United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region IV
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

    
     On July 19, 2005, NCDENR contacted EPA Phone Duty officer regarding an abandoned facility, Lustar Dye and Finishing, 144 Caribou Rd, Asheville, North Carolina.  The facility, in bankruptcy, houses a variety of chemicals in 55 gallon drums, 5 gallon containers and 1000-3000 gallon tanks.  Among the chemicals included are 50% Hydrogen Peroxide, 70% Sulfuric Acid, Hydrochloric Acid, Acetic Acid, caustics and pesticides.  The fence surrounding the facility is unlocked, as well as some of the doors to the main building.  NCDENR has indicated that there are some releases inside the building.  NCDENR considers this site an imminent hazard and has requested the assistance of EPA.  OSC Jim Webster was dispatched along with START contractors.

During the period between July 30, 2005 and May 2006, EPA Attorney's reconciled access issues with the Trusties of Lustar Dye & Finishing ("Site"/"Lustar").  EPA maintained site security from August 2005 through February 2006. During this period, Republic Textiles (a leaser of equipment to Lustar)expedited removal of their equipment from the property. A default on the property's water bill resulted in a cut-off of water service, followed by an ordered shut-down of power to the property (February 2006) by the City of Asheville's Fire Department (Fire Code Violation).  ERRS (WRSIE) discontinued security to the site in March 2006.  During the previous Fall/Winter months Region 4's Emergency Response & Removal Branch and their contract resources were in full deployment to the Hurricane Katrina in support of removal/recovery efforts in Coastal Alabama and Mississippi.

     A Ceiling Increase Action Memorandum was signed in May 2006 and EPA demobilized from Alabama/Mississippi in June 2006.  A return to complete the the removal phase of the Lustar project began on July 5, 2006.

     ERRS Disposal Task included: 1-)Consolidate drummed, bulk, or uncontained residues of chemicals found within plant operations area or on facility property [per the Action Memorandum] that may have been used for or support the operations of this textile finishing facility. 2-) Prepare and ship waste or recyclicable product(s) for off-site shipment and disposal.

     From July 5 - 20, 2006 ERRS reconciled data collected from the July 2005 emergency response. The data included HAZCAT information that defined waste streams and analytical data that supported disposal profiles.  A bid for disposal was accepted by EPA in the Fall of 2005. However, a reconsideration of the original Fall 2005 disposal bid was made to include a Non-Hazardous bulk stream. This decision would support a significant reduction in disposal cost and streamline the logistics of disposal on the numerous pre-existing waste streams.

     From July 21 - August 3, 2006 ERRS segregated the drummed waste profiled for off-site disposal, shipped empty drums for recycling, bulked compatible Non-Hazardous liquids and solidified material in roll-offs, pumped out the No.6 oil 2nd containment area and shipped for disposal, pumped the bulk acetic acid bulk-tank and shipped off-site for disposal, & pumped out the sulfuric acid tank (used in WWT) and shipped off-site for disposal.

     ERRS neutralized the concrete-constructed secondary containment structure for the Sulfuric Acid AST which serviced the facility's production effluent. Product had leaked into containment and had eroded trough the wall and contaminated surrounding soil. ERRS used hydrated lime to neutralize the inside surface of the containment basin and worked dolamitic & hydrated lime to adjust soil pH above 4.0 (per pH test strip).

     Prior to demobilization, ERRS secured the site/building and perimeter fence.

No Future Site Activity Planned.

* Access Agreement permitting disposal of waste. RP reviewed EPA's initial response documents [Jul/Aug '05] and waste inventory.  Evaluated their options for disposal. Access delay was resolved over Winter months.

     * EPA/ERRS re-evaluated original disposal plan for site waste and developed a strategy to significantly reduce disposal cost by solidifying the Non-Haz waste stream.  Republic Textile, who leased equipment to Lustar Dye & Finishing was able to ship the 50% Rayon/Caustic product (approx 2K-Gal) with equipment sale.  The 35% Hydrogen Peroxide tank (stainless steel) and product was also shipped off-site in equipment sale.  

     * Due to leaks in the plant's ceiling, ERRRS had to shut down overhead florescent lighting due to shorts in the electrical circuits.  All electrical feed to the plant [except fire alarms] was locked-out prior to demobilization.

Summary of disposal is as follows:  Sulfuric Acid (3,700 gal)recycled by vendor; Acetic Acid (1000 gal) recycled by vendor; No.6 Fuel Oil (2,500 oil/water mix) recycled by vendor; 4X Roll-Offs disposed to Subtitle-D landfill; 20XDM Org Liq (Tetrachloroethlene) Redistilled; The remaining 18 DM and 1 Pail disposed by chemical treatment/incineration or reuse/recycle.  Approximately 40 drums recycled; Total cost of transportation & disposal: $24,590.71 [out of ERRS budget]