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Synthron Chemical Fire

All POLREP's for this site Synthron Chemical Fire
Morganton, NC - EPA Region IV
POLREP #8 - Clean-up Continues
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On-Scene Coordinator - Perry Gaughan 9/30/2006
Time-Critical - Removal Action Pollution Report (POLREP) #8
Start Date: 5/9/2006
Pollution Report (POLREP) #8
Site Description
For Site description and background information, refer to previous POLREP.

Current Activities
Errs remobed to the site on Tuesday, September 5th following the Labor Day weekend. Errs continued staging drums by compatibility group for disposal and consolidating liquids from small waste tanks into 250 gallon totes for future bulking operations. Throughout September,  Errs concentrated on disposal of over 800 drums of hazardous waste including bulking of compatible drums to minimize disposal costs.  

Disposal activities during September included: 16,190 gallons of aqueous non hazardous liquid to HOH Corporation, Winston Salem, North Carolina, 3315 gallons of flammable liquid to EQ Environmental, Apex, North Carolina, 34 drums of 2-methylimidazole to PCI Synthesis, Newbury, Mass, 26 drums of stabilized butyl acrylate to Hexion Corp, Roebuck, SC, and 61 drums of stabilized butyl acrylate to BASF Corporation, Houston, Texas.           ......

Errs also continued demolition operations of the concrete structures around the tank farm area to prepare the tanks for transfer. Three large 20,000 gallon fiberglass tanks were taken down. Errs also prepared two large steam boilers for future cutting and disposal. On site collection and treatment of stormwater continues.  

START contractors conducted on site and off site sampling during the first week of September to identify areas of concern east of the main reactor building and to insure that no hazardous substances migrated off site during the initial explosion and fire. USCG Strike Team continues to monitor general site activities with emphasis on contractor safety.    

The OSC continues to coordinate site operations with Synthron management and local government officials. On September 26th, at Synthron’s request, a former employee was permitted access to the maintenance shed area to retrieve his personal tools and items prior to the shed be demolished.    





Planned Removal Actions
Continue demolition of main building to recover hazardous materials.  Continue sampling and hazcatting of totes and tanks.  Begin discharge of FT 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 to POTW.  Schedule disposal of remaining frac tanks.  Continue perimeter monitoring for dust and asbestos during demolition activities.

Key Issues
Disposal of wastewater for off site treatment and to POTW.
Disposition of unopened raw materials
Bulking of hazardous and non-hazardous waste for disposal
Asbestos segregation and removal
Demolition of main building and boiler rooms
Inventory of assets that will be left on site