This site is a former fireworks manufacturing facility. During World War 2 some munitions manufacturing may have occurred. Wastes onsite include fireworks components spread throughout the site in a number of small buildings and trailers. Many of these buildings and trailers are unsecured and in poor condition. The site is fenced, but the fencing was in poor condition with a number of openings in it (as of 3/29/07). On 3/25/07, a building onsite caught fire (allegedly started by vandals) and burned.
On 3/28/07, OSC Gregory Ham issued a Special Bulletin to activate an emergency response on site to address the hazards posed by potential fireworks and fireworks components onsite. On 3/29/07, the OSC and technical and cleanup contractors mobilized to the site, collected 21 samples of various materials onsite. Several bags of hexachloroethane were found onsite, along with small bags of pigments containing nitrobenzene. Two drums of material containing potassium perchlorate were found also.
On 4/3/2007, a hazard categorization was conducted on each of these samples. The results revealed 9 substances that were oxidizers, 5 shock sensitive/reactive, 4 flammables, 2 combustible, and 2 that gave off colored smoke (a number of samples were in multiple categories above). 9 samples gave no reactions.
The suspected hazardous/flammable materials onsite were overpacked or bagged and stored in two secure locations onsite, awaiting sample results for final disposition. The operator of the site has repaired the fencing onsite (completed 4/27/07).
On April 27, 2007, OSC Ham and the cleanup contractor returned to the site and collected samples of the waste materials for disposal analysis. The hexachloroethane (a listed hazardous substance) and the pigments containing nitrobenzene were bagged and overpacked. These materials are still stored onsite in secure locations awaiting disposal.
On May 4, 2007, OSC Ham sent the work plan for a removal assessment of the entire site to the attorney representing the site owner. The owner was given until May 18, 2007 to submit a satisfactory work plan if he is interested in doing the assessment work (under a consent agreement with EPA).
Evaluate work plan submitted by the site owner and determine if discussions can proceed. If not, EPA will proceed with implementing the assessment work plan.
Removal hazardous materials from the site once transportation and disposal arrangements are completed (expected by end of May).
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