See previous POLREP information.
On July 9, 2009, EPA issued a Unilateral Order to Cooper Industries, LLC, a Company tied to the former owner of the property at the Lin Electric Site. The Order requested that the Company complete the disposal of the waste materials accumulated and remaining at the Site. At this time, all accumulated wastes are removed from the Site. On October 15, 2009, EPA notified Cooper Industries, LLC, that it had completed its requirements under the Order after arranging for the removal of all wastes (including decontamination waters) from the Site.
EPA continues to evaluate environmental data (e.g., soil, ground water, and surface water) to conclude whether or not possible low level residual contamination at the Site may continue to adversely affect the environment or pose a threat. PCBs in remaining concrete are determined to be below concentrations of potential concern. Additionally, EPA is evaluating the potential that low levels of PCBs were inadvertently discharged into the sanitary system through the on-Site treatment system during the Removal Action.
Cooper Industries completed its requirements under the Order by completing the removal of all wastes and decontamination waters generated during the waste disposal activities by October 2, 2009. EPA notified Cooper that it had completed the Order requirements on October 15, 2009.
Analytical (PCB congener) results (from June 2009) for a shallow groundwater sample collected near the degreaser vault and Area 1d sump (in the northwest corner of the Site) indicate the presence of PCB congeners totalling approximately 10,430 pg/L. This concentration may be on the order of 7500 pg/L considering the interference of blank contamination. This concentration may be below levels of potential concern for ground water. However, EPA will consider further characterization of ground water at the Site as a potential means for off-Site migration of PCB.
This same sample of ground water contained several halogenated organic compounds including: trichloroethene (74 micrograms per liter (ug/L)); vinyl chloride (1.6 ug/L); cis-1,2-dichloroethene (28 ug/L); and tetrachloroethene (1.3 ug/L). EPA will evaluate whether this contamination poses a continuing threat as it may facilitate the transport of PCBs in the environment.
On July 23, 2009, EPA collected samples of water moving through an old sanitary system coursing through the Site as well as samples from the area sanitary system passing in front of the Site. The analytical results indicate that PCBs levels in the old sanitary system are low (estimated 1,348 pg/L) and that PCBs in the area sanitary system both at and upstream of the Site are more elevated (estimated between 24,944 and 27,024 pg/L). This information indicates sources other than Lin Electric contribute PCBs to the area waste water treatment plant and the Bluestone River. EPA conducted this sampling due to the potential that PCBs may have been discharged from the Site through the on-Site treatment system operated by EPA contractors during the Removal Action. The treatment system was used to remove PCBs from the large amounts of water flooding the Site in order to facilitate EPA's decontamination activities. Although the PCB loading from the Removal Action is low in the context of PCBs currently moving through the sanitary system due to other unknown sources, EPA nonetheless will coordinate with Bluefield Sanitary Board to address their concerns.
On July 23, 2009, EPA collected samples from the tertiary filter systems at the Bluefield Sanitary Board's waste water treatment facility and found low levels of PCBs (between approximately 9 and 15 ug/kg). The source of the PCBs is unknown. On this date, EPA also collected surface water samples from the Bluestone River upstream and downstream of the waste water treatment plant's outfall as well as a sample from the outfall. The analytical results show low and similar levels of PCBs (between 1173 and 1447 pg/L) at each sample location.
EPA collected an additional sample of the storm water at the Site and downstream of the Site on September 15, 2009. The result from storm water collected at the Site was between approximately 460 and 610 pg/L while storm water downstream of the Site (at Lynn Street) contained an estimated 29,000 pg/L. The information suggests that the amount of PCBs migrating from the Lin Electric Site into the area surface water (at least from the area storm drain under Area 4) may have been reduced. However, it appears that sources of PCBs continue to affect the waters draining into Whitley Branch.
Further characterize the potential that PCBs may be migrating from the Site through ground water pathways.
Coordinate with Bluefield Sanitary Board to resolve the potential that low levels of PCBs may have released from the Site during the Removal Action.
Complete evaluation of all environmental information in order to determine whether EPA Removal actions are completed.
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