United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region I
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

The American Tissue Mills of Maine (ATM) Site is the former location of a tissue paper mill, which, prior to 2001 was operated by American Tissue Mills of Maine. In 2001, the company declared chapter 11 bankruptcy, and ceased operation of the mill.  The mill was acquired by Augusta Tissue LLC in March 2003.  Augusta Tissue LLC has not resumed operation of the mill.  The facility has been unsecured and unheated since operations ceased in 2001.   Most of the facility has been without electrical power since that time.  Two former employees of American Tissue had been retained in a part-time capacity by Augusta Tissue.  One of the responsibilities of these employees was to maintain a series of propane fueled heaters to keep the chemicals in the drums, totes, tanks and piping from freezing during winter.  At one point during the winter of 2005/2006, the propane supply at the site ran out.  ATM did not provide their employees with any funds to procure additional fuel, and the facility has been unheated since that time.  Reportedly, the employees have not been paid for their services for several months.   Electrical service was maintained in the office portion of the complex, until a fire destroyed the office on May 15, 2006.

Please refer to earlier POLREPS for a description of Site activities prior to October 12, 2008.

On October 12, 2008, EPA and its contractors remobilized to the site, and from that date through December 3, 2008 performed the following site activities.

• Several small capacitors containing PCB contaminated oil were packaged and shipped off site for disposal.  In addition, PCB contaminated oil was drained from one large transformer and shipped off site for disposal.

• A thorough evaluation of piping, which had been used to transfer chemicals while the facility was operating, was conducted.    Piping which contained hazardous chemicals, and posed a threat of release was identified.  The chemicals were removed (including removal of the piping, where necessary), packaged and shipped off-site for disposal.

• During removal operations, a tank containing alum slurry, and a vault containing lime slurry were identified.  The contents of these containers were removed and shipped off-site for disposal.

On December 3, 2008 the last waste streams were shipped off site for disposal, completing the removal action.

The removal action at this site was initially determined to be complete as of August 30, 2007 (see POLREP 3 and Final).

Subsequent actions documented in this POLREP, were conducted in accordance with the Action Memorandum authorizing an exemption from the 12 month statutory limit, approved on September 8, 2008.

Please refer to earlier POLREPS for a disposition of waste information prior to October 12, 2008.