United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region IX
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

Halaco Engineering Company began operation as a metal reclaiming facility at 6200 Perkins Road in Oxnard in 1965.  The approximately 38-acre facility consists of two separate parcels on either side of the Oxnard Industrial Drain: a smelter and a waste disposal area (which includes the waste management unit, or WMU).  Different types of waste were deposited on the WMU including heavy metals and radioactive contaminated slag (a byproduct of the smelting process). It is estimated that more than 710,000 cubic yards of waste make up the WMU.  Halaco also deposited waste in the area north of the WMU. Current estimates of waste process solids in the smeler exceed  7,000 cubic yards.  An additional 5,000 cubic yards of waste process solids were removed from the northern area of the Ormond Beach Wetlands.

Halaco’s waste disposal practices have been cited by federal, state and local authorities for many years.  The facility received various orders and notices of violation from EPA, the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, the California Department of Health Services Radiological Health Branch, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control and the City of Oxnard Fire Department.

In 2002, Halaco filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In 2006, after Halaco ceased operations, the bankruptcy was converted to a Chapter 7 (liquidation) bankruptcy.  Later that year, Chickadee Remediation Co purchased the waste management area and assumed the lease to the former smelter property.  Alpha and Omega Development LLC subsequently acquired the waste management area from Chickadee.

On March 7, 2007, Halaco was proposed for inclusion on the National Priorities List.

March 9, 2007: 1 OSC, 1 ORIA, 2 START, 2 PST, 15 ERRS

ERRS Activities:  Excavator and bulldozer decontaminated and demobilized.  Continued to reshape and contour the WMU.  Continue removing waste from inside the main smelter building.  

Finished removing waste from Quonset huts and haul to WMU pile.  Started to install silt fence at southwest corner of WMU.  Started clean waste out of 40' containers on smelter side and transfer it onto the WMU.  

START/PST: Continue to clean OID of garbage and dump into 40-yard dumpster on-site for disposal. Air surveillance program continued.
March 12-13, 2007:  1 OSC, 1 ORIA, 2 START, 2 PST, 15 ERRS

ERRS Activities: A 3-foot culvert and  3/4-inch rock land bridge was constructed to bridge the Huenmeme Channel to the Ormond Beach Wetlands for the removal of the thorium contaminated waste.  Closed Perkins Road at McWane Ave. Continued to transfer waste from the smelter for consolidation onto the WMU. ERRS subcontractor continued surveying opertions for grade and slope checks of the WMU. Finished installing silt fence at northeast side of OID.

START/PST Activities:  Removed debris and garbage from OID.  Continued air surveillance.

March 14, 2007:  1 OSC, 1 ORIA, 2 START, 2 PST, 15 ERRS

ERRS Activities: Finished bridge of the Huenmeme Channel to the Ormond Beach Wetlands for the removal of the thorium contaminated waste.  Continued to transfer waste from the smelter for consolidation onto the WMU. ERRS subcontractor continued surveying opertions for grade and slope checks of the WMU. Set up decontamination area for the cleaning of Halaco's equipment.

START/PST:  Continued air surveillance.

March 15 - 16, 2007:  1 ORIA, 2 START, 2 PST, 15 ERRS

ERRS Activities: Began removal of waste from the Ormond Beach Wetlands.  Excavation stopped due to the discovery of a marker for a high pressure gas line.  Gas company on-site on March 16 and determined that their was no gas line present. Continued to transfer waste from the smelter for consolidation onto the WMU. ERRS subcontractor continued surveying opertions for grade and slope checks of the WMU.

ORIA/START/PST:  Continued air surveillance.  Assessment of the vertical and horizontal extent of the contamiantion in the wetlands.

March 19-22, 2007: 1 OSC, 2 START, 2 PST, 15 ERRS

ERRS Activities: Resumed excavation of thorium waste material from wetland and depositing into WMU pile.  Finished excavating material from inside the main smelter building and transfering to WMU. Continue installing reinforced silt fence at south end of WMU pile.Continued cleaning waste from inside 40' containers with broom, shovels and steam cleaner.  Removed all metal totes from inside the smelter building and decon if necessary.  Continued to steam cleanold equipment for scraper.  Continued grading top of WMU flat at elevation 39.5 feet with two dozers and north side slope to 4:1.

START/PST/ORIA:  Continued air surveillance.  Conducted metal and radiological assessment during excavation to determine if waste removed.

On March 22, 2007, OSC R. Wise, RPM W. Praskins and CIO J Garcia participated in a community meeting at the Ormond Beach Taskforce meeting.  The removal of the thorium waste from the Ormond Beach Wetlands was completed.

March 23, 2007:  1 OSC, 2 START, 2 PST, 15 ERRS:

ERRS Activities:  Continued removing old chain link and silt fence and disposed in 40-yard dumpster.  Continued installing reinforced silt fence at northeast end of WMU pile.  Finished grading slope of OID on smelter side near bridge.  Started regrading wetlands area.
Continued to clean garbage through out site and dump into 40-yard dumpster.  Continued grading top of WMU flat at elevation 39.5 feet with grader. Began preparations to install the COIR Matting.

1.  Installation of coir matting.
2.  Restoration of Ormond Beach Wetlands
3.  Gross decon of the smelter
4.  Radiation survey of scrap metals for free release.

1.  Installation of the coir matting.
2.  Radiation survey of the scrap metals for free release.