Chrome Plating is 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 OSC Nattis, 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. OSC Nattis, 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. Upon first investigations, it appeared that a siphon was used to empty the electroplating Vat of material onto the ground within the facility which began to migrate under the walls, through the parking lot and towards Sweetwater creek. Using pH paper, the remaining liquid with in the Vat had a pH of 2, the liquid on the floor had a pH of 3 and slowly neutralized to a 6 as the liquid approached the Sweetwater creek. It should be noted that during this investigation, the weather conditions were heavy rain, increasing the mobility of the discharged liquid as well as added to the dilution of the material. After further investigations it was determined that the Vat contained Chromic Acid. The rains stopped and all discharged materials were bermed into a retention area on site. Continued investigations reveled 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. The site was secured by the Austell PD and all parties demobilized for the evening to continue site work at 0800 on the 24th
OSC Nattis contacted EPA’s CID division to mobilize to site first thing on the 24th.
Saturday’s planned activities included labeling and sampling containers, conducting hazard categorization of collected samples, identifying waste streams and staging containers accordingly, and debris removal with the goal of stabilizing the facility.
Work with CID to identify possible criminal activities.
Incompatibles, site unsecured and an open to the environment flocking system that appears to be discharging directly to the POTW without proper treatment.
|
