U.S. EPA Region 5 Superfund Emergency Response Branch is conducting a Time-Critical Removal Action at the New Lyme Metals located at 618 US 6 in New Lyme, Ashtabula County, Ohio. The site was referred to U.S. EPA for assessment by Ohio EPA late in September 2009.
The site is an abandoned residential property that was formerly operated as an electronics scrapyard and metals recycler. During a site visit on December 9, 2009, U.S. EPA OSCs observed approximately 20 drums with unknown contents, numerous drums with solid waste, compressed gas cylinders, PCB-containing capacitors and evidence of on-site burning.
Based in these observations U.S. EPA returned in February of 2010 to conduct a site assessment. Samples collected during this assessment identified the presence of heavy metals (antimony, arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury) and PCBs above Ohio residential direct contact criteria. Additionally, asbestos containing materials were also identified on the Site. As a results of these results U.S. EPA installed a fence at the property to limit access to the Site until a cleanup could be conducted.
An Action Memorandum was signed on May 20, 2009 funding further characterization of the Site to facilitate a cleanup. Due to lack of permission of access the property, U.S. EPA sought and received an Administartive Warrant for Access from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio Eastern Division. U.S. EPA conducted this additonal work in July of 2010. Results of this characterization confirmed the presence of heavy metals, PCBs and asbestos. It also identified the contamination was spread over approximately 50% of the property as well as to the property immediately to the west of the Site and into the creek bordering the southern edge of the Site.
On September 21, 2010 an Action Memorandum Amendment was signed approving and funding a Time-Critical Removal Action at the New Lyme Metals Site. Again due to lack of access, U.S. EPA sought and received an Administrative Warrant for Access from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio Eastern Division which was signed on May 6, 2011.
The removal action began on June 6, 2011 and is estimated to take three months.
