United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region III
POLLUTION REPORT



Date:
Monday, June 23, 2008
From:
Jack Downie

Subject: 

Removal Action
Remacor, Inc.
P.O. Box 366, West Pittsburg, PA
Latitude: 40.9349711
Longitude: -80.3686583


POLREP No.:
154
Site #:
G3GM
Reporting Period:
6/21-6/23/08
D.O. #:
03-04-015
Start Date:
9/15/2006
Response Authority:
CERCLA
Mob Date:
9/15/2006
Response Type:
Emergency
Demob Date:
 
NPL Status:
Non NPL
Completion Date:
 
Incident Category:
Removal Action
CERCLIS ID #:
PAD074965096
Contract #
RCRIS ID #:
 

Site Description

EPA is continuing emergency removal actions at this site during the repackaging, transportation, and removal of flammable magnesium materials.  Magnesium generators, who previously supplied Remacor with recyclable magnesium and magnesium alloys, are removing their materials from the site.      

EPA’s ERRS is repackaging material from Building #9 and Building #2.  PADEP is providing technical and oversight support at the site.  EPA START contractor TechLaw is providing technical and administrative support to the EPA.  EPA and PADEP officials continue to control access to the site in addition to coordinating the activities of the various generators.  


Current Activities

Personnel On-Scene:
06/21/08 START-1, ERRS-7,  Security-1 (24 hr)
06/23/08 EPA-1,  START-1, ERRS-7, Other-2, Security-1 (24 hr)

Weather:
06/21/08 Low of 60° F, high of 83° F Scattered Clouds, 0.00inches of precipitation, wind SW 4-9 mph.
06/23/08 Low of 57° F, high of 77° F.  Partly Cloudy, 0.03inches of precipitation,  WSW 4-8 mph.

06/21/08
Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS) contractor Guardian Environmental, Inc held its morning safety meeting and discussed the days planned activities. ERRS completed repackaging of the Strontium Aluminate from super-sacks into 55-gallon drums.  ERRS did maintenance on all of their equipment and cleaned areas in which they had worked.  ERRS also moved boxes of magnesium from Building #2 to Building #9 to begin repackaging of the material on 6/23/08.

START assisted as needed and conducted written/photographic documentation.  START demobilized.    

06/23/08
USEPA OSC Jack Downie mobilized to site for oversight of operations.

Ohio Edison was on site to do repairs on lines and poles.

Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS) contractor Guardian Environmental, Inc held its morning safety meeting and discussed the days planned activities.  ERRS completed moving boxes of magnesium from Building #2 to Building #9 and began to repackage the material.  ERRS also prepared the reaction pit for mixing RAD material.
  
START mobilized to site and assisted the EPA as needed and conducted written/photographic documentation.


Next Steps

EPA will continue to coordinate with magnesium waste generators for the safe and appropriate removal of the material from the site.  EPA will continue to coordinate with all local, state, and federal agencies.


Key Issues

While cleaning and rearranging material in Building #9 ERRS came across 5-1 pint cans.  Upon further investigation of the cans they were observed to have plastic bags which were submerged in oil.  The bags held approximately 3-5 pounds each of what is believed to be Lanthanum which is often submerged in oil in air tight packages to keep air and moisture from making contact with the material.  Lanthanum is the most reactive of the rare-earth metals and oxidizes rapidly when exposed to air.


response.epa.gov/remacor