EPA has been performing an emergency removal action at this site which has primarily involved the stabilization, repackaging, transportation, and removal of hazardous magnesium materials and other solid wastes from the facility. EPA completed repackaging abandoned magnesium materials that have been stored in drums that have succumbed to varying degrees of corrosion. The repackaged materials have now been removed from the site. Areas of the site including open pad areas, low areas and drainage ways have been cleared of residual wastes that had spilled when the facility was operating. Low-level radioactive solids, and miscellaneous waste material have been packaged and shipped off site for disposal. Lime was removed from eight large vertical vats located on the west and south side of building 2. The lime was neutralized and shipped off site for disposal. Materials from a large debris pile on the south side of the property was segregated. Scrap metal was sent to a recycler, debris was shipped as municipal waste to landfill, fines were stockpiled in a windrow for later disposal, and concrete rubble was stockpiled. Current activities involve sample collection and investigation by EPA and START of areas containing elevated concentrations of arsenic and/or lead. PADEP is overseeing site activities for the state and providing support. EPA Superfund Technical Assessment & Response Team (START) contractor TechLaw is providing technical and administrative support to the EPA. ERRS demobilized on February 24, 2009 and are arranging disposal of the fines screened from the debris pile. An extent-of-contamination sampling event is underway. Lawrence County is maintaining Site control.
Personnel On-Scene:
03/02/09 START-3, PADEP-2
03/03/09 START-3, PADEP-2
03/04/09 START-3, PADEP-2
Weather:
03/02/09 Low of 8° F, high of 16° F, lt. snow, overcast, 0.00” precipitation, wind NNW to 21 mph
03/03/09 Low of 3° F, high of 23° F, clear, 0.00” precipitation, wind NNW to 13 mph
03/04/09 Low of 5° F, high of 34° F, clear, 0.00” precipitation, wind WSW to 7 mph
02/25/09 – 02/27/09
The OSC and START prepared for conducting extent-of-contamination sampling in hot-spot areas that were previously identified having elevated arsenic and lead concentrations in surface soil. Sample maps were prepared and activities planned.
START conducted arsenic and lead (Pb) regression analysis between validated laboratory data and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) data from soil samples collected during 2007. The analysis indicated a poor arsenic correlation existed between unprepared bag samples analyzed by both XRF and an off-site lab. A good correlation was determined for lead. The OSC determined that extent-of-contamination samples will be collected and prepared in XRF cups. XRF results will be compared with laboratory results to determine if a correlation for arsenic exists for prepared soil samples.
START conducted XRF analysis on 21 bagged soil samples collected on 2/24/09 at ground surface and at 1 and 2 foot depths at hot-spot locations. Results indicated that in most cases concentrations of lead (Pb) decreased with depth.
03/02/09
Three START members mobilized to the Site and began extent-of-contamination soil sampling in hot-spot locations. START placed a grid on 20’ centers in the loading bay area using a sub-meter GPS equipped with site aerial and 20’ x 20’ grid overlay. START collected 29 soil samples from the loading bay area near hot-spot 9-N,92 at the centers of each grid. START updated the OSC on progress of activities.
PADEP M. Hoffman and K. Jordan were on-site to conduct oversight and provide technical assistance.
03/03/09
START placed a 20’ grid in the area south of building No. 9. The area of interest is bounded to the north by building No. 9, to the east by the western edge of the asphalt lot, to the south approximately by the northern edge of the field, and to the west by the substation and rubble stockpile. START collected 93 soil samples from this area surrounding hot-spots 8-A,1, 8-C,1, 8-C,3, 8-E,1 and 7-F,0. START updated the OSC on progress of activities.
PADEP M. Hoffman and K. Jordan were on-site to conduct oversight and provide technical assistance.
03/04/09
START completed sampling in the area south of building 9 near hot-spot location 7-F,0. Nine (9) soil samples were collected. One 5-point composite sample of the stockpiled soil was collected at the request of the OSC.
START placed a 20’ grid in the area north of building No. 9 surrounding hot-spot 5-C,0. START collected 18 soil samples in this area.
START placed a grid on 20’ centers in the area southwest of building No. 9 and across the road surrounding hot-spot 9-R,102. START collected 10 soil samples in this area.
START collected six (6) samples surrounding hot spot location 9-M,106. A grid was not used in this location due to steep wooded terrain.
A total of 165 soil samples and one composite pile sample was collected throughout the sampling event. All samples were placed in labeled plastic zipping bags to later be prepared in XRF cups for XRF screening and off-site inorganic analysis. START updated the OSC on activities throughout the event. All personnel demobilized from the Site.
PADEP M. Hoffman and K. Jordan were on-site to conduct oversight and provide technical assistance.
03/05/09 – 04/03/09
START prepared 186 surface soil field samples collected during hot-spot and EOC sampling events for XRF and off-site inorganic laboratory confirmation analyses. Bagged samples were dried, ground, sieved, and placed in XRF cups. In addition, duplicate samples were created at a rate of 10% and lab QC samples at the rate of 20%. Prepared and bagged samples were analyzed with the XRF and data files were downloaded and reviewed. Sixty (60) samples were selected based on high, medium and low XRF concentrations of arsenic and lead to be analyzed via off-site lab to establish correlation. These samples were shipped to Datachem Laboratories, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT for total metals analysis on 3/30/09. XRF analyses of bagged samples was completed on 4/3/09.
Laboratory data on the prepared XRF samples will be received and reviewed to determine if the XRF can be used as a screening tool to support excavation of contaminated grids. Mobilization to the site is planned for 4/13/09 to conduct transportation and disposal of the contaminated soil that was sifted from the construction and demolition rubble of buildings 10 and 11. In addition, excavation of contaminated areas and exploratory trenching southwest of building 9 will be conducted.
None
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Disposal Summary as of 4/3/09:
Magnesium Turnings, Flammable Solid, Haz Mat: 6,017,825 pounds
Magnesium Scrap, Non-Haz Mat: 766,273 pounds
Total: 6,784,098 pounds
Low Level RAD drums: 334,275 pounds
Bulk Load Waste Piles: 6,638,140 pounds
Waste misc. liquids (Non-magnesium): 4,125 gallons
Waste misc. solids (Non-magnesium): 228,759 pounds
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