At approximately 2:45 pm on January 6th, 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received a call from the Washington State Department of Ecology requesting assistance in response to containers of unknown material located on a public right-of-way in Tacoma, Washington. It was reported that two large drums containing unknown substances were dumped on the side of the road near a large oil storage facility and directly adjacent to a public waterway. One drum had a label, but it wasn’t clear if the drum contained the original material. The site is completely unsecured and near a large oil storage facility posing a potential facility security concern. In addition, leaking material could impact storm drains and the nearby Thea Foss waterway.
START used hazard categorization techniques and other instrumentation to characterize contents of drums.
Based on profiles established, START arranged for transportation and disposal under the minor containment provisions of the START 3 contract.
The City of Tacoma was notified that all hazardous materials had been removed and they are proceeding with plans to remove the solid waste. The nearby oil storage facility has offered to fence the area to prevent future dumping.
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