Tardie Boyd Bio Diesel, located at 4609 Polk St NE, DC, is an active operating refinery creating bio diesel and ethanol from waste vegetable oil. The facility is a small business employing four people. The facility is located in a commercial/residential urban setting storing up to 10,000 to 15,000gallons of waste vegetable oil and bio diesel.
On October 22,2014 EPA Region 3 Criminal Investigation Division agents along with samplers from the NEIC and the District Department of the Environment exercised a search warrant. The Federal On-Scene Coordinator accompanied this team to provide emergency response support.
During this site visit on October 22, 2014 the OSC observed numerous drums, totes, small tanks and large tanks on a site roughly 2000sqft in size. These containers were in various stages of degradation, some with open tops and without any type of secondary containment to prevent off site discharge. A storm/sanitary drain is located in lowest area of the site surrounded by the tanks and drums. Heavy rain during the site visit revealed sheen and black oil residue in puddles leading to this site drain.
On October 23, 2014 the OSC met with the CEO of Tardie Boyd Bio Diesel to deliver the Notice of Suspected Discharge Letter and to provide copy of SPCC regulation handout.
