CAPC is a medium sized commercial metal plating facility that performs several kinds or electroplating. Historically the site has been used for plating operations with zinc, nickel, copper, chromium, silver, gold, tin, and cadmium. Although processes varied from one metal to another, their general process involved pre-cleaning with caustic solution or solvent, acid pickling (which eliminated scales remaining after cleaning), metal plating, and often a final chromate dip to protect plated surfaces. Zinc plating is currently the primary process at the site. The facility employed approximately 13 people.
The primary concern at this Site was the threat of fire and explosion. The secondary concern is the threat posed by CERCLA hazardous substances and pollutant or contaminants releasing from abandoned drums, Above Ground Storage Tanks (AST's) and process area vats. Drums and containers onsite will continue to deteriorate over time. As a result, the potential of solvents, acids, bases, oil, and toxic chemicals to be released to the environment is high.
See initial Polrep for further background information.
THURSDAY OCTOBER 2, 2003
EPA’s Project Manager (Marc Callaghan) and Ecology and Environment (Erin Lynch), met with the following individuals with the City of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) to discuss next steps on site:
Gerald W. Baumgartner, Industrial Source Control Manager
Miguel Santana, Manager Industrial Pretreatment Program
Angela Henderson, Permit Manager
Marveita Redding, Environmental Compliance Manager
Aaron B Wieting, in the Industrial Stormwater Program.
The meeting served to discuss the following topics: 1) Past Discharge Violations, 2) Next Steps on Site, and 3) Correcting Misinformation Contained Within EPA’s Administrative Record and Action Memorandum.
1) Past Discharge Violations: Contamination on site and outside the facility still exists. Recent analytical data indicates that elevated metal concentrations in exceedance of the existing facility permit remain on site. This is of concern because on site water accumulation continues to collects at two onsite low areas or catchbasins. The catchbasins were originally intended to drain on site water outside the facility via the city stormwater system. This system has been plugged and should not be opened until contaminant concentrations can be addressed.
2) Next Steps: EPA contractors will mobilize back on site to begin decontaminating the outside surface areas designated as the South Side (SSSA)and North Side Staging Areas (NSSA).
3) Information related to the BES and contained within the Administrative Record (a collection of records on file at the local library) and the Action Memorandum needs to be corrected. Corrections will be addressed by the BES and submitted to EPA to be entered into the existing Administrative Record as an Addendum.
October 20-29, 2003
10/20/03-10/29/03: Total metals and cyanide concentrations in storm drain samples are above the wastewater discharge limitations set forth by BES. The following activities were conducted in an effort to remove the source of contaminants to stormwater and to prevent the off site migration of contaminated stormwater. The ERRS contractor removes empty vats in the SSA from the site as a possible source of contaminants. The ERRS contractor removes salvageable metals from the SSA and from the debris pile in the SSA. The ERRS contractor removes miscellaneous debris from the SSA and the NSA as RCRA and non-RCRA solid waste. The asphalt and storm drains in the NSA and the SSA are power washed by the ERRS contractor and the decontamination water is pumped into a Baker tank. Pumps with float actuators are set in the NSA and the SSA storm drains to automatically pump accumulated stormwater into a 20,000 gallon Baker tank. The START-2 samples decontamination water after it has been thoroughly agitated in the Baker tank for 15 minutes. The samples are then submitted for laboratory analysis of RCRA metals and total and amenable cyanides. Based on the results of these analyses, it will be determined whether it is more cost effective to treat the waters with a filtration system or to dispose of them as a hazardous waste. Sampling of storm water will continue until it is determined that storm water can consistently meet discharge requirements and be discharged to the POTW without treatment.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 (EPA) concluded its Time-Critical Removal Action at the Columbia American Plating Facility in Portland, Oregon on March 4, 2004.
On Thursday May 15, 2003 DEQ's Emergency Response Program (DEQ) contacted and requested EPA's Emergency Cleanup Unit (ECL) for assistance in evaluating and mitigating the imminent threat to human health and the environment posed by the Columbia American Plating Facility (hereafter referred to as the “Site”). EPA was asked by DEQ to stabilize the site and initiate a removal action if the determination was made that: 1) the site presented an immediate risk to public health or welfare or the environment; and 2) the responsible party was incapable of responding in a timely manner to the actual and threatened releases of hazardous substances from the site. EPA determined that an Emergency Response (ER) and Removal Action (RA) was appropriate and began its time-critical ER on Friday May 16, 2003.
Initial ER site activities were directed at securing and stabilizing the site through the management and control of on site water accumulation and the covering of open containers exposed to the environment. Further assessment of site conditions and hazard categorization identified the following RA objectives:
1. Continued management and control of on site water accumulation
2. Removal and off-site disposal of all drums and containers containing hazardous substances
3. Removal and off-site disposal of contaminated debris
4. Thorough subsurface sampling to determine extent and release of hazardous substances
EPA has met the above objectives and has removed the imminent and substantial endangerment to human health and the environment at this site: a total of 77,507 gallons of hazardous liquids and a total of 560 cubic yards of hazardous waste and non-hazardous debris located in tanks, drums, containers, sumps, and secondary containment systems have been removed from the Site for proper treatment and disposal.
Work within EPA has begun to transistion this project from that of a Federal Superfund Emeregency Response and Removal Action to that of State oversight. Work has begun at EPA to contact Site Assessment and Brownfields coordinators to assist in this transistion. Legally EPA's Office of Regional Council has placed a lien on the property and continues to explore cost recovery options.
1) WASTE STREAM TRACKING:
-Please refer to Polrep #5 for waste removed from the site between 6/16-7/11/2003.
-Please refer to Polrep #12 for waste removed from 7/11 on.
2) PUBLIC DOCUMENTS:
-The Administrative Record for this site is available for Public review at the Multnomah County Central Library located at 801 SW 10th Ave./ Portland, OR 97205. The Administrative Record can be located in the Government Doucuments Collection. Mary Goldie is the Library Contact.
-Please refer to Documents link at the bottom of this page for Spreadsheets Tracking Accomplishments and Wastestreams leaving the site.
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