On Sunday, April 15, 2007 EPA R10 ER Duty Officer was notified of Mercury release at a residential property within the city limits of Yakima. Apparently, approximately 8 months ago a one liter bottle of mercury was either found or provided to two youths, 12 and 16 years old, at the residence. The youths and at least four other children in the neighborhood played with the mercury over the ensuing period. The 16-year-old was admitted to a hospital in Seattle late last week, being diagnosed with mercury poisoning. The Yakima Fire Department, Yakima Health District and Washington Department of Ecology responded to the spill. With the assistance of a response contractor, Ecology cleaned up visible mercury along the uncontrolled access street and sidewalk. Spilled mercury was thought to still be in the fenced yard and the home and concern exists over other potential areas of significantly hazardous contamination, including other homes, schools, vehicles, etc. Although the fire department made a preliminary inquiry in the neighborhood, it was not comprehensive or conclusive. EPA assistance was requested to lend technical advise and possible cleanup. OSC Kathy Parker and two EPA START3 contractors were dispatched early Monday morning. Additional resources including an OSC - Greg Weigel, 2 STARTS and 4 ERRS contractors were mobilized to determine the extent of contamination and address remaining unsecured contamination. Mercury vapor screening found high levels of mercury in the home of the boy suffering from mercury poisoning and in the neighboring home. Hot spots were identified in the yards of the two homes, and adjacent sidewalk. EPA initiated additional assessment and cleanup.
4/27/2007: Finished heating and ventilating the house at 1013 S. 6th St. and started air sample collection at 0430 hours. Collected three samples with sampling times varying from 7-8 hours. OSC Kathy Parker drove the samples to the Tacoma lab. START and ERRS demobilized.
4/29/2007: Received air confirmation results. Levels varied from 1400 to 900 ng/m3. The action level in air is 1000 ng/m3. START, ERRS, and OSC made plans to remobilize to site on 4/30/2007 to continue cleanup.
4/30/2007, Noon: 2 START, 5 ERRS, 1 OSC remobilized to the Site. Began removing remaining flooring with real time analysis of mercury in air using a Lumex. START found high levels of mercury in the drain from the kitchen sink (12,000 ng/m3). At OSC request, two employees from the City of Yakima Public Works, Wastewater Dept. and the Fire Marshall responded to assist with the location and configuration of drains from the house to the sewer. START tested the sewer connection line through the sewer cleanout access and measured elevated readings of mercury. While ERRS removed drain lines from the kitchen and laundry room, START found elevated levels in the sewer vent from the laundry room. Some of the drain lines were found to contain sediment and were bowed (concave direction).
ERRS will remove all the drain pipes from the house, ventilate the sewer line and START will retest the sewer connection line.
Remove soil with hot spots in the crawl space. Heat and ventilate the house and soil in crawl space.
Collect confirmatory air samples.
Get Yakima Health District clearance to reoccupy the house.
Replace building components.
Explore relocation cost savings measures - look for furnished apartment in Yakima near Middle School.
Negotiate compensation agreements.
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