On January 18, 2024, EPA received
soil sampling data from the November 2023 sampling event at the Benton Creosote Works site located in Benton,
Bossier Parish, Louisiana that shows elevated dioxin levels in soils within an
apartment complex (Palmetto Place Apartments) adjacent to the former creosote
facility. Dioxins were also found in soils
at the adjacent creosote facility. Because residents, including young children,
use this area of the apartment property for recreation, EPA authorized
their emergency response contractors to erect fencing around an area of the
northern section of the apartment complex to restrict access and prevent
possible exposure to the contaminated soil. EPA also authorized additional
sampling to clearly identify the extent of contamination. EPA began removing dioxin-contaminated soil from the apartment complex on March 25, 2024 and completed the excavation work on June 6, 2024. Following all excavation tasks, EPA also backfilled all excavated areas with certified clean soil and then covered the soil with either grass sod or grass seed.
During the Palmetto Place Apartment
removal operation, EPA conducted perimeter air monitoring for
particulate matter to ensure engineering controls used during the excavation were preventing dust from leaving the area.
The removal operation utilized equipment selected to create the
least amount of disturbance in the excavation zone, water to maintain moisture
in the material, and, as needed, wrapped excavated soil within the dump trucks with
plastic sheeting to prevent the soil from becoming airborne during transit.
The EPA team developed an
action level for the particulate matter based upon the EPA’s residential
regional screening levels and the maximum concentration of contaminants in the
soil to be excavated. DustTrak particulate
monitors were stationed at three different locations surrounding the
Palmetto Place apartments and collected and sent real-time data to a local
computer in the command trailer where it was then analyzed by the team. This
system enabled the user to view 15-minute average dust readings from the
DustTrak stations every 5 minutes and set alarms to notify personnel via text,
email, and the command post computer if dust levels were nearing or exceeded the
action level. During the two months of soil excavation work, no exceedances of the particulate matter clearance value were ever exceeded. A weather station was also established
onsite to monitor and record wind direction and speed to assist the team in
interpreting the monitoring system. Reports from the daily dust monitoring were posted daily on the EPA’s website ("StoryMap" link below).
The EPA team returned to the site on Tuesday August 27, 2024, to begin the transport and disposal of all soil removed from the Palmetto Place Apartment complex. The soil is being placed into dump trucks and hauled to the White Oaks landfill located east of Monroe, LA. A total of approximately 4,000 cubic yards of dioxin-contaminated soils from the apartment complex will be transported and disposed of at the landfill and completion of disposal should occur by September 21, 2024. EPA is also installing an 8-foot high chain-link fence around the former Benton Creosote facility and the fencing work should also be completed by September 21, 2024. During the truck loading process EPA is utilizing the same dust monitoring system, as described above during the excavation of soils from the apartment complex. Daily dust monitoring results are also being posted on the website ("Storymap" link below).
Click here to view the StoryMap.
