United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region III
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

Chesapeake Products Site is an inactive fertilizer production/packaging facility located in a heavily industrialized area of Chesapeake, Virginia adjacent to the southern branch of the Elizabeth River.  The site is approximately 7.6 acres in size.  Prior to current site activities the property included several structures that were used for fertilizer manufacturing and storage of fertilizer raw materials. Numerous piles of micronutrient fertilizer and fertilizer raw materials were located inside site structures.  The roof of the main warehouse building (building 7) had partially collapsed and almost the entire floor was flooded with water.  The city of Chesapeake Fire Department deemed the buildings unsafe for occupancy in 2004.  The main warehouse building contained approximately 314,000 gallons of flood water.  EPA conducted site assessments at the site in 2005 and 2006.  Analytical results indicated that site soils, material piles, and flood water contain elevated levels of lead and other hazardous substances or pollutants and contaminants.  Chesapeake Products and Frit Industries, Inc. (Frit) entered into a
Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent with EPA in August 2007.  Frit agreed to remove material piles and flood water from the site and to demolish site buildings.  SCS Engineers is a contractor for Frit and is responsible for overall management of site activities for Frit.  Old Dominion Demolition (Old Dominion) is a subcontractor who performed the demolition of site structures.  All work required by the Settlement Agreement is now complete.  EPA plans to begin further assessment and removal of lead contaminated soils in April 2009.    

Contractors completed the shipment of off-spec material from warehouses off site for re-use at Frit’s facility in Walnut Creek, Arkansas.  Since November 11, 2008 approximately 16 truckloads (370 tons) of material have been shipped off site.  A total of approximately 2,420 tons of material have been shipped to date.  All remaining building debris was removed from the site.  

The OSC met with SCS Engineers on March 12, 2009 to verify that all site work outlined in the Settlement Agreement has been completed.

EPA plans to begin conducting further assessment and removal of lead contaminated soil in April 2009.