In response to NRC Report #894615, and at the request of NCDENR, FOSC Rhame mobilized with an EPA START contractor to Reidsville, Caswell County, NC to the incident involving the discovery of multiple dumped drums off of a logging road near a unnamed creek. The unnamed creek is a tributary to Country Line Creek which is a tributary to Farmer Lake Reservoir, a public water supply for the town of Yanceyville NC. According to Caswell County Emergency Management, the drums contain, what appears to be, paint waste (one drum contains, what appears to be waste oil) and a 250 gallon tote of an unknown substance.
The drums were discovered by the property owner along a logging road that accesses their property. The property owner then notified the County Emergency Services. The property is used for agricultural purposes (tree farm). The property is not fenced (unrestricted) and has a unnamed creek that runs adjacent to the property that is a tributary to Country Line Creek which is a tributary to Farmer Lake Reservoir, a public water supply.
Upon arrival EPA met with County Emergency Services and County Environmental Health officials. EPA observed six (55 gallon) drums and one (250 gallon) chemical tote. Five drums contained what appeared to be a paint waste, one drum appeared to contain a waste oil, the chemical tote contained a unknown substance. Many of the containers had holes cut in the top and were leaking. EPA used a photo ionization detector (PID) to conduct air monitoring, readings were observed up to 50 parts per million (ppm), highest reading at the opening of the chemical tote.
EPA used caution tape at the entrance of the logging road off of Stoney Creek School Road to temporarily isolate the dumping site.
EPA will meet with the property owners on the morning of 1/13/2009 to gain access and to give notice. According to the property owners, they do not have the resources to address the dumped drums, they are on a fixed income (social security) and are innocent property owners that are victims of illegal dumping.
Overpack the leaking containers.
Excavate visible material that has already leaked.
Transport containers to a secure location for temporary storage until proper waste characterization and disposal can be arranged.
Containers were dumped on a unsecure property approximately .3 miles off of Stoney Creek School Road. The property has a unnamed creek that runs adjacent to and downgradient from the leaking drums that is a tributary to Country Line Creek that feeds Farmer Lake, a public water supply. The leaking drums were located approximately 500 feet from the unnamed creek.
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