United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region VI
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

The Henley Sealants Site is located at 200 North Wisconsin Avenue in Oklahoma City Oklahoma County, Oklahoma.  The Site was formerly the W. R. Grace Zonolite vermiculite expansion facility.  Records indicate vermiculite exfoliation was occurring at the site as early as 1957.  The property was purchased by Texas Vermiculite Company on January 3, 1977. There is no available documentation as to the site operations conducted by Texas Vermiculite; however, it is likely that Texas Vermiculite conducted vermiculite exfoliation at the site as records indicate that the facility accepted approximately 113, 905 tons of raw vermiculite between 1967 and 1988, from the WR Grace mine located in Libby, Montana. The date that Zonolite/WR Grace began vermiculite exfoliation at the site is not known; however, WR Grace ceased operations at the facility in 1991 or 1992.  WR Grace Company sold the facility to Henley’s Sealants Incorporated in 1994.

EPA’s removal evaluations were conducted at the Site in response to an Agency-wide initiative to investigate current and former vermiculite facilities that received vermiculite ore from the W.R. Grace vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana.

The facility sits on approximately 2.4 acres of land, although vermiculite has been identified beyond the facility boundaries.

This removal action addresses the need to mitigate the potential threats posed by asbestos contaminated soils located on-site from the processing of vermiculite ore and the disposal of associated waste products at this Site by W.R. Grace/Zonolite Co.

The EPA ERRS and START-3 mobilized to the site on October 18, 2010 to begin removal actions in Area C-South.  Removal actions included the excavation of asbestos-contaminated soil to a depth of 2 feet below ground surface (bgs); the loading of the asbestos contaminated soil into disposal trucks for transport to the Waste Control Landfill located in Oklahoma City, the addition of backfill soil into the excavated areas, and dust suppression (i.e. water) during the excavation and loading of the contaminated soil.  START-3 collected perimeter air samples, which were shipped to the laboratory for fiber analysis utilizing Phase Contract Microscopy (PCM) and possible Libby amphibole identification and quantification using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).  In addition, START-3 conducted perimeter air monitoring with the use of Fibrous Aerosol Monitors (FAM-1 units), personal DataRAMs (p-DRs).

Excavation of the contaminated soil in Area C-South commenced on October 23, 2010.  The excavation and loading of contaminated soil from Area C-South was completed on December 1, 2010.  Approximately 5,244.4 tons of contaminated soil was excavated and loaded for transport to the the disposal facility.  After excavation was completed, START-3 collected soil confirmation samples from Area C-South, which were packaged and shipped to the laboratory for asbestos indentification and quantitation utilizing Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM).  Beginning on December 13, 2010, backfill soil was placed into Area C-South, spread, and graded to contour.

Excavation of the contaminated soil in Area C- North commenced on December 2, 2010.  The excavation and loading of contaminated soil from Area C- North was completed on December 17, 2010.  Approximately 1,025.9 tons of contaminated soil was excavated and loaded from Area C- North for transport to the the disposal facility.  After excavation was completed, START-3 collected soil confirmation samples from Area C- North, which were packaged and shipped to the laboratory for asbestos indentification and quantitation utilizing Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM).  Beginning on December 14, 2010, backfill soil was placed into Area C- North.

EPA/ERRS/START-3 demobilized from the site for the Christmas and New Year's holiday break on December 18, 2010.

EPA/ERRS/START-3 will re-mobilize to the site on January 3, 2011 and commence removal activities.  Excavation of asbestos-contaminated soil will occur from NE 3rd Street, the Redhen Oil Well property located in Area C- North, Area C- Grids AC-027 through AC-029 (slope of MLK Ave.), Area G- NE 4th Street Median.

Once access is granted to EPA for Area A- Henley Property, removal activities will commence at this location.

The EPA hosted an Availability Meeting on October 28, 2010 at Douglass High School to inform the local community of the removal activities taking place at the site.