The Henley’s Sealants Site is located at 200 North Wisconsin Avenue in Oklahoma City Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. The Site was formerly the W. R. Grace Zonolite vermiculite expansion facility. Records indicate vermiculite exfoliation was occurring at the site as early as 1957. The property was purchased by Texas Vermiculite Company on January 3, 1977. There is no available documentation as to the site operations conducted by Texas Vermiculite; however, it is likely that Texas Vermiculite conducted vermiculite exfoliation at the site as records indicate that the facility accepted approximately 113, 905 tons of raw vermiculite between 1967 and 1988, from the WR Grace mine located in Libby, Montana. The date that Zonolite/WR Grace began vermiculite exfoliation at the site is not known; however, WR Grace ceased operations at the facility in 1991 or 1992. WR Grace Company sold the facility to Henley’s Sealants Incorporated in 1994.
EPA’s removal evaluations were conducted at the Site in response to an Agency-wide initiative to investigate current and former vermiculite facilities that received vermiculite ore from the W.R. Grace vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana.
The facility sits on approximately 2.4 acres of land, although vermiculite has been identified beyond the facility boundaries.
This removal action addresses the need to mitigate the potential threats posed by asbestos contaminated soils located on-site from the processing of vermiculite ore and the disposal of associated waste products at this Site by W.R. Grace/Zonolite Co.
In July 2009 EPA conducted a reconnaissance as part of the Agency-wide initiative to re-assess the former vermiculite facilities. During that reconnaissance EPA visually identified vermiculite on site and on nearby properties. Based on this evaluation, and in accordance with the EPA "Framework for Investigating Asbestos-Contaminated Superfund Sites", Superfund Division Director Samuel Coleman verbally authorized a response action at the site approving funds to perform the removal action. During this time the current property, who had initially provided verbal access to the property pending written access, decided to revoke access. EPA began a prolonged negotiation process with the property owner and received written access on March 11, 2010.
EPA conducted a site walk with the START and ERRS contractor on March 26, 2010. EPA is currently coordinating with pre-mobilization activities such as coordinating with the Oklahoma Department of Labor regarding processes and requirements.The ERRS contractor is preparing a workplan and health and safety plans for the removal action. The START contractor is completing extent of contamination assessments. EPA has identified additional areas along Site drainage pathway where vermiculate has migrated.
EPA plans to begin mobilization activities with the implementation of a air monitoring program on the facility perimeter to ensure the public is not impacted by on-site removal activities.
EPA plans to mobilize ERRS and START crews and begin set up activities at the site. Initial activities will include designation of staging areas and work zones.
EPA plans to implement community outreach activities to inform nearby residents and other stakeholders of our activities at this Site.
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