Diaz Intermediates Corporation (Diaz) is located in a rural industrial area at 301 Wyanoke Road in West Memphis, Crittenden County, Arkansas (AR). Diaz was a supplier of high purity, halogenated, fine organics to the chemical industry, using bromine as the primary raw material in the formulation of their products. In late July 2007, Diaz shut down the facility and in August they filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, in the Eastern District of Arkansas.
The Site contains approximately 2,200 containers of varying sizes (from 5 gallon pals to 550 gallon plastic totes), 8 above ground storage tanks, and 7 railroad tank cars. The contents of these containers varies from finished products, to off-specification and/or intermediate products, and raw materials. In addition, material remains within some of the processing equipment including vessels and piping. On September 12, 2007, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) requested assistance from EPA for a potential removal action at the Diaz Site.
During late October 2007, EPA conducted a removal site assessment at the Site. All containers were inventoried and 42 samples were collected from representative containers for hazard categorization (HAZCAT®) field chemistry testing. The results of the field chemistry testing showed that most of the drums were either corrosive or flammable.
On December 4, 2007, ADEQ requested that EPA Region 6 return to the Site to abate the releases or threaten releases to protect public heath and the environment, due to deteriorating conditions of the drums, that included several minor leaking drums, and the presence of pooled storm water in the secondary containment areas.
Between June 7-10, 2010, EPA conducted the last removal stabilization activities at the site that included:
* Inspected all containers (drums, totes, ASTs, and railroad tank cars);
* Replaced all damaged drum bungs and plastic poly drum and tote lids;
* Transferred 4 – 275 gallon tote and 5 – 55 gallon plastic poly drum contents from either leaking and/or poorly deteriorated containers to new containers stored at the site;
* All standing storm water identified in the following areas: the east drainage ditch, the Old and New Tank Farm secondary containment systems, the South Drum Pad Area, the Bulk Truck Loading Pad Area, inside the Process Building and the Warehouse was either discharged off-site as uncontaminated rain water or pumped into the city sanitary sewer system for further treatment.
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