At 10:28 am on January 2, 2005, the National Response Center (NRC #745957 and #745959) notified EPA Region 6 that Teris LLC, located at 309 American Circle, El Dorado, Arkansas had numerous explosions and fires. The explosions reportedly began at 0800.
The facility reported that an employee attempted to extinguish a small fire that quickly burned out of control in one of the waste storage warehouses. The warehouse stored an estimated 4500 drums of hazardous waste.
Local responders closed nearby highways and streets and imposed an evacuation. Approximately 2000 residents were evacuated.
EPA was requested to provide air monitoring support to the local and state responders.
Teris LLC is a hazardous waste incineration facility that operates rotary kilns for solid incineration and thermal oxidation for liquid incineration. Two warehouses are permitted for storage of containerized hazardous waste, as well as several agitated tanks for the storage of liquids awaiting incineration. The waste stored onsite are characterized as waste because there is no longer any economical use for them. Incineration has been determined to be the most cost effective and environmentally sound method of disposal for this waste. The waste are hazardous because they meet one or more of the standard hazard categories (flammable, reactive, toxic or corrosive). Teris handles two chemicals in the incineration process that are regulated under the EPA Risk Management Plan standard (40 C.F.R. 68), ethyl chloride and trimethylamine. Both flammable substances are present in mixtures (ethyl chloride in concentrations of 30% to 60% and trimethylamine in concentrations of 5% to 25%) and are liquids at ambient temperatures.
The products stored for incineration include a wide variety of petroleum based materials and other organic and inorganic chemicals in varying degrees of purity. The majority of the products are completely reacted, diluted, or mixed with dirt and debris. All products brought into the facility are profiled and analyzed by technical chemists to determine the proper disposition. The waste products are then subjected to extreme heat which breaks the chemicals down into its basic molecular structure, eliminating its hazardous components.
EPA’s Airborne Spectral and Photographic Environmental Technology (ASPECT) plane was immediately dispatched upon notification. The ASPECT completed its aerial monitoring of the site at 1320. Preliminary review of the ASPECT data collected shows low concentrations of triethylamine in the immediate downwind plume. The identification of this compound is consistent with RMP reporting for the facility. No other significant compounds were detected.
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A Tier IV response was also initiated. EPA OSC Chris Ruhl and EPA START contractors arrived at the site at 1550 on January 2, 2005. Upon arrival EPA was briefed of current conditions and activities.
Upon arrival, the fire had greatly subsided from prior reports. Fire fighting was conducted solely by Teris employees. Local responders were closely monitoring on site activities. The fire continued to burn in the part of the warehouse that stored Lithium and Magnesium waste. Teris was reluctant to fight the fire with water due to the potential water reactive nature of the metal waste. The facility was concentrating on keeping structures and adjacent buildings cool to prevent further escalation in the fire. Local responders supported this strategy and were willing to allow the fire to burn out. There was a noticeable plume emitting from the fire going North to Northwest.
The EPA immediately initiated air monitoring in the surrounding community. EPA focused on the areas down wind of the fire. EPA air monitoring data indicates safe air quality levels at all locations monitored.
Additional air monitoring was being conducted by Teris. Teris had contracted air monitoring from the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, LLC (CTEH).
At 1900, local officials lifted part of the evacuation. Approximately, 600 residents remain evacuated.
EPA will continue to monitor air quality in the community. EPA’s ASPECT plane will conduct another scan the morning of January 3. EPA will coordinate results with all stakeholders. EPA will continue to monitor fire fighting activities.
1) Approximately, 600 people remain evacuated.
2) The fire continues to burn.
3) Unknown quantities of unknown materials are located in the warehouse that is burning.
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