United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region III
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

See previous POLREPS for Site description information.  

A summary of the removal site evaluation (characterization) conducted is contained in the document "Summary of Removal Site Evaluation Analytical Data", dated February 2, 2010, posted to the web at www.epaosc.org/tcca.  In general, the Site contains inorganic and organic contamination of soil (primarily sandblasting grit) and shallow underground water (contaminated by former lagoon contents and tank releases).  Additionally, the Site's ground water and surface water exiting the TCCA property contains detectable concentrations of Site-related contamination.  Finally, samples collected from residential properties adjacent to the Site and from dirt alongside the roadways leading from the Site contain detectable concentrations of inorganic and/or organic contaminants attributable to the Site.  

The TCCA Site contains a large amount of sandblasting grit contaminated by inorganic contamination (e.g., lead) and organic contamination (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)).  The Site formerly contained lagoons; the residuals in these lagoons contain high concentrations of organic contaminants such as benzene, naphthalene, and PAHs and these contaminants have entered into the subsurface soils and shallow underground water.  

The Site property continues to be used by numerous businesses for storage of equipment and materials.  

Based upon the analytical results of the samples collected during the removal site evaluation and an evaluation of the potential threats posed by the hazardous substance contamination at the Site, EPA Region III approved additional funding to conduct additional response actions at the Site. The total funding now available for response actions is $2,650,469.  The response action will generally include actions intended to consolidate onto the TCCA property those hazardous substances posing a threat which have migrated from the property and to minimize further release of hazardous substances from the Site through a combination of disposal and covering actions.

After obtaining formal access to the railroad property adjacent to the TCCA property, EPA re-initiated the response action at the Site.  Initial actions focused on characterizing the contaminants upon the railroad right of way, evaluating drainage from the TCCA property, evaluating details of the pending response action (such as erosion controls), and coordinating with the Site owner, users of the property, and State and Local government entities.  The OSC informed adjacent residents of the general nature of the pending response action and then re-initiated response activities on October 19, 2010.

ERRS continued to clear and grub the site. Additional trees were taken down along the eastern border of the Site.  These trees created a buffer between the residents and the Site.  Crews followed the "leave what you can, take what you must" policy on removing the trees to facilitate the cleanup of the sands.  

A Utility shed/canopy was dismantled, and its remains were staged onsite for future recycling and/or disposal. (10/28/10).

Central Jersey Rigging Company was onsite (10/28/10) to remove abandoned railcar adjacent to SEPTA railroad right of way. Car was cut in half and placed on flat bed trucks, and taken to a recycling center.  

A 500 Gallon propane tank and a few smaller tanks were removed from the site by the tanks owner, Farm and Home Heating Company. (10/28/10)

A meeting was scheduled with SEPTA officials to discuss sand blasting grit removal along the railroad right of way, and also to discuss removing a portion of a building which is adjacent to the railroad tracks. The meeting did not happen.  EPA will inform SEPTA of its plan to address the sand and siding and work to get an access agreement signed for work within the right of way.    

Stone was place along the entrance way to the property to minimize tracking of mud into the roadway.  Additional stone will be added as needed.  A truck tire decon station will be constructed.

Concrete barriers arrived on-site, these will be used to delineate the sandblasting grit stockpile boundary in addition to using silt fence.  This will minimize the migration of the sands on the Site and prevent movement offsite.

The stockpiling of sand began and will continue for the next few weeks.  

ERRS has segregated on site materials as appropriate (debris, sand, soil, metal, etc).  Debris will be shipped offsite in the near future.

Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) provided ERRS with some guidelines and requirements to obtain a discharge permit.  ERRS will compile and provide the PWD with the requested information by the first week of November.

EPA will continue to work with SEPTA to gain access to the right of way.

ERRS will gather the requirements set forth by PWA to discharge into the sanitary sewer system.

START will provide a revised erosion and sediment control map and design.