Chesapeake Products Site is 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 and was previously used for the production of micro-nutrient fertilizer. Prior to 2009 several large buildings were located on site. The city of Chesapeake Fire Department deemed the buildings unsafe for occupancy in 2004. EPA conducted site assessments at the site in 2005 and 2006. Numerous piles of micro-nutrient fertilizer and fertilizer raw materials were located inside site buildings. The roof of the main warehouse building had partially collapsed and almost the entire floor was flooded with water. The building contained approximately 314,000 gallons of flood water. Analytical results indicated that site soil, material piles, and flood water contained 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 (AOC) with EPA in August 2007. Frit agreed to remove material piles and flood water from the site and to demolish site buildings. All work agreed to under the AOC was completed between August 2008 and May 2009. On November 30, 2009 EPA initiated a removal action at the site to remove lead contaminated surface soil and to decontaminate concrete surfaces.
Site personnel demobilized from the site on December 24, 2009 for the holidays and mobilized back to the site on January 04, 2010 to resume removal activities.
ERRS completed excavating lead contaminated soil in the southwest portion of the site (Grids A1, A2, and B1) and began excavating soil in the center of the site between building foundations and the site access road (grids C1 - C3). Soil in this area was excavated to a depth of 1 - 2 feet. START contractors used an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer to assist EPA in delineating the extent of contamination and areas that require excavation. Approximately 1,000 cubic yards of soil and construction debris was excavated during this reporting period and was stockpiled on a concrete pad (previous location of Building 2). Approximately 2,300 cubic yards of soil and debris have been excavated to date. Rail spurs including rails and rail ties were removed from the center of the site to allow for soil removal.
START conducted monitoring for airborne particulates in the area of the excavations. No exposure limits were exceeded. An engineer was on site on December 28, 2009 to meet with the OSC and discuss options for stabilizing the riverbank along the southwest corner of the site.
ERRS maintained erosion and sediment control. Water pooling up behind of sedimentation controls was pumped through a Dirtbag (geotextile sediment filter).
EPA will continue to excavate surface soil that contains lead at concentrations of greater than 800 parts per million (ppm). Areas that require excavation will be identified by using an XRF analyzer and existing analytical data. Concrete surfaces will be decontaminated in areas where lead is detected at concentrations greater than 800 ppm.
Excavated soil will be shipped off site for disposal at an appropriate facility and will be replaced with clean fill. Rail ties will be transported off site for disposal as hazardous waste. Excess dirt will be removed from rails and they will be cut down to a manageable size. Rails will either be left on site for disposal/recycling by property owner or shipped off site for recycling by EPA.
The following tasks are planned for the next reporting period:
- Maintain erosion/sediment controls.
- Continue excavation and stockpiling of soil.
- Begin filling excavations with clean fill.
- Continue making preparations for transport and disposal of soil and debris.
|
