The City of Trenton and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (“NJDEP”) requested the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) to conduct a removal assessment of the New Methods Cleaners, Inc. Site. Initial EPA requests were received in June 2006 from NJDEP case managers. EPA received additional verbal and email requests from the City of Trenton in August 2012. On March 27, 2013 the Region received a formal request from NJDEP for a removal action consideration under CERCLA, included as Attachment A.
On April 1, 2013 the Removal Action Branch commenced operations of a removal assessment at the Site and surrounding properties. As part of these operations, hazardous characteristics (“HAZCAT”) techniques were conducted on the contents of various containers located inside the facility as well as outside. Numerous containers, a majority of which were 55-gallon drums, were found to be compromised. Drums were noted to be leaking, rusted, and/or bulging. Several containers had been removed of their tops and contents voided, suspected to the ground or the nearby surface water stream. Approximately 30 containers of unknown contents and without labels were found outside of the structures. Two (2) 275-gallon totes associated with a defunct groundwater treatment plant were found inside the building containing unknown liquids. In attempts to identify characteristics of material, nineteen (19) containers were opened and aliquots of the contents were used for HAZCAT purposes. In addition, two (2) containers were sampled via laboratory analysis for volatile organic compounds (“VOCs”).
During the RSE and following HAZCAT of material, efforts were made to temporarily stabilize the containers that were leaking. Drums that were lying on their sides were up-righted and placed in the same area with the other containers. Temporary lids were placed on open-top containers to prevent rain from intruding on the material. Holes located on the sides were patched with sorbert cloths and secured as best as practical. A temporary berm was placed around the bulk of the containers to prevent any potential migration of contents. Although not permanent measures, these activities were done until sufficient analytical data could be received from samples collected of several containers. This data was received in June 2013.
This area is heavily used by squatters, homeless, and vagrants seeking shelter or loitering for social reasons. It is an environmental justice community based on income levels, residents of minority ethnicity, and additional demographic features.
On June 18, 2013 the OSC received a verbal authorization to conduct an emergency action to further secure, package, and ship the contents/containers for proper disposal. ERRS was activated that eveing, and personnel commenced securing the containers.
