On 16-JUN-05, OSC Stilman mobilized to the Broken Sound Anthrax Site to conduct a removal site evaluation, based on a request from the Palm Beach County Health Department (PBCHD). On 12 June 2005, the PBCHD contacted EPA regarding flooding in the basement of 5401 Broken Sound Blvd. In October of 2001, 5401 Broken Sound Blvd. (former AMI Building) received a package or letter contaminated with bacillus anthracis (Ba). Sampling by EPA, the Centers for Disease Control and the building owner’s contractor found Ba throughout. In July of 2004, the building owner’s contractor decontaminated the three top floors using chlorine dioxide (ClO2). Before decontamination, papers, photos and other office supplies were boxed, placed on pallets and moved to the parking garage. Approximately 600 pallets of this material, presumed to be contaminated with Ba, were originally placed in the parking garage. The parking garage is partially above ground and open to the air. In May of 2005, the building owner’s contractor began transporting the palletized material to an auto-clave for treatment. On 30-May-05, operations were halted due to a contract dispute. Between 01-JUN-05 and 15-JUN-05, the owner attempted to stabilize the contaminated boxes and prevent flood waters from contacted the boxes. On 15-JUN-05, the PBCHD found operations on site being conducted in an unsafe manner and halted all work. On 16-JUN-05, OSC Stilman mobilized to the Site and met with the PBCHD. On 17-JUN-05, the PBCHD and Florida Department of Health, by letter, formally requested EPA assistance with potential releases of Ba from the Site. There are approximately 480 pallets with 6,000 boxes of material presumed to be contaminated with Ba left.
A June 30, 2005, Action Memorandum authorizes continued stabilization. Stabilization includes operation of the groundwater dewatering pumps to ensure that the parking garage does not flood until the building owner mobilizes a qualified contractor to assume this responsibility. EPA will also continue to provide technical assistance to the PBCHD.
EPA restaged 337 of the 480 pallets on cinder blocks to limit contact between the boxes and potential flood water. EPA secured breached boxes by shrink wrapping 22 (of 337) pallets prior to restaging them. This technique ensured that BA spores will not be further released into the air. EPA has operated the groundwater dewatering pumps manually to ensure that flooding does not recur. EPA has conducted all of the above in manner consistent with health and safety guidelines for BA clean ups. EPA has used an approved decontamination system to ensure that workers are properly decontaminated as they egress.
Of the 480 palletes, there are approximately 125 palletes of boxes that were autoclaved and returned to the parking garage. These palletes are wrapped in a tarp. It is not known if these were recontaminated by the flood. EPA left these in place. Also, 15 pallettes remain in the fume chamber. These were auto-claved, but test strips still indicated the presence of Ba spores. 5 additional palletes were fumigated, cleared with confirmatory testing, and are staged in the parking garage.
The building owner is currently working with a contractor to mobilize to the site to assume manual operation of the pump and to repair the faulty automatic system. However, the contractor has not yet mobilized to the site and may not be able to mobilize until next week. Even under ideal circumstances, the EPA contractor would need to brief the incoming contractor on the pump operation.
EPA remains on site with a contractor to ensure that the groundwater de-water system operates properly. The electric pump will remain on; however, EPA will make regular checks of the flow meter and the site well to ensure that the pump does not run dry. If the electric pump fails, EPA is prepared to manually activate the back up diesel pump.
EPA OSCs Dorian and Stilman will continue to work towards transition to a contractor employed by the building owner.
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