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 to EPA's Orders or Potentially Responsible Party is conducting response actions due to bankruptcy, financial inability, or other reasons; therefore, EPA continues to use its own contractor resources to conduct response actions at the Site.  

- On March 28 EPA discovered that check valve on a pipe off of T-460 had had failed causing water to leak during the previous weekend.  Approximately 15000 gallons of acidic waste water leaked from T-460 through the failed valve, down the storm drain, and into the waste water treatment plant.  An unknown quantity was released through the WWTP into Stoney Creek.  ERRS were able to stop the leak upon discovery.   Acidic waste water was removed from the waste water treatment plant and transferred back into T-460.

-  On March 29 spent sulfuric acid spilled from T-134 into its spill containment.  Due to contractors failure to plug drain prior to opening the tank an unknown quantity of material made it into the waste water treatment plant.  Stoney Creek was not impacted from this incident. Material in the containment was drummed.  WWTP was emptied and cleaned. Tanks 460 and 190 are being used for storage of acidic water. Impacted storm drains were flushed with caustic solution.  

-As of April 1, decon of WWTP and storm drain was complete.   Since then, pH of water in the WWTP has been closely monitored.  Water has ranged  from pH of 6-8.  EPA collected a sample from T-200 (WWTP holding tank) on April 5 and plans to collect additional samples and continue monitoring pH of water to ensure that water quality meets prior NPDES permit levels and any applicable water quality criteria.  On April 11, based on preliminary analytical results and neutral pH the OSC gave approval to contractors to discharge a portion of the water being held in T-200.        

-ERRS contractors continue removal of chemical materials from the bottoms of storage tanks.  Cleaning of tanks requires permitted confined space entries.  ERRS is currently making an effort to deal with all acidic wastes before hot weather arrives.  T-458, T-105, T-426, T-427, T-432, T-433, T-434, T-200, T-438, T-701 and T-132 have been cleaned since the last Pollution Report.  Waste generated from tank cleaning is being stored on site in drums.  T-105, an Oleum tank, was cleaned by flushing it with waste water from T-460.  Heels from T-134 and T-120 are currently being removed.   There are approximately 50-60 tanks on site which still need to be addressed.

- To date, approximately 830,483 gallons of material have been disposed of off- site.  Approximately 990 drums (approximately 54,000 gallons) are currently being staged on site.  Disposal of drums will be completed after receipt of additional funding.  The consolidation tanks currently hold approximately 20,580 gallons of material. EPA plans to dispose of material in consolidation tanks in warmer weather so that material will flow more readily.  Options for disposing of waste water stored in tanks 460 and 190 are currently being explored.  

- ERRS continues to operate and monitor the waste water treatment plant under new procedures approved by the OSC.

- START contractors are performing air monitoring for hazardous atmospheres prior to and during tank entry to ensure worker protection.  START is maintaining an inventory of tank contents and tracking progress of removal. START is also preparing to sample pipe and tank insulation which has been contaminated with oily material for asbestos to ensure worker protection while it is being cleaned.

- Complete removal of chemicals from tanks, piping, and process equipment.  
- Decontaminate site drainage system and solid surfaces.
- Remove contaminated surface soil by rail loading areas.

- Continue tank cleaning operations.
- Continue to monitor, treat, and discharge waste water from the site into Stoney Creek.
- Arrange for disposal of waste staged on site.

-  ERRS was directed to develop written procedures for conducting tank clean out operations and operating the WWTP to prevent future releases to the WWTP and Stoney Creek.

Disposal activities include disposal from individual tanks, tank consolidations, and a variety of drums.  Single manifests may include wastes from multiple sources.  Wastes are primarily disposed as corrosive (acids and caustics), flammable (items containing solvents), and non hazardous (primarily oil-based materials).