Franke's Laundromat operated as a laundry and dry-cleaning facility from the early 1960's until the business closed in March 2000. The site has been unoccupied since. Site investigation activities conducted by the property owners and City of Caldwell since 1999 have revealed high concentrations of tetrachloroethene, also known as perchloroethylene (PCE) in soils and groundwater at and downgradient of the site. PCE was detected in shallow groundwater at the site as high as 155,000 ug/l. PCE is in the lower aquifer 400 feet downgradient from the site at 120 ug/l. PCE in soils at approximately 9 foot depth are as high as 450 mg/kg.
On June 24, 2003, EPA entered into an Administrative Order on Consent with the property owners for removal site investigation activities, to characterize the lateral and vertical extent of PCE contamination and investigate appropriate removal action. The property owners refused to enter into additional negotiations for removal cleanup activities. EPA, therefore, is initiating a removal action to remove PCE contaminated soils that present an on-site human health exposure threat, or threat of continued migration off-site in groundwater and soils. In order to access highly contaminated soils beneath and adjacent to the former laundromat, the abandoned building must be demolished and removed.
May 24, 2004
Personnel on site:
ERRS Contractor - 7
EPA OSC - 1
Mobilized personnel and equipment to site. Equipment includes CAT 330 excavator, CAT IT28 loader and water truck. Installed temporary fence around site and portion of Caldwell Police Department parking lot to which we have access. Set up office trailer in parking lot. Removed from Franke's Laundromat building to temporary storage outside twenty-eight 55-gallon drums and twelve 5-gallon buckets of investigation derived waste left by property owner. Prepared building for demolition. Removed for proper disposal possible PCB containing florescent light fixtures. Removed plate glass. An earlier asbestos investigation revealed that no asbestos containing material remained in the building.
May 25, 2006
Personnel on site:
ERRS Contractor - 7
START Contractor - 1
EPA OSC - 1
Took down Franke's Laundromat building with excavator. Applied water with water truck to mitigate dust generation. Removed for disposal to RCRA Subtitle D landfill 60 cubic yards of non-hazardous construction debris (wood, tar paper, metal conduit, etc.). Stockpiled for separate disposal concrete and cinder block debris. Inspected and collected samples from sources of potential backfill.
Remove remaining concrete floor. Excavate contaminated soils. Send off for disposal. Backfill excavation pit and restore site.
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