United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region II
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

At 1615 hours on 10/29/08 EPA received a notification from the NRC that a chemical release was occurring at Abrachem Chemical, a bulk chemical packaging facility that leased a building in Clifton, Passaic County, NJ.  The NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection was on-scene and requested EPA's presence.

At 1730 hours OSC Ellen Banner and OSC Paul Kahn responded to the scene.  The company was found to be storing drums and bulk containers of known and unknown chemicals in 17 56-foot long intermodal shipping carriers (ISCs), stacked 3 tiers high (approx. 35 feet).  Only 5 of the ISCs could be opened, and inside those it was observed that drums and bulk containers were staged behind tiers of empty poly drums, giving  the impression that the ISCs were used for new drum storage.  EPA observed that in the one ISC where the release originated at least one drum was leaking its contents onto a wooden pallet; strong chemical odors emanated from the open door of the ISC and were also pervasive in the general area.  

The Operator of Abrachem retained the services of a remediation company, and contractor personnel were advised to lay poly sheeting and begin removing and overpacking the leaking and unknown drums that were readily accessible.  Work commenced almost immediately, but at 2100 hours was halted due to lack of adequate lighting and inability to phyusically access the majority of the drums through the narrow doorway.  

The Operator of Abrachem and the Owner of the property was issued a Field Expedient Notice, and in response the Operator stated he would initiate a removal action.  When his efforts to respond to the release, and threats of a release, proved to be inadequate EPA sought voluntary access to initiate a response action.  This access was denied on two occasions.  On 12/4/2008 EPA issued a Unilateral Administrative Order (UAO) for access.  The Operator refused to comply with the UAO and EPA referred the matter to the Department of Justice for a legal remedy.  On 1/8/2009 a federal Magistrate issued an access warrant to EPA to initiate a response action at the Site.

Removal activities continue.  Haz-cating is complete and ERRS has tested and identified 1,602 containers.  

On 5/5 GE/Sabic Plastics shipped 39 drums of waste chemicals for T & D at no cost to the government.  

On 5/5 a rep from Monsanto visited the Site to document 133 drums of chemical wastes.  Disposal profiles will be compiled and arrangements for T & D are pending.

On 5/7 two drums of dry nitrocellulose were rehydrated and prepared for T & D.  See POLREP #34 for details.

On 5/8 Aceto Corp. shipped 15 drums and 36 bags of waste chemicals for T & D at no cost to the government.

ERRS completed overpacking Decor Inc. paint and paint-related chemicals into 42 cubic yard boxes. Disposal profiles for this waste were completed by the consultant for Decor, and T & D is scheduled for 5/12.

Other companies whose chemicals were discovered at the Site continue to make arrangements for disposal or retrieval of their chemicals.

On 5/8 ERRS acquired water and sediment samples from two sumps at the Site.  ERRS also collected soil samples from an area contaminated by an unknown liquid that spilled from one of the ISC that was on an upper tier last winter.  All samples will be sent out for lab analysis.

Continue working with chemical suppliers to retrieve or dispose of their chemicals.

Finalize arrangements for T & D of:  2 drums of wetted nitrocellulose, 52 BASF drums, 133 Monsanto drums, 18 Brown Chemical drums, and Decor Inc.'s 42 cubic yards + 2 drums.

Additional drums will be scheduled as soon as possible.