United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region X
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

CAPC is a medium sized commercial metal plating facility that performs several kinds or electroplating.  Historically the site has been used for plating operations with zinc, nickel, copper, chromium, silver, gold, tin, and cadmium.  Although processes varied from one metal to another, their general process involved pre-cleaning with caustic solution or solvent, acid pickling (which eliminated scales remaining after cleaning), metal plating, and often a final chromate dip to protect plated surfaces.  Zinc plating is currently the primary process at the site.  The facility employed approximately 13 people.

The primary concern at this Site was the threat of fire and explosion.  The secondary concern is the threat posed by CERCLA hazardous substances and pollutant or contaminants releasing from abandoned drums, Above Ground Storage Tanks (AST's) and process area vats.  Drums and containers onsite will continue to deteriorate over time.  As a result, the potential of solvents, acids, bases, oil, and toxic chemicals to be released to the environment is high.

See initial Polrep for further background information.

Monday, June 30, 2003

EPA OSC (1), USCG PST (2), START (4), and ERRS (7) members on site.  ERRS contractors continued breaking down the middle plating lines inside the main plating area, bulking dry chemicals on the North side area (NSA) of the facility and filled one roll-off bin with non-RCRA debris.  

Tuesday, July 1, 2003

EPA OSC (1), USCG PST (2), START (5), and ERRS (7) members on site.  ERRS filled four RCRA roll off bins with solid and RCRA waste pulled from the main plating area.  ERRS also continued bulking dry chemicals on the NSA of the facility.  START continued to update all 5 of their electronic tracking forms entitled: 1) "Hazard Catagorization Summary Sheet", which tracks the results of approximately 1500 samples to date; 2) "Photodocumentation Spreadsheet" used to photo track the above mentioned samples, 3)"Container/ Waste Bulking Summary Sheet" that identifies bulking sequences and manifest #'s for all wastes encontered, 4)"Sample Tracking Summary Sheet" which tracks approximately 10% of the 1500 samples hazcatted and  5)an "Analytical Results Tracking Summary Sheet" which shows actual analytical data for the 10% subcategory mentioned above.  START collected the following samples today: (6) composite sludge samples from troughs between plating lines in the main plating area; (4) composite sludge samples from four of the six tanks associated with the WWTU (these 4 samples were analyzed for total and TCLP Mercury only; and(4) from previously unsampled plating vats.          

Wednesday, July 2, 2003

EPA OSC (1), USCG PST (2), START (4), and ERRS (7) members on site.  Two empty RCRA roll off bins arrived on site.  Two RCRA roll off bins were  filled with solid and RCRA debris and removed from the site.  ERRS continued breaking down plating line equipment from the main plating area (MPA).  The MPA is now ¾ complete regarding the removal of vat machinery and sludges underneath.  An excavator was dropped off and will be used to remove, and crush large vats, and various drums.  START sent samples collected on July 1 for analysis at North Creek Analytical.

Thursday, July 3, 2003

EPA OSC (1), USCG PST (2), START (5), and ERRS (7) members on site.  Two RCRA roll off bins were removed from site and replaced by empty bins.  One full Steel-recycling bin was removed from site today, and replaced by an empty bin.  ERRS continued removing vats from the plating shop and consolidating them for disposal.  Site was cleaned up and secured for the long holiday weekend.


Friday, July 4, 2003

Federal Holiday.  No work was performed on site.

ERRS will access subsurface soils for the START team in the main plating area by cutting through the concrete pad  and exposing native soils.

START will initiate a subsurface sampling effort the week of July 7-12, 2003 to determine the degree and severity of subsuface contamination throughout the site.  An addendum to the Site Specific Sampling Plan (SSSP) and Health and Safety Plan will be completed prior to those activities.

Where appropriate, ERRS will continue bulking hazardous waste by waste stream and remove via vacuum truck, baker tank, or drums, for proper disposal.   START will continue staging and HAZCATing unknown drums and containers as well as manage on site water accumulation.  ERRS will continue removing contaminated debris, characterize sludges and liquids beneath vats in plating room as well as remove all sludges and liquids from floor and wastewater treatment unit.

Please refer to Polrep #5 for all updated Waste stream information.