During the week of August 20, 2007, a rain event and subsequent flood event occurred on the Blanchard River in western Ohio. On August 23, 2007, the River crested at nearly 9 feet above flood level, and six Ohio counties were subsequently declared "Disaster Areas" by FEMA. As a result of the flooding, many tanks, drums, small containers, and household hazardous waste (HHW) containers were transported several miles downstream by the flood waters and discharged in wooded and remote areas along the Blanchard River and its tributaries. On August 29-30 and September 5, 2007, EPA performed road and river reconnaissance under a FEMA Mission Assignment to locate these orphaned/abandoned containers in Putnam County. On October 4, 2007, the Superfund Technical Assistance and Response Team (START) and Emergency and Rapid Response Service (ERRS) contractors were mobilized to Hancock County to assist in the removal of previously identified tanks, drums, small containers, and HHW that were orphaned/abandoned by the flood waters.
On October 2, 2007, the Hancock County Landfill manager gave EPA permission to set-up a staging area at the landfill. A staging area for the recovered items was established on a concrete pad near the white goods staging area at the landfill.
On October 4-5, 2007, tanks, drums, small containers, and HHW from the Blanchard River and its tributaries in Hancock County, which were discovered during the road and river reconnaissance were removed.
On October 4, 2007, removal activities began with the furthest upstream location, southeast of the City of Findlay, and continued downstream.
• At Mount Blanchard Park, two small containers that were identified during the road reconnaissance were gone.
• At the Central Parkway bridge over the Blanchard River, one tank that was identified during the river reconnaissance was removed.
• At Beech Avenue, one drum with a hand pump that was identified during the road reconnaissance was removed.
• At East Front Street, one drum and 10 small containers that were discovered during the road reconnaissance were removed.
• At North Cory Street, along the north bank of the Blanchard River, three drums and five small containers that were identified during the road and river reconnaissance were removed.
• At Township Road 89 (0.25 miles west of Township Highway 140), along the north bank of the Blanchard River, 20 newly discovered small containers were removed.
• At Township Road 89 (south of 10305 US224), in a debris jam along the north bank of the Blanchard River, 10 compressed gas cylinders (propane, helium, and freon) and one drum identified during the road reconnaissance were removed. In addition, approximately 750-1200 small containers and HHW identified during the road reconnaissance were removed from this location.
At the end of the day, all recovered items were transported to the Hancock County Landfill staging area.
On October 5, 2007, removal activities continued at the last location visited on October 4, 2007.
• At Township Road 89 (south of 10305 US224), in a debris jam along the north bank of the Blanchard River, one newly discovered 500-gal tank, one 200-gal tank that was identified during the road reconnaissance, and three newly discovered drums were removed. Work continued on the location with 750-1200 small containers and HHW identified during the road reconnaissance from this location.
• At Township Road 89 (southeast of Swale Park and Hancock Bike Path), along the north and south banks of the Blanchard River, three drums and 15 small containers discovered during the road and river reconnaissance were removed.
All recovered items were transported to the Hancock County Landfill staging area.
A total of three tanks, 12 drums, 750-1200 small containers, and 10 compressed gas cylinders were removed from the Blanchard River and its tributaries in Hancock County.
- Complete the tank, drum, small container, and HHW recovery effort in Hancock County.
- Sample all tanks, drums, small containers and household hazardous waste.
- Perform Hazard Categorization (HazCAT) on all samples.
- Segregate and dispose of all materials.
- Recycle all empty drums and scrap metals at the Hancock County Landfill.
Sample, segregate and dispose of all tanks, drums, small containers, and HHW at the Hancock County Landfill staging area.
None.
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