United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region III
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

See previous POLREPs for Site description information.

Neither Stoney Creek Technologies nor any other Respondent are conducting response actions; therefore, EPA continues to use its own contractor resources to conduct response actions at the Site.  

The OSC has de-energized the majority of the facility.  Only security lighting, the gate, and select pumps to operate the waste water system remain energized.

EPA has disposed over 898 thousand gallons of bulk liquid chemicals from the Site.  EPA and contractors have completed disposal of oily liquids from the site.  Only oleum (6,500 gallons) and waste water oily liquids (40,000 gallons currently being disposed) remain.  In addition to the drummed inventory (currently 551 drums) and chemicals located within roll offs and within the on-Site drainage systems leading to the waste water treatment plant, the remaining chemical inventory within tanks (estimated at approximately 200,000 gallons) consists of lower viscosity materials and tank heels in about 80 tanks.  

The current temperature makes disposal of the oleum impractical.  The oleum will be disposed when temperatures warm.

Respondents to the EPA Orders still are neither removing the remaining chemical inventory at the Site, operating the waste water treatment plant, nor securing the Site pursuant to the assigned requirements of the EPA Orders.  EPA is conducting the removal action.  

The Action has resulted in the removal of all bulk chemical inventory from 116 tanks.  All bulk solvent and methanol mixtures have been disposed.  All bulk acid (except oleum) is disposed.  All bulk sulfonate, alkylates, and oil mixtures are disposed. All caustic liquids are disposed.  Bulk disposal activities are now concluding with the removal of oily liquids from the waste water treatment plant (40,000 gallons remaining).

The response operations have resulted in the removal of bulk liquids and other chemicals from over 116 tanks.  The OSC and START completed an evaluation of the remaining tanks at the Site to determine potential threats by these tanks.  EPA contractors removed select tank heels found to contain residual solvents, acids, or oily liquids from tanks at the facility which posed a threat of release (e.g., tank was compromised by holes or other evidence of leakage).  Removed materials were consolidated into the disposed waste streams or placed into drums.  

EPA contractors continue to break and drain lines and equipment and process vessels which contain solvent and acid. The removed materials were consolidated into the existing waste streams or placed into drums.

Chemicals from the laboratory complex on the Site were labpacked into 36 containers and shipped offsite for disposal.  No additional chemicals remain within the laboratory that require disposal.

Additional activities continue to include monitoring and operation of the waste water pre-treatment facility. Periodic discharges of oily material into the pre-treatment facility continue even though no chemical manufacturing operations are occurring.  Rainfall events appear to dislodge oily material from within the drainage system, which is routed throughout the facility.  The oily material is separated, skimmed, and stored in onsite totes.  The accumulated water is discharged to the nearby Stoney Creek from Tank 200.  

EPA is now paying for electricity required to keep the plant safe and operate the waste water treatment plant.

The OSC continues to maintain a routine presence at the facility and is directing response activities relating to the on-Site waste water pre-treatment plant.

Dispose of oleum and drummed wastes.  Drummed wastes are being prepared for disposal.  Oleum disposal will need to wait until warmer weather.

Evaluate next steps for wastes within roll off boxes and within the trenches and drains leading to the waste water treatment plant.  Additionally, evaluate the need for response actions to address the remaining wastes within tanks (e.g., low viscosity materials and tank heels).

Continue to clear pipelines of solvent and acid material, consolidate and prepare materials for disposal.

Continue to monitor, treat, and discharge excess waters from the Site into Stoney Creek.

Prevent oily material from migrating from the Site into Stoney Creek via discharges onto the adjacent public roadway.

The OSC will continue security and waste water treatment operations throughout the winter.  Only limited additional operations will occur.

The OSC is currently evaluating the threats that may remain after bulk chemicals are removed and flammable liquids and acids are drained from pipelines.  The current funding level of the EPA Action does not include addressing residual materials throughout the plant (e.g., those wastes within the trenches leading to the waste water plant or seeping from on-Site soils into the waste water plant or which are low viscosity materials and existing as tank heels).