United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region IX
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

See POLREP No. 1

The Graybill Metal Polishing, Inc., site (Graybill) is located in a commercial/residential area at 1245 East Florence Avenue in Los Angeles, California, geographic coordinates of -118.25247 longitude and 33.97598 latitude. Until recently, the facility conducted copper cyanide, nickel and chrome plating and buffing and polishing operations.  

Formal EPA involvement with Graybill began on May 9, 2006 with the issuance of a general notice of CERCLA liability to the property owner and facility operator.  Based on the observed site conditions, evidence of a continued release of hazardous materials, the unsecured nature of the facility, and statements by facility representatives, OSC Benson initiated an immediate stabilization and removal action through exercise of warrant authority on May 9, 2006.  A transition from EPA stabilization to PRP full-scale site cleanup was initiated on May 15, 2006.  Phase I cleanup operations, involving the identification, bulking and removal of all identified above-ground bulk and non-bulk wastestreams, was completed on May 25, 2006.

Phase II cleanup operations involving shallow subsurface soil and building component characterization and removal has been completed.  PRP contractor assets demobilized from the site on 8/31/06.  Final PRP reporting was received by EPA on 10/26/06.  Phase II operations were performed by the PRP contractors under the terms of a CERCLA 106 Order.

POLREP No. 1 documents site activities on 5/9/06.
POLREP No. 2 documents site activities from 5/10/06 – 5/15/06
POLREP No. 3 documents site activities from 5/16/06 – 5/25/06
POLREP No. 4 documents site activities from 5/26/06 – 7/10/06
POLREP No. 5 documents site activities from 7/11/06 – 8/4/06
POLREP No. 6 documents site activities from 8/5/06 – 8/15/06
POLREP No. 7 documents site activities from 8/16/06 – 9/5/06

9/19/06

A. A thin strip of metals contaminated soil in the residential yard at 1238 71st Street, which abuts the Graybill facility, was identified in the original characterization sampling (Sample No. SB-17).   The PRP Attorney and Enviroserv have presented the data to the property owner (Julia Lee) and have been unsuccessful in securing access to remove the surface soil and replace with clean fill.  Sample SB-17 revealed copper at 1,200 mg/kg, chromium at 230 mg/kg, and lead at 480 mg/kg.  These concentrations are below State TTLC waste determining thresholds and below industrial Preliminary Remediation Goals (PRGs).  The chromium residential PRG value of 210 mg/kg and lead CA Modified residential PRG of 150 mg/kg were exceeded.

The soil area is approximately 3 feet wide by 30 feet in length located behind a garage directly adjacent to the Graybill northern border chain link fence.  The area does not appear to be used for any purpose, but simply acts as a buffer between the residential garage structure and Graybill property line.

On 9/19/06 PRP attorney M. Stiles provided documentation of numerous efforts to secure access to remove the top several inches of soil and replace with clean fill.  Because contractor assets demobilized on 8/31/06 and the residual contamination does not constitute a substantial endangerment, EPA requested that the PRP continue with project closure reporting despite this unfulfilled action item.  Access and closure may be attempted in the future during on-site structural demolition and/or property re-development phases.

10/26/06

A. OSC Benson received the Ceres Associates Closure Report and the Enviroserv Facility Clean-Up Documentation Report.  Both reports adequately address the Phase I and Phase II actions.

B.      As previously arranged, the PRP reports (together with the final START PRP Oversight Report) will be delivered to DTSC Criminal Investigator J. Rykoff and DTSC Tired Permitting Corrective Action Branch representative D. Hostetler.  Mr. Hostetler is the primary DTSC point-of-contact concerning all removal actions under the CERCLA 106 Order.

11/3/06

A. OSC Benson delivered a Notice of Completion to the PRP.

Case Closed

• EPA action complete.

• The contaminated soils excavation in AOC 4 to approximately 1.5 – 2.0 feet bgs and AOC 1 to approximately 6.0 – 7.0 feet bgs was successful in removing highly contaminated shallow soils in the designated grids.  Four confirmation soil samples (CSS-3, CSS-7A, CSS-10, and CSS-15) continued to reveal elevated levels of chrome, nickel, zinc, and/or copper.  These sample points abut building structural footings and further excavation is not possible without a building demolition effort.  Final project reporting delineates the excavation areas, sample data and remaining grids/areas requiring possible further excavation.

• A completed project Waste Tracking Log with manifest and disposal facility information for project wastestreams can be found in the documents link at www.epaosc.net/graybill.