Biological Processors of Alabama (BPA) located in the industrial area of Decatur, Alabama and was referred to the Emergency Response and Removal Branch by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM). BPA is a centralized waste treatment facility that collected, treated wastes from facilities throughout northern Alabama. The facility utilized oil/water separators, precipitation of wastes and neutralization in preparation for discharging to the Decatur Waste Water Treatment Plant.
The facility started operations in the Fall of 2004 and ceased operations in the Fall of 2008.
The site consists of 35 frac tanks, 16 above-ground storage tanks (ASTs), 1 tanker truck, an open pit, secondary containments, process equipments, numerous drums and totes, and many laboratory reagents. There are more than 1 million gallons of wastewaters containing hazardous substances abandoned at the site.
The following activities took place March 2-4, 2009:
The open pit was closed to prevent overflow of its contents. Liquids and sludges were removed from the pit, dried, and is currently covered on-site. Samples of the sludge was obtained. The open pit was then backfilled.
The following activities took place on April 2, 2009:
There was an off-site release from a frac tank with a poor seal. Rain infiltrated the frac tank causing its wastewater to overflow. The wastewater was then carried several hundred feet off-site via roadside ditch. The release killed vegetation in its path. Impacted areas were excavated and the frac tank is now secured.
Wastewaters from the open-top ASTs had to be pumped down to allow for additional freeboard. The open-top ASTs had minimal freeboard remaining from frequent rain events. In addition, the liquids in the upper secondary containment and the lower secondary containment had to be pumped down to prevent an overflow. The upper containment contained an oily wastewater. It appears at least 1 AST was leaking into the secondary containment. The lower secondary containment appears to contain rainwater.
The following activites took place on May 2-4, 2009:
The upper and lower secondary containments had to be pumped down to prevent a release. The upper secondary containment contained a thick, oily and green liquid. Several ASTs were leaking into the containment. The leaks were identified and addressed. The lower secondary containment was full of rainwater and there was evidence that the containment was leaking.
There was evidence that the site was broken into. The chain lock at the gate was cut and ERRS' equipment trailer was stolen. In addition, it appears that someone tried to break the pipes of the ASTs.
A trackhoe was brought to the site to determine if there were buried totes in the back of the site. A reporter's source who once worked at the facility claimed that there were 70 totes buried in the back. Several parallel trenches averaging four feet deep were dug in the graveled area, and many random holes up to 10 feet deep were dug in and around dirt mounds. No buried totes were found.
On May 12, 2009, the CIC, ADEM, and OSC visited the site to discuss methods to address the public about site activities at BPA.
The Time-Critical Action Memorandum was approved on May 12, 2009. This memorandum will address the removal activities at the site. The site will be address in 2 phases. Phase 1 will address the higher threats. These includes ASTs, piping, secondary containments, containers, tanker truck, and any impacted soils. Phase 2 will include process equipment located inside the building and frac tanks.
Representative samples of the wastewaters and sludges will be sampled for PFCs during the week of May 18.
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