Austell Powder Springs Site was a chrome plating facility located at 5491 Powder Springs Road, Austell, Georgia. On September 24, 2009, this area experienced high flood waters reaching the roof of the facility as evidenced by water marks and a drum on the roof of the building. Sweetwater Creek is adjacent to the property. The site includes two open warehouses and an office trailer, which were severely damaged by the flood. Outside of the warehouses there are two concrete pits, one circular and one rectangular, both containing liquid. These pits are believed to be part of the facility’s waste water treatment system.
EPA emergency responder, START contractor Tetra Tech and ERRS contractor Environmental Restoration mobilized to the chrome plating facility in Austell, Georgia that had reportedly discharged hazardous material and hazardous waste from the facility. The discharge was approaching the adjacent Sweetwater Creek. EPA OSC, Austell PD and HAZMAT meet on site per the request of GA EPD hazwaste division Friday evening at approximately 1800. EPA, START, ERRS, and Austell police and HAZMAT conduct a site walk through. Continued investigations revealed numerous small containers, drums, and totes all mislabeled, unsecured, leaking, and turned over or at risk of leaking. The few labeled containers and drums suggested incompatibles (acids and bases, oxidizers and cyanide) improperly stored within feet of each other and open to the environment. ERRS cleared all debris from the main warehouse building. ERRS also started pumping and bulking all liquid to Baker tanks, including liquids from the flocking system and the remaining materials from the Vat.
ER personnel removed the soil from the vicinity of the large plating operations building to stockpiles covered with plastic sheeting for future characterization and disposal. Sampling was conducted to further characterize the concrete of the three main buildings and the asphalt areas surrounding the buildings. All samples were submitted for Chromium 6 analysis. Analytical results identified Chromium 6 contamination in numerous samples collected from the surface soils around the site. EPA' s Technical Support Section (TSS) had provided a risk determination for this Site. The risk determination can be found in the documents section of the website.
As of January 20, 2010, all chemical containers and overpacks, all bulked liquids and solid contamination from within the buildings on Site have been removed and properly disposed of. The Site is currently fenced and appropriate EPA notifications have been posted for public information access.
On May 12, 2010, Region 4 signed a removal action memorandum to begin the fund lead removal. Please see the AM in the Documents section. Work at the Site began the week of May 26, 2010 with building inspections and demolition. The removal will include the demolition of the existing three buildings and an office trailer. Concrete and asphalt which exceeds the RAL's will also be removed. Surface water which contains hexavelant Chromium in concentrations above the RAL will be collected and disposed of accordingly.
BUILDING DEMOLITION:
On June 9, 2010, ERRS personnel demolished the remaining buildings on the site. The materials were disposed and recycled.
SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT:
During the removal action, heavy rains attributed to surface water collection in the contaminated zone. In order to manage this surface water, a fractionation (frac) tank was used to contain the water. In addition, ERRS constructed an earthen berm along the western and northern boundaries of the site using clean fill material to minimize the runoff of surface water from the site into surrounding areas.
The contents of the frac tank were sampled by ERRS to determine the total chromium and hexavelant chromium concentrations. Based on consultation with the Cobb County Water System regarding the analytical results, the release of water from the frac tank to the sewer system was conducted over several days and was completed on June 28, 2010, for treatment at the local POTW.
SITE CHARACTERIZATION SAMPLING:
On June 7, 2010, horizontal and vertical soil samples were collected beneath the plating building’s foundation pad. The area was divided into grids measuring approximately 25 feet by 25 feet. Samples were collected from the center of each grid at four discrete intervals (0 to 6 inches below ground surface [bgs], 6 to 12 inches bgs, 12 to 18 inches bgs, and 18 to 24 inches) and analyzed for 8 RCRA metals and hexavelant chromium. Analytical results indicated the presence of total chromium and hexavelant chromium in the surface soils at concentrations exceeding the RALs. Grid 108 contained hexavelant chromium at concentration of 162 mg/kg, and grid 116 contained total chromium of 3,610 mg/kg.
Sediment samples were collected from the offsite migration pathways and no levels above the RAL’s were discovered.
WASTE WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM:
On June 22, 2010, the water from the two concrete pits were pumped into the frac tank and the contained sludge was solidified, which were removed and disposed. The two concrete pits, which were located in Grid 111, were then removed and visibly stained soil was excavated to a depth of approximately 8 feet bgs.
ASPHALT REMOVAL:
On June 15, 2010, the asphalt area that was identified to content elevated concentrations of chromium and hexavelant chromium in the eastern portion of the site was removed and transported off site for disposal. A layer of concrete was identified beneath the asphalt throughout most of these areas.
CONTAINER RECOVERY:
During removal activities, the following containers were retrieved from areas outside the site boundary:
• An aboveground septic tank located on the property to the north of the site: The contents of this tank were mixed with water and pumped into a septic truck and hauled offsite; the tank was later crushed and disposed.
• One tank located in the drainage ditch along the northern boundary of the site. The tank, which was empty, was crushed and disposed.
• One rusted drum from the pond located east and downgradient of the site: This drum was removed from the pond and disposed.
• One drum located on the property to the south of the site: The contents of this drum, which was partially set in concrete, appeared to be kerosene and were transferred to a new drum. The original drum was then crushed and disposed.
SOIL EXCAVATION:
On June 24, 2010, ERRS excavated contaminated soil identified during previous sampling events. Soil was removed from the following locations:
• Grid 108, which is located in the southeastern portion of the former plating building. Excavation in this area was conducted to a depth of approximately 1 foot bgs.
• Grid 111, which is located between the former paint booth and mobile trailer. Excavation in this area was conducted to a depth of approximately 8 feet bgs, and included the removal of the two concrete-lined pits associated with the former wastewater treatment system.
• Grid 116, which is located in the northwestern portion of the site along Powder Springs Road. Excavation in this area was conducted to a depth of approximately 6 inches bgs.
• ER personnel excavated approximately 6 inches of soil from remaining grids within the footprint of the former plating building.
UST REMOVAL:
On June 25, ERRS discovered two underground storage tanks (UST) located near the southeastern corner of the former plating building while excavating Grid 108. On June 28, 2010, ERRS began uncovering the USTs, which were each approximately 10,000-gallons in size and contained a mixture of diesel fuel and water. The contents of the tanks were transferred to a temporary storage tank and the USTs were removed and transported for disposal. Excavation was conducted until groundwater was encountered at a depth of approximately 10 feet bgs in the vicinity of the USTs, and a total of four confirmation samples were collected and delivered for laboratory analyses. The chromium was below the RAL's. The area was subsequently backfilled with clean fill.
SITE RESTORATION:
All material identified above the Region 4 RAL’s were removed and disposed off site. Upon completion of excavation activities, ERRS procured clean fill material and proceeded to backfill areas with approximately 6 inches of clay and 6 inches of fill material. In addition, the site was seeded and straw was spread to provide erosion control.
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Waste From ER Phase:
• 1 drum and 1 tote containing inorganic corrosive liquid (basic), which were transported to the US Ecology facility (Robstown, Texas).
• 3 drums and 6 totes containing inorganic corrosive liquid (acidic), which were transported to the US Ecology facility (Robstown, Texas).
• 9 drums containing inorganic corrosive solid (basic), which were transported to the US Ecology facility (Robstown, Texas).
• 8 drums containing soil contaminated with chromium, which were transported to the US Ecology facility (Robstown, Texas).
• 2,400 gallons of chromic acid solution, which were transported to the Vickery Environmental facility (Vickery, Ohio).
• 1 drum containing cyanide, which was transported to the Pollution Control Industries facility (Milling, Tennessee).
• 1 tote containing non-hazardous neutral liquids, which was transported to the Greenleaf Treatment Services facility (Macon, Georgia).
• 2 totes containing non-hazardous oil and water, which were transported to the Greenleaf Treatment Services facility (Macon, Georgia).
• 28.22 tons of non-hazardous soil and debris, which were transported to the Pine Bluff Landfill (Ball Ground, Georgia).
Waste From Removal Phase:
• 1,329.96 tons of non-hazardous soil and debris, which were transported to the Pine Bluff Landfill (Ball Ground, Georgia).
• 21.5 tons of scrap metal were transported to ABC Recycling (Marietta, Georgia).
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