Apparent dumping of unknown materials on US National Forest System road combines with deep loose sandy soil to cause local motorist to get stuck while driving through forest property. Stranded motorist and passenger receive help from neighbors to free vehicle. In the course of getting free, foreign substance is strewn about site and onto assisting community members. Lake County Emergency Management personnel mobilized to the scene to decontaminate those experiencing physical contact with unknown materials. The two motorists were admitted to local hospital for treatment of nausia and headaches.
Lake County HAZMAT Team field screened soil samples and detected formaldehyde with HAZMAT ID.
Initial Site actions conducted by USFS included closing the road pending environmental assessment.
EPA and FDEP mobilized to site to conduct a Removal Site Evaluation. EPA mobilized ERRS contractor Environmental Restoration (ER) and START contractor Tetra Tech Environmental Management to assist in removal activity and data collection.
Soil at the spill location was visibly stained and smelled of animal waste; however air monitoring with colormetric tubing detected no significant formaldehyde nor ammonia. Organic vapor readings from TVA 1000 indicated no significant deflection from background. Other than the dumped material, surface soil conditions were powder-dry.
EPA directed ER to excavate stained sandy soil from roadway and stage onto 6 mil polyethylene sheeting in a clearing several hundred yards from the spill location. Site personnel continuously exposed to unknown site vapors while conducting removal activities donned level C protection as a precaution. All others wore level D protection while in the contaminated zone. Approximately 450 feet of roadway were excavated to a clay lens underlying the sandy surface. The excavated stockpile measured approximately 100 cubic yards. All of the stained and pungent materials were removed from the roadway.
START members collected samples of excavated materials for laboratory analysis including total metals, volatiles, semi-volatiles, and formaldehyde.
The Florida Department of Health conducted a site visit to assess the nature and impact of the exposures.
Planned site activity includes securing the excavated stockpile and collecting confirmation samples form the roadway and shoulder areas. Additional soil samples will be collected from two other locations identified by USFS personnel as former alledged dump sites. Further, site access will be closed by installing timber bollards in roadway approximately 1/10 mile north and south of the spill location and marking the soil pile.
EPA intends to provide for appropriate disposal of contaminated stockpile. The determination of suitable disposal options will be based upon laboratory analytical data. This process will take several weeks.
Once a determination has been made, ER will arrange for economical transportation and treatment or disposal of the soil stockpile.
The USFS has agreed to backfill excavated roadway with materials indigenous to the forest after EPA determines removal actions are complete.
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