The Free Radiator Site is located at 12316 Greenville Highway, Lyman, Spartanburg County, South Carolina. The Site is approximately ½ acre in size and has operated as a radiator refurbishing shop since 1947. The same family has operated the business since inception. The current operator is Howard Free; however, the land is owned by his brother, James Free. The operator of the shop stated that waste radiator fluid was flushed and drained into a 15ft2 sump located behind the shop. SCDHEC became aware of the Site through a citizen’s complaint and collected soil samples at the Site on May 9, 2002. The total lead detected in these samples was reported as high as 160,000 ppm. SCDHEC subsequently referred the Site to the Emergency Response and Removal Branch (ERRB) for more action.
On July 1, 2003, EPA and EPA’s Science and Ecosystems Support Division (SESD) personnel conducted a site assessment and field investigation of the Site. Based on the screening levels, soil samples were taken at the soil surface as well as eighteen inches below the surface depending on initial readings. Readings indicated that lead contamination in the soil behind and on both sides of the shop is present at levels well above the Region 9 Preliminary Remediation Goal (PRG) (750 to 1250 mg/kg lead in soil). Lead contamination in excess of the Region 9 PRG also appears to have migrated into the soil of the property adjacent to the radiator shop. After the assessment, samples were submitted to be analyzed for lead and Toxic Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) lead only via a Contract Laboratory Program (CLP) laboratory. Sample results revealed the presence of lead ranging from 750 to 65,000 ppm, levels exceeding the removal action for lead in industrial areas.
