Pollution Report Profile - EPA OSC Response

Powhatan Mining Company
Woodlawn, MD - EPA Region III
POLREP #25

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On-Scene Coordinator - Jack Kelly	6/4/2011
Time-Critical - Removal Action	Pollution Report (POLREP) #25
Start Date: 8/16/2010

Site Description
The Powhatan Mining Company site is the location of a former asbestos processing facility. The mill operated from approximately 1920 to 1980 primarily processing anthophyllite asbestos.  Asbestos ore for the mill was mined in Maryland until about the 1940s and later brought in from several States including California, Georgia and Alabama. The site is bordered on all sides by residential properties and the residential yards to the southwest lie within feet of the former processing facility and in the path of site runoff.  In 2006, the property to the east of the former mill was  subdivided into residential lots for new home construction. From 2006 to 2008, the residential lots were  cleared and graded and retention ponds were installed. Development ceased after only two homes were constructed.

The former processing facility is a multi-story building with a loading area on the northeast end (cement block portion) and a processing area at the southwest end (rusted metal portion).  The asbestos fiber extraction process took place inside the building complex.  Asbestos ore was reportedly received and first dried in the cement block portion of the complex.  Further processing of the rock ore is believed to have occurred in the metal portion of the facility, a multi-level, timber-framed structure with stone foundation and corrugated metal siding.  In the milling operation believed used at this facility, the asbestos ore was first crushed to a normal, even size and then dried.  Fiber extraction then occurred through a series of crushing operations, each followed by vacuum aspiration of the ore running on a vibrating screen.  On the screen, the fibers were released from the ore and collected into a vacuum system.  Fibers recovered from consecutive vibrating screens were brought to cyclone separators, and the air filtered to remove the finer, suspended fibers.

The property was brought to EPA's attention by the Maryland Dept of the Environment.  After an initial assessment, a non-emergency Removal Action primarily intended to secure building openings was initiated by the OSC in a Special Bulletin dated August 11, 2009.  More recent sampling data and conditions warranted a time-critical action. A time-critical Action Memorandum for the site, concurred on by HQ, was signed on June 8, 2010. In addition, a memorandum authorizing demolition and compensation to the property owner was approved by the Region and HQ on this date.

EPA will be conducting removal activities at the site in order to deconstruct the facility and remove/cover soil which may pose a threat to public health and/or the environment.  During activities which will cause significant disturbance of interior dust or outdoor soils, air samples periodically will be collected from personal sampling devices on cleanup personnel to determine if proper levels of protection are being used at the site.  Additional air samples will be collected along the perimeter of the site to confirm that engineering controls are protective of the surrounding community.

Current Activities
5/23 - OSC Kelly not onsite for family issues.  OSC GHam covering the site.  Demolition activities continued.  START conducted air sampling and monitoring during demolition activities. Perimeter air samplers moved to locations nearer residential yards and Rasche Bros employees. OSC Kelly discussed H&S issues with SHEM Weisberg.

5/24 - OSC Wenning at the site this day.  OSC Kelly onsite at 1630.  Demolition activities continued.  START conducted air sampling and monitoring during demolition activities.  Trench was dug for electric line from owner's house to location of new garage. New garage is completely framed.

5/25 - OSC sends air sampling data to ATSDR.  OSC met with property owner regarding property owner request for a phone line.  Demolition activities continued.  START conducted air sampling and monitoring during demolition activities.  Electrician completes installation of electric line.  ERRS closed electric line trench.  Large portion of building demolished as of today.  OSC discussed possible issues with silica in cement/concrete with NIOSH.

The OSC spoke with ORC on the draft Action Memo circulating for concurrence.   The OSC contacted several companies that worked on the PHD property seeking information on soil mounds,  Unsuccessful in obtaining information.

A section of the faclity was pulled down rather quickly today before water could be adequately delivered.

The OSC and ORC independently spoke with MDE about an "environmental covenant" for the site after EPA work is completed.

5/26 - Demolition activities continue, only remaining structures are hopper and concrete floor.  START conducted air sampling and monitoring during demolition activities.

5/27 - OSC Kelly offsite, OSC Ham covering.  Weston START submits updated E&S Plan and drawings.  State delegate stops by the site to ask about ongoing activities.  ERRS, except RM, demobilizes from site. LVI/ARC stays to break up concrete floor of old processing facility.

5/28 - No site activities conducted.

5/30 - No site activities conducted.

5/31 - START conducted air sampling activities.  Demolition activities continue on breaking up concrete floor and footers.  OSC discusses air sampling results with ATSDR.  The OSC provided a check to the owner, per signed agreement, for the discarded materials considered to be of value.  Rasche Bros has installed 3/4 of exterior sheeting on the framed new garage.

6/1 - START performed air sampling activities.  Demolition activities continue on concrete floor.  OSC met with the Weston PE regarding future grading activities and signed off on the E&S and Stormwater plan for submittal to MDE.    The OSC discussed air sampling results with Rasche Bros owner. ORC spoke with MDE on what the after-cleanup environmental covenant will entail.  As a precaution, the OSC decided to send some rock samples near the demolition area for asbestos analyses to ensure we aren't crushing asbestos-containing rock.

6/2 - The OSC met with the property owner concerning ongoing activities and had him sign a receipt for the recent reimbursement check.  START conducted air sampling activities.  Demolition activities continued on the concrete floor.  The OSC submitted the E&S and stormwater plans to MDE. The OSC emailed a table of PCM and TEM asbestos results to the ARC H&S manager.

6/3 - The Action Memo amendment signed today. ERRS mobed back this day. START conducted air sampling activities.  Demolition activities continued on the concrete floor. Debris being placed in roll-offs for recycling. The OSC met with the property owner concerning ongoing activities.  START collected rock samples to determine asbestos content and sent them off for analyses.  The OSC discussed soil sampling strategy with START.  OSC noted visible asbestos contamination embedded on underside of the former garage concrete floor (theory being that, because the garage was built after the processing facility, the floor may have been poured on top of waste).  The OSC determined that concrete from the old garage floor will be disposed of as ACM and not recycled.

6/4 - ERRS moving debris for stockpiling. The OSC caught up on administrative responsibilities.  The new garage is completely covered with exterior sheeting and the interior floor is ready for concrete pouring.

Planned Removal Actions
- Complete removal of concrete demolition debris.
- Continue garage construction.

Disposition Of Wastes
Friable and Non-Friable asbestos-containing waste (ACM) has been disposed of. This includes porous, contaminated personal items and demolition waste. Beginning in late July, asbestos-contaminated soil will be disposed of.

Approximately twenty 30 cu yd containers of concrete were sent off for recycling to Machado Construction primarily from May 13 to June 6 after demolition.

The demolition subcontractor arranged for the recycling of approximately ten containers of scrap steel.

Personal "white good" items that were cleaned of asbestos but identified as not needed by the owner were sent off to the local county landfill for disposal.

Waste Stream	Quantity	Manifest #	Disposal Facility
Asbestos from interior cleaning	40 cu yds	057176	Old Dominion Landfill, Richmond, VA 10/16/10
Asbestos from interior cleaning	40 cu yds	057177	Old Dominion Landfill, Richmond, VA 11/11/10
Asbestos from interior cleaning	40 cu yds	057178	Old Dominion Landfill, Richmond, VA 12/17/10
Asbestos " "	1.92 tons	057183	Old Dominion Landfill, Richmond, VA 02/24/11