Chesapeake Products Site is an inactive fertilizer production/packaging facility located in a heavily industrialized area of Chesapeake, Virginia adjacent to the southern branch of the Elizabeth River. The site is approximately 7.6 acres in size. Prior to current site activities the property included several structures that were used for fertilizer manufacturing and storage of fertilizer raw materials. Numerous piles of micronutrient fertilizer and fertilizer raw materials were located inside site structures. The roof of the main warehouse building (building 7) had partially collapsed and almost the entire floor was flooded with water. The city of Chesapeake Fire Department deemed the buildings unsafe for occupancy in 2004. The main warehouse building contained approximately 314,000 gallons of flood water. EPA conducted site assessments at the site in 2005 and 2006. Analytical results indicated that site soils, material piles, and flood water contain elevated levels of lead and other hazardous substances or pollutants and contaminants. Chesapeake Products and Frit Industries, Inc. (Frit) entered into a
Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent with EPA in August 2007. Frit agreed to remove material piles and flood water from the site and to demolish site buildings. SCS Engineers is a contractor for Frit and is responsible for overall management of site activities for Frit. Old Dominion Demolition (Old Dominion) is a subcontractor who performed the demolition of site structures. All work required by the Settlement Agreement is now complete. Due to shortage of funding, removal activities originally planned for the spring 2009 were postponed. Removal actions at the site are now planned for December 2009.
EPA conducted an assessment at the site during the week of July 20, 2009. The purpose of the sampling was to identify areas of the site where removal of soil will be conducted. EPA contractors collected 41 soil samples. Soil samples were analyzed using a combination of an X-ray Fluorescence Analyzer (XRF) and traditional laboratory analysis. Of the 41 soil samples collected, 21 contained lead at concentrations exceeding 800 ppm.
EPA collected groundwater samples from three temporary monitoring wells. Metals including lead and aresenic were detected at elevated levels in all three wells. There are no drinking water wells nearby or down gradient of the site.
EPA plans to begin actions at the site in December 2009. Surface soil containing lead at concentrations greater than 800 parts per million (ppm) will be removed and shipped off site for disposal. Excavated soil will be replaced with clean soil.
EPA plans to mobilize a small crew of contractors to the site during the week of November 30, 2009 to begin site preparations including: installing security fencing, installing electric, and installing a work trailer. Full mobilization to the site is planned for December 7, 2009.
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