United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region X
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

On Sunday, April 15, 2007 EPA R10 ER Duty Officer was notified of Mercury release at a residential property within the city limits of Yakima.  Apparently, approximately 8 months ago a one liter bottle of mercury was either found or provided to two youths, 12 and 16 years old, at the residence.  The youths and at least four other children in the neighborhood played with the mercury over the ensuing period.  The 16-year-old was admitted to a hospital in Seattle late last week, being diagnosed with mercury poisoning.  The Yakima Fire Department, Yakima Health District and Washington Department of Ecology responded to the spill.  With the assistance of a response contractor, Ecology cleaned up visible mercury along the uncontrolled access street and sidewalk.  Spilled mercury was thought to still be in the fenced yard and the home and concern exists over other potential areas of significantly hazardous contamination, including other homes, schools, vehicles, etc.  Although the fire department made a preliminary inquiry in the neighborhood, it was not comprehensive or conclusive.  EPA assistance was requested to lend technical advise and possible cleanup.  OSC Kathy Parker and two EPA START3 contractors were dispatched early Monday morning. Additional resources including an OSC - Greg Weigel, 2 STARTS and 4 ERRS contractors were mobilized to determine the extent of contamination and address remaining unsecured contamination.  Mercury vapor screening found high levels of mercury in the home of the boy suffering from mercury poisoning and in the neighboring home.  Hot spots were identified in the yards of the two homes, and adjacent sidewalk.  EPA initiated additional assessment and cleanup.

Sunday April 22nd - Tuesday April 24st
Screened and searched the youth’s bedroom, cleaned (by vacuum) visible mercury.

Removed flooring from the boys' bedroom to the floor joists.  

Removed remaining household items and continued to attempt to clean clothing and household items using the heat tent. Continued to inventory and photograph items taken from the house at 1013.

Removed deck and excavated potentially contaminated soils. Confirmation samples (18 total) were collected from the excavated area.

Removed windows and sills from the bedroom.  

Removed the sliding glass door, door frame and track at back of house.

Removed soil from the area under the boys' bedroom windows.  

Backfilled soils in front yard.  

Removed soils in front of shed at 1011 ½ S. Sixth Street and collected confirmation samples to be analyzed by the Lumex.  

Backfilled excavated area in front of the shed.

Continue to address residual contamination in the house at 1013 by removing flooring, subflooring, insulation, vapor barrier in crawl space, baseboards, tack strips and sheetrock. Continue heating and ventilating until concentrations are below the cleanup level.

Continue to heat and ventilate contaminated articles in the heating tent until concentrations are below the cleanup goal.

Complete soil sample collection and field analyses using Lumex to determine contaminated areas in the two residential yards that atill require cleanup.

Remove contaminated soils that exceed the clean up level.

Remove shed and excavate soils underneath.

Confirm decontamination of house at 1013 and air sample to allow reoccupancy. Get approval for reoccupancy from Yakima District Health.

Replace areas of houses removed or demolished during cleanup.

Assess value of property to be discarded.

Demobilization.

Determination of EPA's financial responsibilities with regard to replacement of demolished parts of houses and reimbursement of the families.