United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region III
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

See POLREPs #4 and #5 and #12 for Site description information.


    

In October, the OSC arranged for off-Site transportation and off-Site disposal of approximately 5,000 gallons of water previously pumped from the subsurface structural features (e.g., basement) at the Site.  The water had been passed through an oil/water separator and carbon unit to initially treat the water and reduce PCB levels in an attempt to see if the water could be locally discharged to sewer plant.  The 5,000 gallons of water was successfully disposed by Envirotank Clean in Belpre, Ohio.

Additionally, in October, a small amount of the initially treated water was again passed through small micron filters and a treatment system to determine if the water could be ultimately treated to a point where it could be safely discharged into the local sewer system.  Originally, the water in the basement and compressor room contained 3.6 and 7.4 ug/L of PCBs, respectively.  After running through carbon (initial treatment), the levels were reduced to 0.17 and 0.03 ug/L, respectively.  After again running through a treatement system in October, the levels were reduced to 0.000718 ug/L.  The standard for local discharge may currently be 0.0017 ug/L, but a reduction is expected in the immediate future.

Drummed wastes were transported and disposed from the Site in October 2008.  The wastes were successfully disposed at multiple facilities dependent upon origination point for the waste, PCB concentration, and hazardous characteristics.  Disposal facilities are designated in the attached table.

The temporary mechanical plug placed into the old sanitary system through the manhole located in former Area 4 (High Voltage) was evaluated.  A small amount of water had backed up behind the plug, but not so much as to suggest that the origins of the water were from multiple upstream sources and not simply from local ground water infiltrating into the pipe.  The OSC collected a sample of the sediment in the manhole; approximately 0.5 mg/kg PCB was detected.

All other plugs also appeared to be working as water levels in the features rose above August levels.

Many of the analytical results of the surface water sampling events conducted by EPA on August 19, 20, and 26, 2008, are suspect.  EPA determined that the sample locations and results for some of the samples could not be definitively determined due to sample labelling errors.  Although the results indicate that the concentrations of PCBs in the surface waters are elevated above clean water standards and that waters in the storm drains are much higher, the results cannot be definitively determined.  The sampling events (baseflow and storm flow) were re-conducted during the week of October 13, 2008.

The response action is currently demobilized until EPA completes discussions with parties potentially responsible for the Site and further evaluates outstanding analytical information and next steps.

Remove PCB contamination from drainage features leading from the Site.

Remove sources of PCB contamination from the Site.

Further characterize the extent of contamination.

The surface water sampling events of August 19, 20, and 26, 2008, were plagued with problems stemming from poor documentation of sample location and sample labelling mixups.  The results indicate that PCB concentrations in the surface waters are elevated and the levels in the storm drains are even higher, but the results cannot be definitively matched to locations.  The samples were recollected during the week of October 13.