This site is being conducted as a CERCLA Emergency Response. The site is also subject to OPA regulations as it has bulk storage of oil in quantities greater than 1,320 gallons, is located along the Catawba River (A Navigable Water Way), and has not been properly "closed".
The KM Ventures facility previously operated as Yorkshire America. While in operation the facility operated as a textile chemical manufacturer for products such as dyes and surfactants. The facility is located on a 42-acre tract with 14 acres fenced around the plant. The facility operated as Crompton & Knowls before Yorkshire America. The facility closed down in 2004. KM Venture purchased the property on June 23, 2006 from the Bankruptcy Estate of Yorkshire Americas, Inc. The facility is currently being managed by the NC DENR Brownfields Program.
KM Ventures Property located at 1602 North Main Street in Lowell, Gaston County NC. KM Ventures claims that all material on site is "Product" at this point and that all the materials (hazardous substances/oils) have been sold to Jay-Chem, a company located in India. KM Ventures has acknowledged that there will be some waste generated at the site due to some of the product being degraded and not usable, but these materials have not yet been identified.
EPA observed approximately 1,000 drums, several chemical totes, several above ground storage tanks containing several thousand gallons of various chemicals and oils, and several lab-packs containing chemical supplies that were not labeled and were staged with no hazardous categorization (potential compatibility concerns). There was evidence that some of the containers had leaked, several containers are in very poor condition, several containers have no labels thus contain "uknowns". Several drums located outside have holes in the tops, there are bulging drums that appear to be pressurized, there are drums that have not been secured - drums scattered throughout the property that have not yet been assessed. There is evidence of trespassers accessing the site, beer cans and EPA was told that police patrol the site on a routine basis and have run-off trespassers in the past. The site is also bordered on one side by the Catawba River.
A great deal of work has been done by KM Ventures and their contractors in regards to stabilizing the site. All of the known raw chemical in the above ground storage tanks have been transferred and taken off-site for beneficial use. The sodium hydroxide and the hydrochloric acid tanks have been washed clean as have their surrounding containment walls. The fuel oil has been transferred offsite. Over 50 drums of sulfuric acid stored outside have been transferred to totes and accepted by local industry for beneficial use. The drums have been cut open and the residuals poured out. The residual has been captured and is staged in the waste staging area (BLDG #3). Then acid-absorbent towels were placed inside each drum and the drums staged for disposal.
Other work accomplished outside includes gathering over 60 each 55-gallon drums of material and 6 totes of various stages of deterioration and staging these containers in BLDG #3 for hazard categorization. Approximately 40 drums of unknown materials have been collected from within various building on site and transferred to BLDG #3 for hazard categorization as have numerous small containers form the facility laboratory. The field chemists have categorized approximately 70 containers to date.
Over 400 cubic yards of debris has been loaded and disposed. Approximately 150 empty drums have been removed from various locations throughout the site and staged in the east staging area pending recycle/disposal.
KM Ventures will continue the clean up effort under the following Scope of Work:
1. Overpack/Stage all drums contianing hazardous substances or oils that have holes in the containers inside.
2. Segregate/Isolate Unknowns, construct a staging area for unknowns w/secondary containment and position drums based on compatibility.
3. Lab-Packs should be inventoried and packed based on compatibility.
4. Bulk tanks should be inspected, bulk storage containers containing hazardous substance/oils that are in poor condition (faulty valves, etc.) should be off-loaded into stable containers until proper transport can be arranged for off-site use or disposal.
5. Identify and Inventory All Containers On Site.
6. Properly characterize, transport and dispose of waste in accordance with all federal and state laws.
7. EPA has requested that KM Ventures provide a Daily Activity Report to EPA and DENR until the site has been stabilized which at that point a Weekly Activity Report would be provided.
EPA Regional Counsel continues negotiating an Administrative Order with KM Ventures.
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