United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region IV
POLLUTION REPORT



Date:
Friday, June 16, 2006
From:
Perry Gaughan

To:
Shane Hitchcock, EPA ERRB
Jim McGuire, USEPA - Region IV

Subject: 

Synthron Chemical Fire
305 Amherst Road, Morganton, NC
Latitude: 35.7569000
Longitude: -81.6600000


POLREP No.:
6
Site #:
A4LD
Reporting Period:
6/3/06 - 6/16/06
D.O. #:
Start Date:
5/9/2006
Response Authority:
CERCLA
Mob Date:
5/8/2006
Response Type:
Time-Critical
Demob Date:
 
NPL Status:
Non NPL
Completion Date:
 
Incident Category:
Removal Action
CERCLIS ID #:
NCD982121790
Contract #
RCRIS ID #:
 

Site Description

For Site description and background information, refer to previous POLREP.


Current Activities

Hazardous Materials Activites
Total inventory of 684 drums has been sampled and hazcatted.  Sampling and hazcatting is continuing on 200 totes, 21 ASTs, and powder mix area.  WRS is continuing efforts to contact suppliers for removal of unopened chemicals on site and to schedule lab packing of recovered lab chemicals.  

Buidling Demolition Activities
Crew removed remaining roof structure from building to gain access to the reactors on the first floor.  Beginning on 6/6/06, NCOSH, CSB, NCDENR, and AIG investigators were onsite to examine M-1 and M-5 reactors.  Due to the instability of the concrete floor, a manlift was extended over the floor to gain access to the reactors.  Volatile liquids found in the reactors prevented the removal of the condensers until later in the demolition.  Investigators were able to measure and photograph the manway and seals on both reactors.  Investigators demobed from the site on 6/9/06.  Following the removal of the volatile liquids, the reactors will be removed from the concrete floor and the condensers will be available for examination by the investigators.

WRS, TTEMI, and USCG-GST did an excellent job of maintaining the safety of all personnel on site during this investigation.  The agencies involved express appreciation for the efforts made by the crew onsite to assist in recovering forensic information critical to their investigations.

Wastewater Disposal Activities
Received LC-50 sample analysis for FT 7-12.  POTW has agreed to allow discharge of FT-7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 to sanitary sewer begining 6/19/06.  FT 1-6 and 10 will be transported offsite for treatment and disposal.  Contract for transportation and disposal of wastewater has been negotiated and shipments will begin next week.  Following disposal of wastewater, two or three frac tanks will remain onsite for accummulation of stormwater.  

Off Site Activities
Insurance investigator for the church located across Kirksey Rd. requested information concerning any possible contamination on the church site from Synthron.  Results from the perimeter air monitoring and the soil sample analysis does not indicate any offiste consequence  has occurred due to the removal action.  In addition, the church is located at a higher elevation and upwind from the Synthron site.

Misc. Activities
OSC Perry Gaughan will assume management of the site beginning 6/19/06.  OSC Barbara Scott will be leaving EPA on 6/23/06.


Planned Removal Actions

Continue demolition of main building to recover hazardous materials.  Continue sampling and hazcatting of totes and tanks.  Begin discharge of FT 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 to POTW.  Schedule disposal of remaining frac tanks.  Continue perimeter monitoring for dust and asbestos during demolition activities.


Key Issues

Disposal of wastewater for off site treatment and to POTW.
Disposition of unopened raw materials
Bulking of hazardous and non-hazardous waste for disposal
Asbestos segregation and removal
Demolition of main building and boiler rooms
Inventory of assets that will be left on site


Estimated Costs *
  Budgeted Total To Date Remaining % Remaining
Extramural Costs
ERRS - Cleanup Contractor $500,000.00 $194,740.00 $305,260.00 61.05%
IAGs - Coast Guard $25,000.00 $5,233.00 $19,767.00 79.07%
RST/START $240,000.00 $40,000.00 $200,000.00 83.33%
Intramural Costs
 
Total Site Costs $765,000.00 $239,973.00 $525,027.00 68.63%

* The above accounting of expenditures is an estimate based on figures known to the OSC at the time this report was written. The OSC does not necessarily receive specific figures on final payments made to any contractor(s). Other financial data which the OSC must rely upon may not be entirely up-to-date. The cost accounting provided in this report does not necessarily represent an exact monetary figure which the government may include in any claim for cost recovery.


response.epa.gov/synthron

POLREP #6 Last Updated 5/19/2020