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 was held with the owner, EPA, state, and local authorities at 1000 hours on 10/30/08.
At that time a Field Expedient Notice was issued to the owner of Abrachem and the owner of the property who leases the building to Abrachem.
The company's remediation contractor has resumed limited work, but is constrained by a broken forklift which is preventing access to other intermodal contianers.
OSCs met with owner of company on 10/30 to discuss situation. Also in attendance were reps from the Passaic County Health Dept. and Building Code Enforcement, the Clifton FD, and the attorney for the RP. After some discussion the RP was issued a Field Expedient Notice and given until 11/4/08 to reply to EPA as to his intentions to perform the removal action.
Operator of company provided the name and address of the company that owns the property from whom the RP leases the building and land.
EPA will observe RP removal activities on 10/31, 11/3 and 11/4, at which time the RP will indicate his intentions regarding the removal action.
Monitor RP removal efforts, prepare contingency plans in the event RP decides it cannot or will not undertake the removal action.
Site security is a concern, given the history of, and on-going fire code violations.
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