United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region VI
POLLUTION REPORT



Date:
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
From:
Rita Engblom

To:
Jeff Lewellin, TCEQ
Debbie Dietrich, Office of Emergency Management
Ragan Broyles, Superfund Division

Subject: 

On-going
Goodrich Mercury
570 Vicksburg, Goodrich, TX
Latitude: 30.5517800
Longitude: -94.8793300


POLREP No.:
5
Site #:
A6C8
Reporting Period:
D.O. #:
Start Date:
11/1/2007
Response Authority:
CERCLA
Mob Date:
11/1/2007
Response Type:
Emergency
Demob Date:
 
NPL Status:
Non NPL
Completion Date:
 
Incident Category:
Removal Action
CERCLIS ID #:
TXN000606836
Contract #
RCRIS ID #:
 

Site Description

On 01 November 2007, EPA was requested, to respond to a residence in Goodrich, Texas and investigate a mercury release. The home is a single family dwelling in a remote residential area. A 15 year old child had possession of 8 lbs of mercury for approximately four years at this residence. On 30 October 2007, pet dogs gained access to the bottle of mercury and punctured a hole in it.  As a result, the dogs spread mercury throughout the interior of the residence. Upon the discovery of the spill that evening by the residents the Polk County Sheriffs Department was notified. They recommended leaving the house and the 15 year old left but his mother remained. EPA dispatched the START-3 to investigate on 1 November 2007 and documented the mercury release.  The mother relocated at that time.


Current Activities

On November 26, 2007, EPA initiated a mercury cleanup of the residential property.  An assessment was conducted and found that the highest concentrations of mercury were located in the living room and kitchen.  EPA’s ERRS and START3 contractors are conducting the cleanup.  Personal belongings located in the two rooms will be inventoried, removed from the house, checked for mercury vapors, and either disposed of or stored until the house is deemed safe.


Next Steps

Continue the cleanup until cleanup goals are met.


Key Issues

Local community is collecting elemental mercury for proper disposal to prevent the need for future cleanups.


Estimated Costs *
  Budgeted Total To Date Remaining % Remaining
Extramural Costs
Intramural Costs
 
Total Site Costs $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 0.00%

* The above accounting of expenditures is an estimate based on figures known to the OSC at the time this report was written. The OSC does not necessarily receive specific figures on final payments made to any contractor(s). Other financial data which the OSC must rely upon may not be entirely up-to-date. The cost accounting provided in this report does not necessarily represent an exact monetary figure which the government may include in any claim for cost recovery.


response.epa.gov/GoodrichMercury

POLREP #5 Last Updated 11/28/2007