The Eastern Fine Paper (EFP) property is located at 517 South Main Street in Brewer, Maine (44°46.3' north latitude and 68°46.8' west longitude). The mill is situated in a mixed residential/commercial area of Brewer. The nearest residences are one block north and south of the site. EFP is bordered by the Penobscot River to the west and the Sedgeunkedunk Stream to the south. Much of the site is located within the 100-year flood plain of the Penobscot River.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 1, Emergency Planning and Response Branch (EPRB), was contacted the week of February 9, 2004 by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), requesting assistance in assessing a number of environmental threats at the EFP site posed by both potential freezing conditions and abandonment of the facility. On February 18, 2004, EPRB personnel visited the facility and along with DEP officials and plant personnel, toured the grounds and documented the stored chemicals, their locations, and associated environmental concerns. This preliminary assessment documented the following: approximately 200 (55) gallon drums, 50 - 100 (230) gallon totes, hundreds of pails and bagged product, a number of bulk tanks in various locations throughout the facility (along with charged lines to and from some of the vessels), PCB transformers, a large propane tank, and radiation sources. The chemical inventory includes drummed and bulk solvents (flammables), acids, caustics, biocides, oxidizers, and water reactives. There were also hundreds of smaller assorted containers in the laboratory. Many of the chemicals present in the facility were RCRA hazardous wastes, CERCLA hazardous substances, or pollutants and/or contaminants.
Although the threats associated with the mill were documented by EPA and DEP in February, a response was not initiated until June, 2004 due to efforts by the state of Maine and the city of Brewer to find a purchaser for EFP that would continue to operate the facility as a paper mill. During that time period, a skeleton crew worked at EFP keeping the process chemicals heated to avoid any freeze related discharges to the environment. In addition, the DEP consolidated hundreds of drums, totes and assorted chemical containers in a central warehouse on the EFP property for potential reuse by other facilities. When the attempts to revitalize the mill failed, EPA was given the go-ahead in mid-May, 2004 to mobilize to the site and begin cleanup operations.
The following activities have been conducted since EPA and their cleanup contractor, Shaw E & I (Shaw) mobilized to the site on June 14, 2004:
* Traced and drained charged lines connected to totes/drums/containers/storage tanks;
* Collected, consolidated and appropriately staged totes/drums/containers;
* Collected samples for hazard category analysis;
* Inventoried and staged laboratory chemicals;
* Drained and collected water treatment product lines;
* Removed, consolidated and staged thousands of fluorescent bulbs, mercury switches and thermostats, fire extinguishers, and PCB ballasts;
* Consolidated and staged empty containers;
* Bulked contents of similar totes;
* Drained freon from facility chiller units;
* Began process of draining PCB oil from transformers;
* Facilitated and assisted in the loadout of chemicals and oils for reuse and recycling;
* Began initiating bids for transportation and disposal of remaining hazardous materials.
EPA and Shaw are currently working with subcontractors to drain and remove the PCB oil from a number of on-site transformers and are completing the removal of process chemicals for reuse/recycling. Shaw is coordinating the transportation and disposal of hundreds of drums and assorted containers of hazardous substances, universal hazardous waste, and pollutants and contaminants that are staged in the central on-site warehouse.
Shaw is currently working with a number of businesses to facilitate the removal of the remaining process chemicals for reuse. They are also finalizing the bidding process for the drainage and removal of PCB oil from the on-site transformers. The removal of the transformers will likely involve some minor demolition and restoration of exterior walls as they were constructed after the transformers were put in place. In addition, there will be electrical work necessary to maintain power and lighting to the work areas once the PCB transformers are taken off line. Shaw will also be soliciting bids for the transportation and disposal of all of the remaining drums and assorted containers of hazardous materials from the site.
* Coordinate with a number of businesses to facilitate the removal of the remaining process chemicals for reuse;
* Complete the bidding process for the PCB transformers which involves working with two separate vendors. The first vendor will be responsible for draining and packaging the PCB oil and the transportation and disposal of the PCB oil and the transformers. The second will be responsible for removing the transformers from the structures and placing them on the trucks.
|
