Pollution Report Profile - EPA OSC Response

Tank Car Corporation of America
Oreland, PA - EPA Region III
POLREP #34 - Jan 31-Feb 6

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On-Scene Coordinator - Myles Bartos, On-Scene Coordinator	2/9/2011
Time-Critical - Removal Action	Pollution Report (POLREP) #34
Start Date: 1/29/2007

Site Description
See previous POLREPS for Site description information.

A summary of the removal site evaluation (characterization) conducted is contained in the document "Summary of Removal Site Evaluation Analytical Data", dated February 2, 2010, posted to the web at www.epaosc.org/tcca.  In general, the Site contains inorganic and organic contamination of soil (primarily sandblasting grit) and shallow underground water (contaminated by former lagoon contents and tank releases).  Additionally, the Site's ground water and surface water exiting the TCCA property contains detectable concentrations of Site-related contamination.  Finally, samples collected from residential properties adjacent to the Site and from dirt alongside the roadways leading from the Site contain detectable concentrations of inorganic and/or organic contaminants attributable to the Site.

The TCCA Site contains a large amount of sandblasting grit contaminated by inorganic contamination (e.g., lead) and organic contamination (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)).  The Site formerly contained lagoons; the residuals in these lagoons contain high concentrations of organic contaminants such as benzene, naphthalene, and PAHs and these contaminants have entered into the subsurface soils and shallow underground water.

The Site property continues to be used by numerous businesses for storage of equipment and materials.

Based upon the analytical results of the samples collected during the removal site evaluation and an evaluation of the potential threats posed by the hazardous substance contamination at the Site, EPA Region III approved additional funding to conduct additional response actions at the Site. The total funding now available for response actions is $2,650,469.  The response action will generally include actions intended to consolidate onto the TCCA property those hazardous substances posing a threat which have migrated from the property and to minimize further release of hazardous substances from the Site through a combination of disposal and covering actions.

After obtaining formal access to the railroad property adjacent to the TCCA property, EPA re-initiated the response action at the Site.  Initial actions focused on characterizing the contaminants upon the railroad right of way, evaluating drainage from the TCCA property, evaluating details of the pending response action (such as erosion controls), and coordinating with the Site owner, users of the property, and State and Local government entities.  The OSC informed adjacent residents of the general nature of the pending response action and then re-initiated response activities on October 19, 2010.

Current Activities
ERRS continue to remove the sand layer over top of the waste along the northern border of the large lagoon.  Additionally, backfilling began in areas previously excavated along the eastern edge of the large lagoon. An additional excavator and technician were mobilized to site to assist with disposal activities.

Transportation and disposal of waste began on 2/3/11.  A total of 36 truckloads, with an estimated weight of 846 tons, of non hazardous large lagoon waste was transported to the Clean Earth facility in Morrisville, Pennsylvania for disposal.  Also on 2/3/11, an additional truckload of non hazardous construction debris was trucked offsite and disposed of at Minerva Enterprises in Ohio.

All remaining large lagoon waste will be sent to the Clean Earth facility for disposal with the exception of three areas where sample analysis has shown elevated levels of PCBs and Arsenic.  These 10 ft x 10 ft sections of waste will be excavated, segregated and disposed of at a different facility.

Daily air monitoring continued during waste handling activities.  No exposure levels of health concern have been recorded.  Air monitoring will continue to be conducted throughout the workday along the eastern fence line and along Walnut Ave.

ERRS continued work on a plan for heating the water treatment tanks.  High winds tested the feasibility of an initial tent design, therefore additional options are being considered.  The treatment system has not been needed thus far.

Equipment from Site tenants was temporarily parked in the parking area along Walnut Ave to allow work to be conducted in the small lagoon area. Now that this task is complete, the equipment will be returned to the rear of the Site, and the parking area will return to being only used for personally owned vehicles.

The Township of Oreland received an odor complaint from a resident near the Site.  The Township responded to the concern directed with the resident and forwarded the concern to the OSC.  OSC Bartos met with the resident to discuss the operations at the Site.  The odor traveled farther than the OSC had anticipated (the resident was severl hundred yards from the property).  Due to this greater than anticipated area, the OSC did additional door to door outreach.

Planned Removal Actions
Off-site transportation and disposal will continue for several weeks.

The remaining sand above the lagoons will be removed and the lagoon material will be trucked offsite. An estimated 20-40 truckloads per day will be hauled offsite.

Additional trucks will be hauling in clay material to install the final "cap" over the site.

Disposition Of Wastes

Waste Stream	Quantity	Manifest #	Disposal Facility
Hazardous Waste Liquids (USTs)	13,330 gallons	various	Republic Environmental Hatfield, PA
Hazardous Waste Liquids (AST-2)	14,011 gallons	various	Republic Environmental Hatfield, PA
Non Hazardous Liquids (AST-1)	14,590 gallons	various	Republic Environmental Hatfield, PA
Non Hazardous Solids (AST-4)	31840 pounds	552437	Republic Environmental Hatfield, PA
Non Hazardous Liquids (Ammonia)(AST-5)	7518 gallons	various	Vickery Environmental, Vickery, OH
Hazardous Waste Solids (USTs)	387 tons (est)	various	CasieEcology, Vineland, NJ
Hazardous Waste Liquids (UST-4)	8356 gallons	various	Giant Resource Recovery, Sumter, SC
Hazardous Waste Solids (UST-4)	25,632 pounds	004352265	Green America Recycling, Hannibal, MO
Hazardous Waste Debris (UST-4)	1500 pounds	004352265	Waste Management, Emelle, AL
Flammable Liquids(drums)	165 gallons	004352265	Ross Incineration, Grafton,OH
Flammable solids	300 pounds (est)	004352265	BuzziUnicem, Cape Girardeau, MO
Phosphoric Acid	55 gallons	004352265	WastePath, Calvert City, KY
Non Hazardous Liquids (drums)	140 gallons	004352265	WastePath, Calvert City, KY
Non Hazardous Soil (around UST-4)	209.42 tons	various	Commonwealth Environmental, Hegins, PA
Waste Fuel	760 gallons	77436	Enviromental Recovery Corp., Lancaster, PA
Non Hazardous solids (UST residue from scrapping ops)	300 pounds	001	Modern Landfill,York,PA
Non Hazardous Construction Debris	approx 512 tons	various	Minerva Enterprises
Non Hazardous solids (large lagoon)	approx 846 tons	various	Clean Earth, Morrisville, PA
Non Hazardous solids (small lagoon)		various
Hazardous solids (small lagoon)		various
Non Hazardous solids (sands)		various