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 physically 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.

ERRS shipped 30 cubic yards of of crushed drums, 30 cubic yards of used PPE, and 60 cubic yards of contaminated wood pallets.  The 1-cubic yard box of contaminated soil from the side area was bulked with the crushed pallets for disposal.  

A representative with the Passaic County Health Department visited the Site for a tour.

At the request of the owner's representative, ERRS left two empty 350 gallon stainless steel chemical totes inside the premises.  They have been marked "EMPTY" to avoid any subsequent concern.

All equipment has been demobed, the floors inside the Site have been mechanically washed and decontaminated, all debris and trash has been removed.   All exterior doors have been secured and 3 extra keys to the front door were given to the owner's representative.  Lights were left on in the office and warehouse areas for security purposes.

NOTE:  Elevator inspectors had visited the Site and informed the OSC that there are exposed, LIVE electrical wires in the mechanical room above the small office adjacent to the freight elevator.   The door to this room has been marked accordingly and the elevator has been strung with "caution" tape.

Local authorities have been informed that the building is no longer occupied, and a close-out letter has been sent to the Mayor of Clifton.

There are no chemical containers remaining at the Site.  All on-Site removal activities, as specified in the scope-of-work in the original Action Memo, have been completed.

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