United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region IV
POLLUTION REPORT


Date:
Friday, August 28, 2009
From:
Subash Patel, On-Scene Coordinator


Subject: 

Cleaning ASTs
Biological Processors of Alabama
611 Finley Island Road, Decatur, AL
Latitude: 34.6217000
Longitude: -87.0519000


POLREP No.:
7
Site #:
A4XX
Reporting Period:
8/13 to 8/28
D.O. #:
Start Date:
 
Response Authority:
CERCLA
Mob Date:
6/8/2009
Response Type:
Time-Critical
Demob Date:
 
NPL Status:
Non NPL
Completion Date:
 
Incident Category:
Removal Action
CERCLIS ID #:
Contract #
RCRIS ID #:
 

Site Description

Biological Processors of Alabama (BPA) located in the industrial area of Decatur, Alabama and was referred to the Emergency Response and Removal Branch by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM).  BPA is a centralized waste treatment facility that collected, treated wastes from facilities throughout northern Alabama.  The facility utilized oil/water separators, precipitation of wastes and neutralization in preparation for discharging to the Decatur Waste Water Treatment Plant.  

The facility started operations in the Fall of 2004 and ceased operations in the Fall of 2008.  

The site consists of 35 frac tanks, 16 above-ground storage tanks (ASTs), 1 tanker truck, an open pit, secondary containments, process equipments, numerous drums and totes, and many laboratory reagents.  There are more than 1 million gallons of wastewaters containing hazardous substances abandoned at the site.

The site will consist of 2 phases.  Phase 1 will be addressed first due to higher threats (ASTs, secondary containment, piping, containers, and soils).  Phase 2, which includes frac tanks and process equipment inside building, will be addressed after Phase 1 is complete.

Current Activities

1) Plastic pipes from the ASTs are being removed for disposal.

2) Sludges are being removed from open-top ASTs.  Sludges are collected in sludge box which will be sent for disposal.  

3) Wastewaters from all open-top ASTs have been removed.

4) The following have been sent for disposal:
    - 580,000 gallons of nonhazardous wastewaters.
    - 220 tons of solidified sludge from the wastewater pit.
    - 176 tons of sludge from open-top ASTs.

5) Open-top ASTs are being deconned with a pressure washer.  Four out of seven open-top ASTs have been cleaned.  

6) Several ASTs in process area began to leak.  Liquids are being transfered to totes and remain onsite.  

7) The Truck Wash tank leaked.  Sand was used to contain and dry the release.  The release was kept to the asphalt onsite.


Planned Removal Actions

1) Dispose of totes, drums, and containers.

2) Dispose of hazardous wastewasters in tanker truck and ASTs.

3) Excavate contaminated soils around secondary containment area if needed.


Next Steps

Determine common disposal wastestreams for drums and totes.


Key Issues

None.


response.epa.gov/BPADecatur