The Piqua Hospital Site is a former medical facility located at 624 Park Avenue in Piqua, Miami County, Ohio. The area is surrounded by residential properties, and Nicklin Elementary School to the west, immediately across the street. Good Sheppard Presbyterian Church is located southeast from the former hospital, immediately across the street. The site contains three buildings - the partially demolished Main Building, intact Administration Building, and the demolished Boiler Building.
The site was operated as a hospital since the 1920s under the name of Piqua Memorial Medical Center. The Piqua Hospital permanently ceased providing medical services in 1996. In 2008, the current owner arranged for demolition activities which were later terminated in December 2008 when the Regional Air Pollution Control Agency (RAPCA) issued a stop work order pursuant to illegal asbestos removal activities associated with the demolition. The City of Piqua issued a nuisance order to the owner in February, 2009 requiring environmental and safety issues to be resolved before further demolition will be permitted.
In March, 2009 the Ohio EPA and the City of Piqua requested U.S. EPA assistance at the Piqua Hospital Site noting abandoned hazardous waste and outdoor asbestos debris piles.
On March 17-18, 2009, a site assessment was completed by U.S. EPA On-Scene Coordinators (OSC) Steve Renninger and Lori Muller, RAPCA Sarah Gostomsky, Ohio EPA OSC Jim Crawford, and Superfund Technical Response Assistance Team (START). The site assessment included a health and safety meeting, site reconnaissance, air monitoring, sample collection for waste chemicals and asbestos, hazard characterization and analysis.
The Main Building was found to be partially demolished with debris piles located on all sides. Approximately 75% of the Main Building windows were broken or missing. Numerous doors ranging from standard door size to loading bay door size were found to be missing or left open. The portion of the facility designated for radiation related activities was demolished with the debris remaining onsite. Numerous exterior wall breaches ranging from small to very large were noted on all exterior wall facets. The penthouse located on the roof was found to be missing an entire wall on the north side as well as large section from the roof of the penthouse itself. The former Boiler House was completely demolished, with only the basement remaining.
U.S. EPA OSCs Steve Renninger and Lori Muller and START conducted reconnaissance activities at the Site on March 3, 2009. No source of radiation were noted during the reconnaissance, however, the portion of the facility designated with radiation placards was demolished with the debris pile still onsite. Numerous containers were noted for sampling to determine whether the contents classify as hazardous waste. On March 17-18, 2009, OSCs Steve Renninger and Lori Muller, Ohio EPA Jim Crawford, and START conducted a more thorough inventory of possible hazardous waste. Twelve containers were sampled and sent to a laboratory for analysis.
OSC Lori Muller and RAPCA representative Sarah Gostomsky, an Asbestos Hazard and Emergency Response Act [AHERA]-certified asbestos inspector, conducted bulk asbestos sampling activities from inside the building and outdoor debris piles. Eight bulk samples were collected and sent to a laboratory for PLM analysis.
Site Assessment Results
•The presence of substances that are characteristic of corrosivity:
Results found on-site (pH) - <0.1 (acid) and 13.5 (caustic)
•The presence of elemental mercury found throughout the building. The elemental mercury was found in switches and abandoned blood pressure units.
•The presence of used medical syringes and other supplies was found in biological waste containers onsite.
•The pervasive and intermingled presence of asbestos found among the other site hazards both inside and outside (parking lot) of the Main Building.
On April 3, 2009, U.S. EPA, Ohio EPA, RAPCA, and City of Piqua representatives met with consultants hired by the Site Owner (Zeigler Environmental) to discuss the upcoming work to be conducted at the Piqua Hospital Site. A Phase I Work Plan was submitted to U.S. EPA to stabilize the ACM containing debris piles located outside the Main Building and enclose the penthouse area. U.S. EPA approved the Phase I Stabilization Work Plan on April 3, 2009.
On April 6, 2009, U.S. EPA, Ohio EPA, RAPCA, and City of Piqua representatives held a media briefing to inform the public of the current progress of this project, outline work that will be completed in Phase 1, and answer questions pertaining to the project. See Links section for news articles.
Week of April 6, 2009, Zeigler Environmental completed mobilization of equipment and personnel to the project Site. Construction of a decontamination unit, covering of stormwater drains, and marking off regulated areas was completed. Off-Shift site security was initiated on April 3, 2009. Perimeter signs were installed during the week of April 6, 2009. Perimeter air monitoring and covering of outdoor ACM debris piles was initiated on April 9, 2009.
Phase 1 Stabilization Work:
Continue Off-Shift Site Security.
Continue stabilization of outdoor ACM debris piles (sprayed covering)
Continue collection of storm water
Complete stabilization of penthouse roof ACM area.
Continue Off-Shift Site Security.
Continue stabilization of outdoor ACM debris piles
Continue collection of storm water
Complete stabilization of penthouse roof area.
Initiate development of a Phase 2 Work Plan for removal of outdoor ACM debris and hazardous waste at the site.
The Phase 1 Stabilization will cover outdoor ACM debris piles and penthouse ACM area on roof. Phase 1 is scheduled to be completed in April 2009.
Phase 2 will include removal and off-site disposal of outdoor ACM debris piles, securing openings in former hospital building, removal of hazardous waste (acids, caustics, mercury).
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