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United
States Environmental Protection Agency
Region V
POLLUTION REPORT
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| Date: |
Friday, November 14, 2003
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| From: |
Brian Kelly
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| To: |
R Worley, ERA
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R Karl, EPA
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J El-Zein, EPA
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W Messenger, EPA
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A Marouf, EPA
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M Hans, EPA
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S Hill, EPA
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L Dykema, MDH
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T Johnson, EPA
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J Maritote, EPA
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K Armbruster, DEQ
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J Drouillard, FD
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J Lamb, DEQ
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Subject:
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Explosion at the Perma-Fix TSD, Brownstown
Perma-Fix Emergency Reponse
18550 Allen Road,
Brownstown, MI
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| POLREP No.: |
1
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Site #:
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552
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| Reporting Period: |
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D.O. #:
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| Start Date: |
11/13/2003
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Response Authority:
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CERCLA
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Mob Date: |
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Response Type:
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Emergency
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| Demob Date: |
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NPL Status:
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| Completion Date: |
11/14/2003
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Incident Category:
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Removal Action
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| CERCLIS ID #: |
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Contract #
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| RCRIS ID #: |
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The PermaFix facility operates as a waste treatment center for hazardous and non-hazardous waste materials. Waste is treated, stabilized, and land filled on-site.
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0545 an explosion destroyed the western side of the Perma-Fix mixing building. A crane operator inside the building at the time of the explosion was treated for hearing loss. The cause of the explosion is believed to have been hydrogen gas created by the improper treatment of aluminum past with mineral spirts, and water. The Brownstown Fire Department (FD) responded, found the fire to be contained, and closed Allen Road (two business were affected).
0815 U.S. EPA air monitoring support was requested. U.S. EPA was on site at 0905.
OSC Kelly and Brownstown Fire Chief Drouillard convened an “all-hands” meeting at the facility to discuss the current status of the emergency, as well as possible strategies for addressing the emergency. During this briefing, the facility operators provided information on the contents of the bins in the Cure Building.
U.S. EPA and PermaFix employee Jacob Allen initiated air monitoring in the area of the Cure Building. Air monitoring included: a Lumex, a MultiRAE multi-gas meter, a Personal Data RAM dust monitor, and (4) Drager tubes capable of sampling for arsenic, cyanide, chromic acid, xylene, toluene, and acid vapors. The monitoring revealed low levels of cyanide.
In addition to the initial round of monitoring, PermaFix employee Jim Presley collected an air sample, via Summa cannister, which was sent to Trinity Laboratory.
OSC Kelly directed PermaFix to continue the air monitoring on a 1/2 hour basis through the night of 12 November and the morning of 13 November. Chief Drouillard and OSC Kelly agreed Allen Road could be reopened, while access to the building would remain restricted.
On 13 November U.S. EPA conducted an additional round of air monitoring with the MultiRAE multi-gas meter and Drager tubes. All readings were negative. The reaction stopped.
Results from the Summa canister sample showed no elevated levels.
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The emergency phase is complete. U.S. EPA air monitoring and laboratory summa results did not show high levels of organics, inorganics, or acids. The reaction has stopped.
Perma-Fix and Michigan OSHA is investigating the cause.
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Budgeted |
Total To Date |
Remaining |
% Remaining |
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Extramural Costs
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| RST/START |
$0.00 |
$2,800.00 |
($2,800.00) |
0.00% |
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Intramural Costs
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| USEPA |
$0.00 |
$350.00 |
($350.00) |
0.00% |
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| Total Site Costs |
$0.00 |
$3,150.00 |
($3,150.00) |
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/perma-fix
POLREP #1 Last Updated 8/6/2019
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