The Cannon Road Drum Site (formerly Social Circle Cotton Mill) is located at 148 Cannon Road in the city of Social Circle in Walton County, Georgia. The site coordinates, as measured from the front entrance to the property, is N 33.65252 Latitude by W 83.72062 Longitude. The site is bordered on the south and west by residential homes and on the north and east by a railroad and an overgrown field, respectively. Many of the old mill houses along the western and southern sides of the site are still occupied.
The Social Circle Cotton Mill operated at the site from 1901 until 1982. The mill manufactured bed sheeting made from 35% cotton and 65% polyester. During its peak the mill employed 225 workers. In April 1994, the mill's main structure was severely damaged by fire. Less than half of the 3-story brick structure remains standing today. There are also several support buildings for the mill in varying stages of decay on the 3.84-acre site.
The site was referred to EPA by the city of Social Circle. Records indicate the property has been leased for various types of business use. The most recent tenant used the property to store several thousand containers of mixed hazardous substances. The bulk of the materials appears to have been procured from Department of Defense surplus. In 1997, the containers were abandoned at the site when business operations ceased at the property.
The abandoned substances include resins, adhesives, mercury amalgam, cleaning solvents, paint thinners and some unknowns. Incompatible containers of hazardous substances are commingled together and vary in size, type and degree of degradation. Evidence of vagrant trespass and vandalism was observed during EPA's December 2006 reconnaissance of the site.
From January 31 to February 7, 2007, ERRS ontinued stabilization activities in the main storage area. This activity consisted of relocating stacked pallets of 5 gallon buckets and commercial product to floor level. Cleaning operations consisted of clearing walkways of debris and dirt. To date, ERSS has completed 80% of this activity. From February 5, 2007, to February 7, 2007 ERSSbegan clearing Bays A and C of Building 1, which is adjacent to the front gate. Bay A, located in the northern portion of Building 1 was cleared of hazardous materials. Non-hazardous trash and debris was moved the back of the Bay A. Non-hazardous trash and debris was moved from Bay C to Bay A. As of February 7, 2007 this activity is 100% complete.
ERSS also continued staging hazardous materials. Pallets which contained labeled boxes and drums of identical commercial products were transferred from the main storage building to allow more work space for stabilization activities. Miscellaneous and unknown hazardous materials will continue to be stored in the main storage area until they can be placed in the appropriate waste stream. START member Darius Soltes continued logging containers for inclusion in the site database. Information collected included drum/container type, size and condition. Any information present on specific chemical constituents or manufacturer name and address was also recorded.
Lead screening was performed in Bay C of Building 1 by START. The brick wall of the bay, an undisturbed dirt pile in one corner of the bay, a pile of swept dirt, and cleared concrete were all surveyed with a Niton XRF instrument. No lead was detected on the surface of the brick wall; however the dirt and cleared floor yielded readings between 165.3 ppm and 593.1 ppm. These readings are similar to concentrations detected in the main storage building. As a result, the PPE level for clearing and cleaning operations were upgraded to Level C.
Tetra Tech produced an excel spreadsheet of drum logs from staged pallets. A location map, site map, and sketch of the staging areas were prepared for EPA. The site map illustrates major site features such as buildings, perimeter gates, a water tower and a cistern located on-site. A second site map illustrates the perimeter air monitoring locations that are screened on a daily basis. A photo log of site photographs taken during the month of January was also prepared.
ERSS will continue cleaning and stabilization activities inside of the main storage building. Stabilization will begin in Bay B of Building 1. START will continue air monitoring of the perimeter and work areas, site documentation, and completing drum logs.
ERSS will continue cleaning and stabilization activities inside of the main storage building. Stabilization will begin in Bay B of Building 1. START will continue air monitoring of the perimeter and work areas, site documentation, and completing drum logs.
20 1 quart size containers of a Methyl Ethyl Ketone mixture have been identified. Conatiners are corroded and will be tested for the presence of peroxides which may be produced by MEK as it degrades after long periods of storage.
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