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 and includes several structures that were used for fertilizer manufacturing and storage of fertilizer raw materials. Numerous piles of micronutrient fertilizer and fertilizer raw materials are located inside site structures. The roof of the main warehouse building (building 7) has partially collapsed and almost the entire floor is flooded with water. The city of Chesapeake Fire Department deemed the buildings unsafe for occupancy in 2004. The main warehouse building contains approximately 314,000 gallons of flood water. EPA conducted site assessments at the site in 2005 and 2006. Analytical results indicate 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 performing the demolition of site structures. EPA plans to address site soils after Frit has completed demolition of site structures.
Old Dominion received a demolition permit on August 14, 2008 and demolished building 8 (metal garage). Building debris was placed in rolloffs and will be shipped off site for disposal. Prior to demolition, approximately 12 55-gallon drums were moved from Building 8 and were staged at the concrete storage area inside a secondary containment area. The secondary containment area was constructed using poly sheeting and dirt berms. The drums will be sampled and disposed of as appropriate.
Approximately 75 linear feet of asbestos pipe wrap was removed from pipes in Building 4. Glove bags were used to contain asbestos during the removal. Personnel wore proper personal protective equipment and personal sampling was conducted. Asbestos was placed in a locked roll off container pending disposal. Demolition of Building 4 is planned for the week of August 18.
Removal of material piles from Building 1 continued. This material was staged on the concrete storage area. Additionally, Old Dominion began removing wire from buildings 7, 4, and 1 for recycling.
- Frit's contractors will remove flood water and material piles from all site buildings and demolish site buildings.
- A small transformer and an aboveground storage tank in the main warehouse will need to be assessed and disposed of off site.
- Contractors plan to begin pumping flood water located in the main warehouse to a barge during the week of September 8, 2008. Flood water will be transported to a private water treatment facility.
Demolition of Building 4 is planned to begin during the week of August 18.
Frit is in the process of determining whether material piles will be shipped to their facility in Arkansas for processing or to an alternate fertilizer company.
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