United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region IX
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

See POLREP #1

Photograph Description (web site only):  Waste segregation and survey conveyor system.  Additional photos can be found at: http://www.epaosc.net/Preservation_Aviation.

Removal operations for the next 4 months will consist of the removal of contaminated items from the building.  A conveyor system has been constructed to move materials out of the building.  The items from the building are moved along the conveyor in thier original cardboard storage trays  or placed in plastic trays similar to ones used at an airport security station. Materials exit the building on a manual conveyor and travel though a low background wall, where they are surveyed for radium using a Ludlum Model 2221 with a Ludlum Model 44-10 2"x 2" NaI gamma scintillator.  The detector's are mounted in a wood rack containing lead brick to lower the background around the detector.  The items pass under the dectector on the conveyor. Large items and debris which will not fit on the conveyor system will dealt with separately.

Based on the survey results, each tray is segregated into either a surface contaminated object (SCO) or radium containing material (RCM) wastestream.  The SCO wastestream items are then transferred via conveyor to a portable tip bin.  Once the tip bin is full, it is replaced with an empty bin and the full bin is emptied into a 20 or 40 cubic yard roll off bin.  The RCM wastestream items are tranferred via different conveyor to drums.  

During segregation activities inside the structure, all gauges, dials or instruments are examined to determine if they contain hazardous materials.  Items containing hazardous materials are separated from the wastestreams entering the conveyor system for further segregation.  In most cases, the hazardous material is removed from the item (often sealed vials of solvent), and the item is then added back into the conveyor system.

For Phase 3, the debris wastestream being sent to U.S. Ecology, Beatty, NV, has been eliminated.  Due to widespread radium, radon and radon decay product contamination in the structure all debris will be disposed of as SCO.  SCO will be going to U.S. Ecology, Grandview, ID for disposal as low level radioactive waste.  

RCM will no longer being loaded into B-25 boxes.  RCM will be loaded into drums and tranported to EMC in Turlock, CA.  At EMC, the drums containing RCM will be crushed and loaded into B-25 boxes which will then be transported to the U.S. Ecology facility located at Hanford Reservation, Richland, WA for disposal.

The START is conducting air sampling for radioactive particulates using Stayplex Hi-Volume air samplers.  Samples are analyzed both on-site and in an off-site laboratory.  For Phase 3, the START is conducting daily continuous monitoring for radon using Femto-Tech radon detectors.  Long term radon and gamma radiation sampling at the site perimeters is continuing.

Previous air sampling inside the building has detected elevated levels of radon.  To lower the radon levels to minimize radon exposure to site workers, a negative air machine with a HEPA filter  has been installed inside the structure.  Use of the negative air machine has lowered radon levels 80%.

December 15 - 31, 2004:  
Demobilized for Holidays.

January  3 - 12, 2005:  
Limited activity on-site due to inclement weather.  ERRS setting up conveyor systems, tents to cover conveyor systems for rain days and installation of a negative air system.  One load of RCM from Phase 2 sent for disposal.

January 13 - 20, 2005:  
Personnel:  1 OSC, 2 PST, 2 START, 8 ERRS

ERRS is dismantling the storage units inside the east side of 10800 Burbank Blvd and loading trays of gauges onto the conveyor system.  Once the items have been surveyed, ERRS is segregating the items based on survey results for bulking.  The START and PST are surveying trays of items for segregation into the different wastestreams.  The START is conducting air surveillance.  START and PST is conducting off-site migration surveys to insure contamination is not migrating off-site.  PST is also performing RCMS for government costs and medical monitoring of on-site personnel.

1.  Phase 3:  Building Item Removal is expected continue until late April at a minimum.
2.  Phase 4:  Structural Contamination Assessment of the 10800 Burbank Blvd. building will begin as soon as the east side of the building is empty.  This will be conducted by the START.
3.  Phase 5:  Building Decontamination or Demolition:  The final disposition of the structures on-site will be based on the structural assessments.
4.  Phase 6:  Subsurface Assessment
5.  Phase 7:  Subsurface Removal (if necessary)

1.  Completion of Phase 3.

1.  PRP Enforcement
2.  Structural Contamination