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Oregon City Mercury Spill

 
Site Contact:
Jeffrey Fowlow
On-Scene Coordinator

(fowlow.jeffrey@epa.gov)

Site Location:
909 Washington St.
Oregon City, OR 97045
 response.epa.gov/oregoncitymercury
NRC#: 971025

On March 24, 2011, EPA received a report of a potential mercury spill in a driveway outside a vacant rental home in a historic residential area of Oregon City, Clackamas County, Oregon, a suburb of Portland. A prospective renter of the home observed what appeared to be visible beads of mercury and called the Clackamas County Fire Department. The City of Gresham Hazmat Team #3 and Clackamas Fire Dept. responded to the incident and stabilized the site. During the response, the Operations Manager of Oregon City coordinated response efforts with Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) and the homeowner, who lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. ODEQ also contacted the home owner, who then hired a contractor to respond to the site. Although the contractor later reported the mercury removed, Oregon City officials inspected the site, observed the presence of what appeared to be significant amounts of mercury on the ground, and reported this to ODEQ. On March 29, 2011, ODEQ reported that the cleanup was not complete, that mercury was still visible at the site, and requested EPA's assistance in assessing the site. EPA mobilized OSC Franklin and the EPA START-3 response contractors to the site on March 29-30 to conduct an investigation and site assessment.

After failing to negotiate an appropriate cleanup or to receive access from the PRP, EPA obtained a warrant from a magistrate judge to conduct the necessary site cleanup. Clean up activities began on Wednesday, April 13 and commenced through Friday, April 15. The elemental mercury removed from the surface and the heavily contaminated asphalt from the PRP driveway and city ROW were removed and disposed.

Additional removal activities may be necessary pending additional screening to be conducted during the week of April 17-23.


Overview of site as left after initial assessment on 3/29/2011. Red tape marks extent of visible contamination on the ground. View of spill area as left after initial assessment on 3/29/2011. Red tape marks extent of visible mercury contamination observed on the ground. Storm drain appears to be located under tarp, but tarp not removed during this assessment to avoid disturbing mercury. During second phase of assessment on 3/30/2011, catchment basin on Washington Street at the end of the alley is probed for mercury vapors. Grate was removed and surface of sediments inside basin were probed for vapors as well. Assessing mercury vapor on the concrete driveway at 911 Washington St. The protective tarp is pulled back to expose the highest concentration of elemental mercury observed at the site. Bio bags were left in place, ground surface and mercury were not disturbed, and tarp and sand bags were replaced following the assessment. Closer view of elemental mercury observed underneath the tarp on 3/30/2011. Assessing mercury vapor near the new boiler inside the basement at 909 Washington St. Visible mercury beads were observed on the floor. Alley between 909 and 911 Washinton St. Light colored garage belongs to 911 Washington St. and darker red colored garage belongs to 909 Washington St. The road closed sign also served to mark our contamination reduction zone line. Higher angle view of condition of alley between 909 Washington St and 911 Washington St garage outbuildings during the early evening of April 9, 2011. Note storm drain in foreground and sulfur powder between storm drain and white sandbags. Screening underneath the tarped area during the evening of April 9, 2011 (after receiving verbal permission from the property owner). Elemental mercury beads visible amongst sulfur powder and flakes underneath the tarped area during the evening of April 9, 2011. Elemental mercury beads visible amongst sulfur powder and flakes underneath the tarped area during the evening of April 9, 2011. Condition underneath tarped area following Lumex survey during the evening of April 9, 2011. Tarp and sandbags were replaced. Condition underneath tarped area following Lumex survey during the evening of April 9, 2011. Tarp and sandbags were replaced. Condition underneath tarped area following Lumex survey during the evening of April 9, 2011. Tarp and sandbags were replaced. Screening inside storm drain (located in alley between 909 Washington St and 911 Washington St garages) with Lumex. Screening inside storm drain (located in alley between 909 Washington St and 911 Washington St garages) with Lumex. Condition of the tarped area on April 10, 2011. Details of asphalt-concrete pavement interface along alley and 911 Washington St. driveway. Details of asphalt-asphalt pavement interface along alley and 909 Washington St. driveway. Manual removal of concrete slab with greatest degree of mercury contamination. Tents used to cover work areas, however, the contaminated driveway was the topographic low area of the hot zone and was subject to flooding from multiple directions. Preparing to remove remaining asphalt cap from site driveway and contaminated portions of city alley. 909 Washington Street driveway after removal of portion of asphalt cap. Removing asphalt cap from remainder of site driveway where beads of mercury were observed. Removal of portion of asphalt and top layer of compacted gravel from city alley next to site driveway. Following removal of portion of city alley asphalt cap, confirmation samples were collected for Lumex headspace field testing. Manual removal of mercury contaminated debris from site driveway. Application of dry HgX powder to areas of high mercury contaimination. Application of heat to underlying contaminated concrete at site driveway. Surface cleaning of drveway at 911 Washington St. Driveway at 911 Washington Street is covered with plastic sheeting following HgX (r) application. ERRS contractor cleans asphalt driveway surface at 909 Washington Street with a mercury vacuum. Assessing mercury vapor with Lumex RA-915 PMVA on concrete surface of 911 Washington Street driveway following HgX (r) and thermal treatments. Example of visual identification of elemental mercury on the asphalt driveway at 909 Washington Street. Beads were prodded to confirm liquid-metallic state that is diagnostic of elemental mercury at standard conditions. ERRS contractor identifies macroscopic beads of elemental mercury on the asphalt driveway surface at 909 Washington Street. Condition of concrete pavement is revealed following removal of asphalt over-pavement from 909 Washington Street driveway. Significant cracks and heaved slabs are present. ERRS applies a fixative sealant to concrete pavement at 909 Washington Street. The fixative is intended to prevent mercury contaminated debris from falling off the slabs during subsequent removal work. Particulate monitoring station (instrument A60824) located in front of 911 Washington Street garage. Particulate monitoring station (instrument A60822) located at SW end of the hot zone. ERRS is cutting concrete driveway slabs to define extent of removal. ERRS begins removal of concrete driveway slabs at 909 Washington Street. ERRS continues to remove concrete driveway slabs at 909 Washington Street. As slabs are removed, the operator attempts to maintain them in a level orientation to prevent possible loose contamination from falling off onto the underlying soil. Removal of concrete driveway at 909 Washington Street is nearly complete. START and ERRS screen exposed soil after concrete driveway removal at 909 Washington Street. Measurements below 1,000 nanograms per cubic meter are marked with white paint; higher measurements are marked with orange paint. Clearance screening has been completed following removal of 909 Washington Street driveway. ERRS will remove additional soil material in areas containing orange marks. ERRS is removing remaining hot spots of mercury contaminated soil in the 909 Washington Street driveway. Final clearance measurements following targeted hot spot soil removal. All measurements now below 1,000 nanograms per cubic meter at the soil surface. Clearance measurement markings under private drain pipe and around former catchment basin sump box in 909 Washington Street driveway. ERRS is trimming driveway at 911 Washington Street in order to define a straight edge to aid in city alley repaving work. City of Oregon City Public Works crew (OCPW) is flushing and vacuuming the private drain line in the 909 Washington Street driveway in preparation for video scoping of the city owned drain line in the city alley. OCPW is flushing the city owned catchment basin and drain pipe in the city alley between 909 Washington Street and 911 Washington Street. OCPW is flushing the catchment basin in Washington Street near the end of the alley. OCPW video truck arrives on site. OCPW video scopes through private drain pipe in the 909 Washington Street driveway to the junction with the city drain pipe in the alley. OCPW video scopes from the Washington Street catchment basin to the city alley catchment basin to determine the drain pipe is fit for continued service and does not need repair before repaving work. Clean gravel fill arrives on site. ERRS fits the private drain pipe and a new catchment basin together in the 909 Washington Street driveway. Because of existing drain pipe configuration, box geometry will not be perpendicular or parallel to nearby structures. ERRS spreads clean gravel fill in the 909 Washington Street driveway. Overview of the site from the command post. Owner of 909 Washington Street attempts to remove elemental mercury spill using a propane torch. Owner of 909 Washington Street attempts to remove elemental mercury spill using a gas torch. Owner of 909 Washington Street attempts to remove elemental mercury spill using a gas torch. ERRS completes fitting of new catchment basin to private drain pipe in 909 Washington Street driveway. ERRS repairs catchment basin in city owned alley. Particulate monitors are relocated prior to asphalt cutting in city alleyway. The foreground monitor is instrument A60824. The second monitor (instrument A60822) is located behind the ERRS personnel in the photo background. Damaged section of asphalt in city alley has been cut by ERRS. Compacted gravel and new catchment basin in 909 Washington Street driveway. Paving contractor further compacts gravel fill in 909 Washington Street driveway and in City alley. Paving contractor begins spreading asphalt mix on 909 Washington Street driveway. Paving contractor has finished spreading and compacting asphalt mix in 909 Washington Street driveway and City alley. Slope of new driveway pavement surface tested at 909 Washington Street. Slope of new pavement surfaces in City alley and 909 Washington Street driveway tested. Slope of pavement adjacent to 911 Washington Street driveway tested. Overview of restored pavement surfaces in 909 Washington Street driveway and city alley viewed from near Washington Street. Completed repairs to damaged portion of city alley adjacent to church parking lot. Completed repairs to damaged portion of city alley adjacent to church parking lot.
For additional information, visit the Pollution/Situation Report (Pol/Sitreps) section.