1.1.1 Incident Category

The Lower Darby Creek Area - Clearview Landfill Site Operable Unit 01 (Residential Area) is the location of a release of hazardous substances in soils within a residential neighborhood.  A Removal Action will address certain contaminated residential soils posing an unacceptable risk to human health.

1.1.2 Site Description

The LDCA Site includes two landfills: 1) the Clearview Landfill and 2) the Folcroft Landfill and Annex.  The Clearview Landfill is located along the eastern bank of both Darby Creek and Cobbs Creek, near the intersection of 83^rd Street and Buist Avenue.  The footprint of Clearview Landfill is much larger than the area now subject to a Removal Action and lies primarily within Darby Township, Delaware County, PA, but partially within the limits of the City of Philadelphia.  OU1 includes the Clearview Landfill, the Eastwick Regional Park (a/k/a “City Park” or “Park”) which abuts the eastern limits of the present-day landfill footprint, and a portion of the Eastwick neighborhood (a residential area) located generally east of the present-day landfill area and the Park.  The Removal Action involves the removal of soil from the residential area of Philadelphia once within the footprint of the landfill and then staging of that soil on a portion of the landfill located in adjacent Delaware County.  A Remedial Action will be conducted in the future to address those aspects of the Site not addressed by the Removal Action.

NOTE:  A Removal Action was previously conducted in a different area of the Clearview Landfill between November 2011 and September 2012 relating to the removal of PCBs-contaminated soil from the Southern Industrial Area of the Clearview Landfill.  See POLREPs 01 through 23 relating to that response action and POLREP 24 which is the Final POLREP for that response action.  Since the present Removal Action in the residential area relates to PAHs in an entirely separate area of the former landfill, this Removal Action will be documented in a new series of POLREPs beginning with POLREP 01 for the residential area dated 9/9/16.

1.1.2.1 Location

The Removal Action involves the removal of soil from residential properties in the Eastwick neighborhood of Philadelphia and storage of that soil upon a portion of the Clearview Landfill in Darby Township.  The locations of individual homes will not be reported in this POLREP.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

A group of compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present the majority of the threat posed by the Site.  Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is the primary risk driver among the detected PAH compounds.   Elevated concentrations of B[a]P and other PAHs are detected in soils within the residential properties of Eastwick neighborhood and adjacent City Park.   The levels of PAHs pose an unacceptable risk to residential human receptors (residents of the Eastwick neighborhood exposed to contaminated soils).  Elevated lead concentrations are also found within the PAH-contaminated soils.  Incidental ingestion of lead in the soil may also result in increased blood lead levels.  Lead is known to adversely affect the central nervous system.  The threats are more fully described in the July 21, 2016 Action Memorandum.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

The Site is an NPL Site.  The RPM for the Site and the OSC relied upon existing soil sample information (e.g., data collected during remedial investigation or preliminary design activities) and newly collected soil analytical results to comprise a Removal Site Evaluation (RSE).  The RSE indicated that elevated levels of hazardous substances are located in residential soils within the OU1 Residential Soil Area.  The hazardous substances are present at levels which pose an unacceptable excess cancer risk to exposed human receptors. 

The maximum concentration of PAHs in the surface (0 to 12 inches) soil of the residential properties in the Eastwick neighborhood are 118 mg/kg (ppm or parts per million).  The maximum concentration of B[a]P within these soils is 8.6 mg/kg which is well above the 1x10^-4 excess cancer risk level for this compound.  Elevated PAH concentrations are also found in subsurface soils well above the 1x10^-4 excess cancer risk level.  Based upon on-scene observation, some of the contaminated soils are poorly vegetated or mixed into garden or play areas allowing an increased chance of unacceptable exposure to elevated PAHs.  Elevated lead is also found in a limited area of the Eastwick neighborhood.  The area of elevated lead contamination is believed to exist within the area of elevated PAHs contamination described above.

The removal site evaluation ad threats posed are more fully described in the July 21, 2016 Action Memorandum.

2.1.1 Narrative

An Action Memorandum approving response actions to address the contaminated soil in the residential Eastwick neighborhood was signed July 21, 2016.  The RPM conducted several outreach sessions to inform the residents and community groups about the Removal Action.  EPA also mailed information to residents of the community.  The RPM also gained access from and discussed response actions with residents and property owners to be directly affected by the Removal Action.

The OSC and RPM first convened with ERRS (ER) and START (Weston) contractors on the Site on August 8, 2016 (Mobilization Date).  This meeting and subsequent meetings were conducted to assure a proper plan of action and that proper personnel, equipment, and materials could be identified to implement the response action.  Between 8/8/2016 and 9/6/2016, the OSC and RPM continued preparation activities inclusive of coordination with residents and contractors and development of air monitoring and other actions to enhance safety in the community during the Removal Action.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

ERRS contractors remobilized to the Site on 5/1/2017 and resumed site activities on 5/3/2017.

Between 5/3/2017 and 5/4/2017, ERRS contractors performed repairs on the gravel access road which runs between the Command Post and the landfill, constructed an extension of the access road into the area behind Angelo Place, and laid mats over areas of paved walkway behind Angelo Place and Mars Place.  ERRS contractors began excavation of residential yards on Mars Place on 5/8/2017. 

Rear and side yards were excavated to a depth of 24 inches below ground surface (bgs).  Front yards were excavated to a depth of 6 inches bgs in the vicinity of utilities and 24 inches where no utilities were present.

Excavated areas left open overnight or unattended during the day were fenced off with high visibility fencing.  Once targeted excavation depths were achieved, high visibility fencing was placed in the bottom of the excavated area.  Approximately 18 inches of clean back fill was placed in lifts and compacted with a vibratory roller.  Six inches of topsoil were then placed and graded back to pre-excavation elevations. Following the grading of the yards, sod was installed and watered. The watering of sod and vegetation is to be conducted by ERRS for two weeks after installation, after which time the maintenance is the responsibility of the property owner.

Excavated soil from yards was placed in the soil staging area on the top of the landfill.  Dust suppression activities with garden hoses and water truck were conducted as needed to control dust.

Between 5/8/17 and 5/12/17, two yards on Mars Place were completely excavated, backfilled, compacted, and sodded.  ERRS contractors laid plywood over grassy areas adjacent to the properties over which the construction machinery would tread to minimize the need for later repairs, and plastic sheeting was laid to collect contaminated soil that might drop from the backhoe during the removal.

Between 5/15/17 and 5/19/17, an additional property on Mars Place was completed and removal activities on a property located on Buist Avenue began.

Between 5/22/17 and 5/24/17, ERRS contractors completed exaction, filling, compaction, and sodding on the back yard of the property on Buist Avenue started the previous week, and the area behind Mars Place, over which machinery tracked, was re-graded and sod was installed.  Plywood was laid over areas of sidewalk adjacent to the Buist property where construction machinery would tread in order to access the removal area, to minimize damage to the sidewalk from the machines. Brick, concrete, asphalt and other construction and demolition debris (C&D) were commonly found throughout the excavated areas and areas of ash-like material was found at various depths.  Depths and approximate locations of these areas were noted and recorded in photograph and video.

Approximately 338.5 cubic yards of soil were removed from the four aforementioned residences in the Eastwick neighborhood between 5/8/17 and 5/24/17.  On 5/25/17, all members of the ERRS crew demobilized for the Memorial Day weekend, except for one staff person to continue the watering of sod.  The ERRS crew is set to remobilize on 5/30/17 and resume site activities on 5/31/17.

The START contractor conducted air monitoring using Dust Trak units to monitor dust levels in work zone area and downwind of the work zone area.  During periods of rain and periods during which contaminated soil was not being disturbed, air monitoring was not performed.  Air monitoring data did not identify any exceedances of Total Dust Action Limits.  Daily air monitoring charts for the period of 5/3/17 to 5/26/17 have been uploaded to the EPA OSC website.  Total Dust Action Limits that are protective for residents and workers have been established in the HASP.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

Activity related to identification of PRPs is still ongoing. 

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

NOTE: contaminated soil is removed from the yards and staged on the Clearview Landfill.

2.2.1 Planned Response Activities Next Period

Evaluated most recent soil sampling data.

Plan additional sampling in 2017 to further identify residential properties that meet Removal Trigger Criteria.

2.2.2 Issues

Extensive coordination with residents will be required before and during soil removal in yards.