Pollution Report Profile - EPA OSC Response

Abrachem Chemical
Clifton, NJ - EPA Region II
POLREP #53 - Shipping the Last Drums of Chemical Wastes

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On-Scene Coordinator - Paul L. Kahn, Michael Hoppe, On-Scene Coordinators	9/3/2009
Time-Critical - Removal Action	Pollution Report (POLREP) #53
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
This week ERRS shipped 383 drums and bulk containers of waste chemicals for T & D. Union Carbide/Dow Chemical sent a truck to retrieve 9 drums of their chemical wastes for disposal at no cost to the government. With the departure of these 9 drums (see POLREP cover photo) there are no longer any chemicals at this Site. In addition to these 392 drums, one 30-cu. yd. roll-off of used PPE and poly sheeting was shipped for fuel-blending.

ERRS is currently crushing empty metal and plastic drums for recycling, bulking the remaining used PPE and poly, cleaning the floors of the Site, and collecting/disposing of trash and misc. debris.

Site security was terminated as of 0800 hours on 9/3.

An e-mail was sent to various interested parties announcing the departure of the last drum of waste chemicals.

Planned Removal Actions
Complete drum crushing, pallet crushing, and bulking used PPE/poly.
Ship all remaining unused metal/poly drums back to supplier or to other EPA removal sites. Compose letter to Mayor of Clifton informing him of the completion of on-site activities and summarizing accomplishments.

Next Steps
Complete shipping of all remaining non-chemical waste streams, clean building, demobe personnel and equipment and turn premises back to the owner.

Issue FINAL POLREP.

Key Issues
None.

Disposition Of Wastes

Waste Stream	Quantity	Manifest #	Disposal Facility
Misc. waste chemicals	69 drums and bulk containers on 8/31/2009	004197523JJK	Pollution Control Ind., E. Chicago, IL RCRA ID # IND000645943
Misc. waste chemicals	62 drums and bulk containers on 8/31/2009	0041975522JJK	Pollution Control Ind., E. Chicago, IL RCRA ID # IND000645943
Misc. waste chemicals	61 drums and bulk containers on 8/31/2009	0041975521JJK	Pollution Control Ind., E. Chicago, IL RCRA ID # IND000645943
used PPE and poly sheeting	30 cu. yds.	bill-of-lading #187984	Freehold Cartage, Freehold, NJ
Misc. waste chemicals	51 drums and bulk containers on 9/1/2009	004794485JJK	Pollution Control Ind., E. Chicago, IL RCRA ID # IND000645943
Misc. waste chemicals	70 drums and bulk containers on 9/1/2009	004794486JJK	Pollution Control Ind., E. Chicago, IL RCRA ID # IND000645943
Misc. waste chemicals	14 drums and bulk containers on 9/2/2009	004794488JJK	Pollution Control Ind., E. Chicago, IL RCRA ID # IND000645943
Misc. waste chemicals	56 drums and bulk containers on 9/2/2009	004794487JJK	Pollution Control Ind., E. Chicago, IL RCRA ID # IND000645943
Acrolein (2), carbon black, misc. Dow-Corning, Union-Carbide drums.	9 drums on 9/3/2009	003000702FLE & 00300704FLE	Clean Harbors, Chattanooga, TN RCRA ID# TND982141392