Site Update 1/15/2025
Cleanup of the site was completed on December 4,
2024, which included final disposal of waste materials to an EPA-approved
facility. As of December 13, EPA has left the site. In total, 28,295 DOT-compromised
aluminum and steel nitrous oxide (N20) compressed gas cylinders intact and fire
damaged were degassed, devalved and were recycled. The number of exploded
compressed gas cylinders (based on visual cleanup) is hard to quantify but safe
to say in the thousands. Hundreds of thousands cans of ultra-refined
butane were identified during the cleanup strewn throughout (co-mingled) the
explosion debris, in addition to pallets of cans underneath layers of debris.
Hundreds of intact cans of butane were identified, secured, and properly
disposed throughout the cleanup process. The total cost of this cleanup was
about $1.6 million.
The final numbers of materials cleaned up include:
- 857
tons of construction and demolition debris
- 7,253
tons of ferrous metal and 33,780 tons of non-ferrous metal were recycled.
- 174,051
(DDR damaged, defective or recalled) lithium-ion batteries were recycled.
- 12
lead acid batteries.
- 28,295
aluminum and steel nitrous oxide (N20) compressed gas cylinders were
degassed, devalved and were recycled.
- 73
55-gallon drums containing 14,980 pounds of waste, nicotine compounds,
liquids [or] nicotine preparations, liquid, n.o.s. (Lithium hydroxide)
- 12
drums (6,600 pounds) of nitrous oxide (N20) cream chargers (also known as
whip-its)
- 4
drums (320 pounds) of waste, butane petroleum gases, liquefied.
- 12
drums (4,858 pounds) of lighters containing flammable liquid.
- 11
drums (4,400 pounds) of non-hazardous, non-regulated material (non-RCRA
cleaner).
- 1 drum (400 pounds )of non-hazardous,
non-regulated material (coil and antifreeze).
Background
During the evening of March 4, 2024, a fire and multiple
explosions occurred at the warehouse located on the Site. Subsequent
firefighting activities occurred for over a week. Initial reports indicated
that contents within the warehouse were comprised of approximately 100,000 cans
of ultra-refined butane, thousands of compressed gas cylinders containing
nitrous oxide (N2O) and 100,000 vaping pens containing small lithium-ion
batteries. These materials contributed to projectile explosions conveying
cylinders and potentially contaminated blast debris up to several miles away.
One fatality and one injury were reported in association with this incident.
On March 6, 2024, the State of Michigan and Clinton Township
requested assistance from the EPA to handle and manage hazardous materials and
potentially contaminated blast debris, including but not limited to compressed
gas cylinders of N2O, cans of ultra-refined butane and vape pens containing
lithium-ion batteries. EPA met with local and state stakeholders virtually on
March 6 and received an update on general site conditions. On March 7, EPA
arrived at the Site to conduct air monitoring activities and begin the process
of identifying, recovering, and stabilizing hazardous materials, pollutants and
contaminants.
Due to criminal forensic investigations the footprint of the
former building and immediate surrounding area was demarcated as inaccessible.
From March 8 through March 15, 2024, EPA conducted reconnaissance surveys
within the accessible portion of the Site and within a half mile radius to
identify and collect potentially contaminated blast debris and hazardous
materials. EPA prepared a staging area for disposal activities, collected and
stabilized approximately 455 one pound (lb.), 199 three lb. and 882 five lb.
compressed gas cylinders of N2O, approximately 2,000 lithium-ion batteries, and
30 cans of ultra-refined butane. On May 22, 2024, EPA completed disposal of
these waste streams collected during initial emergency response activities.
On June 12, 2024, EPA’s Office of Regional Counsel provided
an Administrative Settlement Agreement
and Order on Consent to the potentially responsible party (PRP) to
conduct voluntary cleanup operations under EPA oversight. In July the PRP’s
counsel informed ORC that their client could not execute the order. In August 2024, EPA began the mobilization of
contractors and equipment to the site and began conducting a fund led removal
to address the remaining hazardous materials, pollutants and contaminants.
Recycling and disposal metrics starting in August 2024 and as of 11-14-24, EPA has recycled 171 tons (342,000 lbs.) of ferrous metal, and 33,780 lbs. of non-ferrous metal, disposed of 857 tons (1,889,000 lbs.) of building debris, collected 16,924 steel compressed gas cylinders (CGS) and 7,787 aluminum CGS and have degassed 12,498 CGS equaling 6,380,242 grams (44g per mole =22.4l) of N2O. Additionally, EPA has collected 32,019 lithium-ion battery devices, 1,322 loose lithium-ion batteries, 112,706 lithium battery devices not damaged, defective, or recalled (DDR), 12 waste lead acid batteries and 12 fire extinguishers from the co-mingled explosion debris within the footprint and immediate exterior of the former warehouse. EPA continues to conduct perimeter air and particulate monitoring during all intrusive activities at fixed cardinal locations and intermittent mobile air and particulate monitoring between stationary locations.
