United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region II
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

At 1615 hours on 10/29/08 EPA received a phone notification from the NRC that a chemical release was occurring at Abrachem Chemical, a bulk chemical packaging facility that leases property in Clifton, Passaic County, NJ.  The NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection requested EPA presence at the scene.

At 1730 hours OSC Ellen Banner and OSC Paul Kahn responded to the scene.  The company was found to be storing drums and bulk storage containers of known and unknown chemicals in 17 56-foot long intermodal shipping carriers, stacked 3 tiers high (approx. 35 feet).  Only 5 of the intermodals could be opened, and inside those it was observed that drums and bulk containers were staged behind tiers of new, blue poly drums which gave the impression that the intermodals were used only for new drum storage.  

The owner of Abrachem retained the services of a remediation company which was on the scene, but waiting for EPA to arrived prior to starting work.  Contractor personnel were advised to lay poly sheeting and begin removing/overpacking the leaking and unknown drums that were readily accessible.  Work commenced almost immediately, but at 2100 hours work was halted due to lack of adequate lighting and the physical inability to access the majority of the drums.  Work will resume on 10/30/08 when additional personnel and equipment arrive on-Site.

A meeting was held with the owner, EPA, state, and local authorities at 1000 hours on 10/30/08.
At that time a Field Expedient Notice was issued to Mr. Ted Frey, the owner/operator of Abrachem Chemical.

This POLREP will document that at approx. 2PM on October 31, 2008, OSC Paul Kahn hand-delivered a Field Expedient Notice to the Morristown, NJ office of James E. Hanson II, CEO and Founder of the The Hampshire Group, LLC, which owns the property at 2 Peekay Street, Clifton, and from whom Ted Frey, owner/operator of Abrachem Chemical, leases the building and land for his chemical packaging/storing business.

Mr. Hanson was given until November 5, 2008 to inform the EPA whether he will either perform, participate in, or fund a removal action at the Site, or none of the above.

As of 10/31/2008 two indentified PRPs have been informed of a federal interest in the release and threat of a release of hazardous substances, contaminants, or pollutants at the Site.  EPA will continue monitoring activities at the Site and await a reply from the operator of the Site and the owner of the Site.

See previous POLREP.