The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has completed its cleanup activities at the 202 Walden Avenue site, City of Buffalo, Erie County, New York.
Current Activities
EPA conducted a cleanup at the site from October 2007 through February 2008. This cleanup was performed at the request of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
During the cleanup, EPA accomplished the following:
Removed over 1,400 abandoned tires
Removed over 1,000 feet of asbestos piping with the buildings
Cleaned up and removed 250 containers of hazardous substances
Cleaned up several areas within the buildings previously damaged by fires, and,
Fenced and secured the site building and perimeter property
EPA’s air monitoring during the cleanup confirmed no releases of hazardous substances to the community.
During the cleanup action, EPA discovered three Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) within the site buildings. EPA requested that the DEC Oil Spill Cleanup Program evaluate the tanks and take action as necessary to remediate the tanks. The DEC action on the USTs should be accomplished in the summer of 2008. Final cost of the cleanup is $500,000.
Walden Avenue Removal Site March 2008
Historical Background
The site is located at the corner of Walden Avenue and Wasmuth Avenue. The site building is a two-story brick building approximately 30,000 square feet in size and has been impacted by several fires that lead to the EPA removal action. The building was the location of a former tire recapping facility operating under the name of Bandag, Inc. The company sold the property in the early 1990s to Aurora Discount Tires. The new owner closed the facility approximately 10 years later. The site is currently abandoned and is going through foreclosure.
