For approximately 20 years, the property owner operated a junkyard until his death in March of 2003. During the junkyard operation, the owner burned automotive parts onsite to remove non-recyclable materials from recyclable metal. Remaining on site there are scrap-metals, piles of tires, cylinders, batteries, mooring buoys, fuel tank with oil, hot water heaters and automobile parts. The soil is contaminated with lead and PCBs. There is a two-story wood house (constructed in 1890) and a 12’x20’ corrugated metal shed/lean-to. Additionally, there is a 16’x16’ corrugated metal shed that currently houses a crushing machine located over a pit filled with unidentified fluids.
This inactive two acre Site is referred to as Lot 44 on the Town of Perry, Maine Property Map #18.
It is bounded:
• to the north by woods;
• to the south by Gleason Point Road and, private residences;
• to the east by private residences and a marine fabrication business; and,
• to the west by private residences.
All of the homes utilize wells for their drinking water supply. Access is not restricted. The Site is within one mile of the Little River, a tidally influenced river that flows into Passamaquoddy Bay. There is a bald eagle nest on the Little River within a ½ mile of the Site.
According to the EPA Region 1 Environmental Justice Mapping Tool, the Site is in a minority environmental justice area.
On June 20, 2006, OSC McKeown conducted an investigation with staff from Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MEDEP). McKeown and MEDEP staff collected soil samples and submitted them to the New England Regional Laboratory for total characteristic leachate procedure (TCLP), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), base neutral acids (BNAs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)/pesticides analyses. The results are as follows.
Sample# XRF PCBs TCLP Lead VOCs
X- 26 520 0.7 1.0
X-43 665 5.7 124 Detected*
X-44 1420 7.6 36 Detected*
X-50 1650 1.2 8.2 Detected*
X-53 3010 19.7 158 Detected*
All results in parts per million (ppm).
* VOCs – trimethylbenzene, MEK, bromomethane, xylene, toluene and benzene.
toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP).
Results for samples X-43, X-44, X-50 and X-53 exceed the TCLP lead limit of 5 ppm. This means that the soil is hazardous by characteristic and is considered a RCRA waste.
On October 19, 2006, OSC McKeown and Shaw transportation and disposal coordinator Gary Benham conducted a site a site walk and evaluate initial personnel, equipment, logistical and supply needs of this removal action. Benham collected a sample of the liquid in the pit and a sample of the lead and PCB-contaminated soil for disposal purposes.
• Excavate contaminated soil and stockpile on-site;
• Conduct soil sampling to confirm that all contaminated soil is removed;
• Dispose of materials in accordance with the Off-Site Rule;
• Backfill excavated area with clean fill and grade the Site;
• Sample containers such as pit, tanks and cylinders, and dispose of contents;
• If necessary, provide site security; and
• Repair response-related damage.
Mobilize to Site and start excavating lead and PCB contaminated soil.
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