United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region IV
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

OSC Warren Dixon was dispatched to the scene of what appears to be an illegal drum dumping Site.  The request for EPA assistance came from Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) responder on site.  There appears to be approximately 17 (55 gallons) drums and 8 (5 gallons) containers that appear to be illegally dumped.  There are no labels on the drums however, one container had an originator's name and number on it and he was contacted.  This RP agreed to clean up only his waste.  The Site is located at 1401 Odessa Drive in Gadsden, Etowah County, Alabama.  

The OSC arrived at the Site and met with Mrs. Gayle Holcombe of ADEM, to discuss the cleanup options for the site.   Two representatives from Gadsden / Etowah County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) also meet with EPA and ADEM to discuss the cleanup action and who would pay for the cleanup of the illegal dump site.  During the meeting Etowah County EMA had identified Commercial Dishwashers, Inc. as a responsible party (RP) for the illegal dump site. According to a representative of Commercial Dishwashers, most of the drums contained a soap by-product from their facility.  This RP reported that his company gave the drums to a local part handy man to disposal of the drums but no money was exchange for the service.

The OSC explained to the RP that his company was still responsible for the illegal dump site. He agreed but expressed that he was willing to work with the local EMS to address the cleanup action.  Etowah County expressed a desire to address the cleanup of the site with the use of EPA's Local Government Reimbursement (LGR) program.  The County hired a cleanup contractor out of Birmingham, Alabama to cleanup the site.  Etowah County will follow-up with EPA about the LGR program and the necessary application.

The cleanup contractor arrived at the Site at approximately 6:00 pm on March 31 and met with EPA, ADEM and EMA to discuss the cleanup of the site.  The cleanup of the site began with overpacking the 5 gallon and 55 gallon drums at the site.  A front-end loader was used to stock pile the stained soil on a plastic liner in a designated staging area. The soil will be sampled and analyzed before a decision is made for the disposal of the waste.

Etowah County EMA will oversee the cleanup of the Site utilizing the LGR program.  No further EPA removal activities will be conducted at the site.