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CERCLA |
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Emergency |
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EPA |
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Removal Action |
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Non NPL |
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Mobilization Date: |
4/8/2010 |
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4/8/2010 |
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4/8/2010 |
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4/8/2010 |
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1.1.1 Incident Category
Emergency Response
1.1.2 Site Description
Orphan cylinder of an unknown gas was found on the beach near Ocean Shores, Washington, by police personnel. The Fire Department took the cylinder to an Ocean Shores municipal shop facility at 165 Ocean Lake Way. The cylinder was encrusted with marine invertebrates and heavily corroded, obscuring all markings and colorations. Even more, it had a slight hissing noise indicating escaping gas.
1.1.2.1 Location
165 Ocean Lake Way SW Ocean Shores, Washington 98569-9318
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat.
The cylinder was approximately 4.5 feet long and of a diameter that is commonly referred to as a "100 lb" cylinder. There were no visible markings on the cylinder so it could possibly contain chlorine, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, cyanide, carbon monoxide, explosive gas, or oxygen, or any other content that is usually stored in a cylinder. Due to the heavy corrosion and rusting of the cylinder, it was deemed a substantial threat of release to the environment.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
N/A
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2.1.1 Narrative
Early on the morning of April 8, 2010, a gas cylinder was discovered floating near the beaches of Ocean Shores, Washington. Ocean Shores police took the cylinder to an Ocean Shores municipal shop facility at 165 Ocean Lake Way. Ocean Shores Fire Department contacted the Department of Ecology for assistance in disposing of the sylinder. Late on the morning of April 8th, the Washington Department of Ecology requested the assistance of the US EPA in depressurization and disposal of the cylinder. The Department of Ecology provided a preliminary photograph of the cylinder.
Prior to departure, the Department of Ecology photograph was sent to the Air Gas Emergency Hotline, and the hotline representative there suggested that the design of the protective cap was indicative of a European origin for the tank. AirGas could not speculate on the contents of the cylinder.
US EPA mobilized to the site and inspected the cylinder. The cylinder was approximately 4.5 feet in length, and of a size commonly referred to as a 100 lb. cylinder. An unusual feature of the cylinder, as noted above, was a protective cap that did not completely cover the protective valve, but only partially shrouded the valving at the top of the cylinder. The cylinder was encrusted with marine invertebrates and heavily corroded, obscuring all markings and colorations. While manipulating the tank, both the movement of liquid in the cylinder and also a slight hissing of gas escaping could be heard. Attempts to identify the gas using chlorine, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, cyanide, carbon monoxide, explosive gas, oxygen, and hydrocarbon sensors were unsuccessful. At this time it was strongly suspected that the original cylinder contents had leaked out, and that the cylinder contents were now seawater and atmospheric constituents. The hissing heard was believed to be the cylinder's attempt to relieve pressure caused by the warming associated with movement from an oceanic to a terrestrial environment.
Nevertheless, in order to insure that the contents of the cylinder were benign, START contractors in Level B PPE took the cylinder to a remote location of the facility and attempted to vent some contents for monitoring. Attempts to open the valving were inhibited by the encrustations upon the fittings, and it was difficult to establish that the cylinder was open to the environment. Therefore START removed the pressure relief fittings on the valving. When this was performed, a short, mild relief of pressure was noted, with no readings above background observed while monitoring with all of the above sensors. A black, watery liquid was then drained from the cylinder.
The liquid from the cylinder was positive for a WATESMO water test, with a pH of 5, which was further evidence that the original contents of the cylinder had vented previously, and that the cylinder posed little hazard. In consultation with the fire department, the cylinder was placed on a scrap pile to await recycling.
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
4/08/2010
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
N/A
2.1.4 Progress Metrics
N/A
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