Pollution Report Profile - EPA OSC Response

Abrachem Chemical
Clifton, NJ - EPA Region II
POLREP #39 - Additional Drums Shipped for Disposal and/or Reuse

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On-Scene Coordinator - Paul L. Kahn, Michael Hoppe	5/21/2009
Time-Critical - Removal Action	Pollution Report (POLREP) #39
Start Date: 1/2/2009

Site Description
At 1615 hours on 10/29/08 EPA received a notification from the NRC that a chemical release was occurring at Abrachem Chemical, a bulk chemical packaging facility that leased a building in Clifton, Passaic County, NJ.  The NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection was on-scene and requested EPA's presence.

At 1730 hours OSC Ellen Banner and OSC Paul Kahn responded to the scene.  The company was found to be storing drums and bulk containers of known and unknown chemicals in 17 56-foot long intermodal shipping carriers (ISCs), stacked 3 tiers high (approx. 35 feet).  Only 5 of the ISCs could be opened, and inside those it was observed that drums and bulk containers were staged behind tiers of empty poly drums, giving  the impression that the ISCs were used for new drum storage.  EPA observed that in the one ISC where the release originated at least one drum was leaking its contents onto a wooden pallet; strong chemical odors emanated from the open door of the ISC and were also pervasive in the general area.

The Operator of Abrachem retained the services of a remediation company, and contractor personnel were advised to lay poly sheeting and begin removing and overpacking the leaking and unknown drums that were readily accessible.  Work commenced almost immediately, but at 2100 hours was halted due to lack of adequate lighting and inability to phyusically access the majority of the drums through the narrow doorway.

The Operator of Abrachem and the Owner of the property was issued a Field Expedient Notice, and in response the Operator stated he would initiate a removal action.  When his efforts to respond to the release, and threats of a release, proved to be inadequate EPA sought voluntary access to initiate a response action.  This access was denied on two occasions.  On 12/4/2008 EPA issued a Unilateral Administrative Order (UAO) for access.  The Operator refused to comply with the UAO and EPA referred the matter to the Department of Justice for a legal remedy.  On 1/8/2009 a federal Magistrate issued an access warrant to EPA to initiate a response action at the Site.

Current Activities
Removal activities continue.  On 5/19 a rep from BASF visited the site and labeled 50 drums of waste BASF chemicals.  On 5/20 Univar picked up 44 drums of waste chemicals and shipped them back to their Belvedere, NJ facility for reuse.  On 5/21 BASF picked up the 49 drums of various waste chemicals and 1 drum of boron trifluoride, all of which were shipped for T & D at no cost to the government.

OSC contacted Aberco Inc. regarding retrieval of their single drum of highly flammable propylene oxide found at the Site.  The company is sending a truck on 5/26 to ship the material back to the main plant in MD for reuse.

An investigation of the floor drains inside the premises was initiated by the OSC.  Tracer dye tablets were dropped into two floor drains, but the drains were clogged and the water could not carry the dye through the system.  Additional tests will be initiated in other areas of the premises.

ERRS has devised bulking schemes for the drums which will not be addressed by original suppliers.  Bulking activities will begin very soon, in concert with the on-going efforts to have suppliers retrieve their (waste) chemicals.

On 5/21 members of the Clifton FD were on site for a 4 hour drum sampling training day.

Planned Removal Actions
Continue working with chemical suppliers to retrieve their waste chemicals. Begin bulking compatible chemicals that are not being returned to original manufacturers.

Next Steps
See above.

Key Issues
See above.

Disposition Of Wastes

Waste Stream	Quantity	Manifest #	Disposal Facility
Univar/Kramer Chemical: paraformaldehyde, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric acid.	44 drums and bags	Bill of Lading	All chemicals being returned to manufacturer for resuse.
BASF sodium methylate powder	1 55-gallon drum	004300978JJK	Heritage WTI, E.Liverpool OH OHD980613541
Drums of BASF waste chemicals, including amines, formic acid, sodium hydroxide, boron trifluoride, and Lutenol, a propriety resin/polymer.	49 55-gallon drums	004300975 004300976 004300977	Hertiage/Waste Technologies: all haz waste. Vexor Technology: all resins