United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region III
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

This site is at the Perryville, Maryland water filtration plant.  A contractor working onsite on March 5, 2009, removed a transformer containing PCB oils.  The levels of PCB in the oil was greater than 20%. The oil from the transformer was spread over a portion of the site. The contractor never notified anyone. An operator at the water plant called the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) two days after the removal of the transformer due to the strong odors onsite.  The MDE arrived onsite Saturday evening, March 7, 2009, and sampled the oil.  Lab results received Monday morning indicated the presence of PCBs at high levels in the oil.  MDE requested EPA assistance with the site.

An EPA OSC arrived onsite Monday afternoon, March 9, 2009, and met with MDE, Town of Perryville representatives, and the contractor.  At MDE and EPA insistence, the contractor agreed to hire an environmental cleanup contractor to mobilize to the site on the following day.

On Tuesday, March 10, 2009, the environmental contractor arrived onsite and began cleaning up the PCB contaminated soil.  Visibly stained soil was excavated and placed into lined rolloff boxes.  This work continued into Wednesday, March 11, 2009. Soil samples were collected from the bottom of the excavation area for lab analysis. Once this soil was removed, plastic sheeting was placed over the excavation area.  Plastic sheeting was also placed over the area where the transformer had originally been located to prevent erosion and/or migration of potentially contaminated soils.  Soil samples were also collected from this area.

The transformer carcass was found at a local scrap yard.  The carcass was placed in a lined rolloff box and will also be disposed of at an approved facility with the contaminated soil.  The soil and carcass are staged onsite awaiting arrangements for proper disposal.

EPA will continue to oversee the PRP cleanup actions.