, 2012 at 7:00 PM at the Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School, 14 Vogt Drive, Bridgewater, New Jersey.
"The cleanup plan for the American Cyanamid site is an important milestone in the EPA efforts to protect the health of people who live or work near the facility and water quality in the Raritan River," said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “EPA encourages the public to comment on the proposed plan and to learn more about it at the March 8 public meeting.”
Many volatile organic compounds are known to cause cancer in animals and benzene can cause cancer in people. Some volatile organic compounds have no known health effects. The extent and nature of potential health effects depend on many factors, including the level and length of exposure.
The American Cyanamid Superfund site has a history of industrial pollution dating back to 1915. For nearly 100 years, prior owners used the location for manufacturing chemicals. The site was placed on the federal Superfund list in 1983 after hazardous chemicals were found in the soil and ground water. The 435-acre Superfund site contained various areas used for the disposal of chemical sludge and other waste. In 1998, the EPA deleted 140 acres of the site from the Superfund list after they were evaluated and determined to be acceptable for redevelopment. The TD Bank Ballpark Stadium was subsequently built on a portion of the area. In 2009, Pfizer Inc. assumed responsibility for the American Cyanamid site as part of its purchase of the Wyeth Holding Corporation, a prior owner.
Because of the nature and complexity of the contamination at the site, the EPA divided the investigation and cleanup into phases. The plan announced today is the first phase of the cleanup. The proposed plan announced today details approaches to address contaminated soil, ground water and six waste disposal areas (Impoundments 3, 4, 5, 13, 17 and 24). Two additional impoundments (Impoundments 1 and 2) are the focus of a separate study to consider the feasibility of options to address them.
The highly toxic material in Impoundments 3, 4, and 5 will be treated at their current locations by introducing a mixing agent into the waste to make it more solid. This treatment method is a proven technology that immobilizes contaminants to prevent their migration. After this step, the waste disposal areas will be covered with a barrier system that traps vapors and prevents contaminated air from escaping into the atmosphere.
The soil at the site will be addressed using three different methods depending on the extent of the pollution in the soil. Soil that consists of tarry material or is highly toxic, similar to the waste within Impoundment 3, 4, and 5, will be excavated and combined with the material in the three impoundments. It will be treated with the existing waste in Impoundments 3, 4 and 5. Soil that contains volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds will be covered with a vapor control barrier and mitigation system to prevent the release of vapors into the air. Soil that has a lower level of pollution will be covered by a 24-inch thick engineered cap that will serve as a barrier that prevents direct contact. Additionally, the EPA will conduct an ecological study of the waste in Impoundments 13, 17 and 24, which are located in the flood plain of the site, to determine the appropriate treatment for these materials.
A currently operating ground water collection system, which has already treated millions of gallons of contaminated ground water at the site, will be improved by relocating the primary extraction wells to a more central location. Several new extraction wells will be added to enhance the efficiency of the ground water collection system. In addition, a recovery system for collecting and treating shallow contaminated ground water from portions of the site will be constructed at several locations. This system will prevent contaminated ground water from seeping into the Raritan River, Cuckhold’s Brook and Middle Brook. The details of these improvements will be developed during the remedial design phase of the cleanup project.
The proposed plan also calls for the placement of controls such as legal restrictions on land use to minimize the potential of future exposure and to ensure that the cleanup measures are not disturbed. Throughout the cleanup, monitoring will be conducted to ensure the effectiveness of the remedy. The EPA will conduct periodic reviews to ensure that the cleanup remains protective of public health and the environment.
The EPA is accepting public comments on the proposed plan until March 31, 2012. Written comments may be mailed or emailed to:
Joseph Battipaglia, Remedial Project Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
290 Broadway, 19th Floor
New York, New York 10007-1866
Email: Battipaglia.joseph@epa.gov
The EPA has a website to inform the community about the site at: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/american_cyanamid.
Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.
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