At 1615 hours on 10/29/08 EPA received a phone notification from the NRC that a chemical release was occurring at Abrachem Chemical, a bulk chemical packaging facility that leases property in Clifton, Passaic County, NJ. The NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection requested EPA presence at the scene.
At 1730 hours OSC Ellen Banner and OSC Paul Kahn responded to the scene. The company was found to be storing drums and bulk storage containers of known and unknown chemicals in 17 56-foot long intermodal shipping carriers, stacked 3 tiers high (approx. 35 feet). Only 5 of the intermodals could be opened, and inside those it was observed that drums and bulk containers were staged behind tiers of new, blue poly drums which gave the impression that the intermodals were used only for new drum storage.
The owner of Abrachem retained the services of a remediation company which was on the scene, but waiting for EPA to arrived prior to starting work. Contractor personnel were advised to lay poly sheeting and begin removing/overpacking the leaking and unknown drums that were readily accessible. Work commenced almost immediately, but at 2100 hours work was halted due to lack of adequate lighting and the physical inability to access the majority of the drums. Work will resume on 10/30/08 when additional personnel and equipment arrive on-Site.
A meeting has been scheduled with the owner, EPA, state, and local authorities at 1000 hours on 10/30/08.
At that time a Field Expedient Notice will be issued to the owner of Abrachem and the owner of the property who leases the building to Abrachem.
The company's remediation contractor has suspended activities until 10/30/2008, at which time removal and staging of drums and other containers will resume.
Meeting with Abrachem owner is scheduled for 10 AM on 10/30/2008, at which time the operator/owner of the company will be issued a Field Expedient Notice (FEN) and required to initiate a complete removal of all containers haphazardly and improperly stored inside the 17 intermodal containers, preferably under the authority of an Administrative Consent Order.
As soon as the owner of the property is identified, a FEN will be issued to that party as well.
Attend meeting with company owner. Identify other PRPs and notify them of their potential liability.
Stabilizing site conditions to minimize actual and potential threats to the public and the environment, and ultimately the complete removal of all chemical containers.
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