On October 5, 2012, On-Scene Coordinator Jeffrey Fowlow and two START members mobilized to a private residence adjacent to the Yakama Nation in Wapato, Washington, to investigate whether asbestoscontaining
materials (ACM) were present in fill material placed at the property. The property owner had been receiving demolition debris to fill a former pond on the property, and some of the fill material had been obtained from a demolition project at nearby Wapato High School. Because the school's demolition project included an asbestos abatement, the Yakama Nation was concerned that ACM may be present in the fill material and asbestos present in the fill could pose potential human health risks.
While on site, EPA attempted to identify materials that could have been ACM. Although EPA didn't observe any material believed to be ACM, the Yakama Nation identified possible materials that could be ACM. START collected one bulk sample from this material and also received custody of two other bulk sample materials collected previously from the site by the Yakama Nation. In addition, EPA collected air samples from near the debris pile and collected four samples of dust from pieces of concrete which were known to have come from the school. No asbestos was detected in the air samples or the bulk samples. However, at least one asbestos fiber was detected in each of the four dust samples collected from the concrete blocks originating from the school.
Although no ACM (i.e., a building or other material containing greater than 1% asbestos) was observed in the fill area during EPA's site visit on October 5, note that there were areas of the pile that were inaccessible, and therefore ACM may be present below the surface of the pile. EPA has extended an offer for a formal consultation to the Yakama Nation Tribal Concil.
On August 5, 2013, an Action Memorandum for a time-critcal removal action was approved. The Action Memorandum summrizes site conditions and requests funding to conduct a removal action. Field work began on Monday, August 12 and is expected to last one week. The removal action will include excavation and removal of the large concrete blocks that originated from the demolition of the old Wapato High School, test trenching in the landfill area to investigate subsurface contents, and collection of air samples.
On August 9, 2013, EPA entered into an Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) with the Groat Brothers, Inc. and T.W.Clark Construction, LLC (collectively known as the "PRPs"). The AOC specified that the PRPs would remove all debris that originated from the demolition of Wapato High School and dispose of the debris in an approved landfill. Workplans written by the PRPs were approved and access to the property was granted on November 11, 2013. The PRPs mobilized to the site to begin site road repairs on November 12 and removal of concrete debris began on November 14.
