For Site description and background information, refer to previous POLREP.
The following activities occurred during the reporting period:
Over the weekend of 2/11 and 2/12/2006, all investigators and work crews halted operations at the Site due to inclement weather. Investigations and cleanup started again on 2/13/2006 with further staging of drums and other hazardous wastes away from the blast zone. .
On 2/14/2006 an excavator with shears arrived to allow cleanup crews to cut away overhanging debris from the west side of the plant. Once this debris was removed, the investigators were able to get an initial look at the reactors to assess the damage to them as well as determine whether or not a reactor was the cause of the explosion. Also on this day the OSC met with the Environmental Consultant hired by Synthron who will act as the Project Manager (PM) for the environmental cleanup phase of the removal. The consultant is from the firm WCD Consultants. A structural engineer was also on site to begin to answer questions about the structural integrity of the building. It was also determined that the storage area where Synthron stored their organic peroxides was destroyed in the explosion.
On 2/25/2006 the inventory manager for Synthron was on site to answer any questions about where things were stored and to also try and answer what amounts were present. The PM also submitted a draft sampling plan for the shoulders to the north and south of Amherst Rd.; this is the road where runoff from the Site pooled and eventually flowed to Hunting Creek.
On 2/26/2006 it was determined by OSHNC that the remaining structure around the reactors was too unsafe for any more entries and was subsequently condemned. OSHNC requested of Synthron that a licensed professional structural engineer needs to come in and assess the status of the building before any more investigations can take place. In the meantime, cleanup crews will be working on the areas surrounding the reactor building. Also on this day EPA received signed access agreements for the properties surrounding the Site in order to conduct sampling and cleanup if necessary.
As of 2/17/2006, the Emergency response phase of the response is complete. Morganton Department of Public Safety has concluded the onsite portion of their investigation and is demobilizing from the scene. Site activities (environmental cleanup) will be halted while the AOC is negotiated and the site work plan is developed.
Planned for the near future is a sampling event along Amherst Rd. to determine if runoff from the Site caused any damage to the soil along that road.
OSHNC will be on site continuing their investigation. Synthron will provide site security from 5pm to 8am everyday and all day on the weekends. Also, CCI will remain on site monitoring and also pumping out any runoff that collects due to rain or snow.
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