In addition to the drummed waste, there are multiple in-ground storage pits which contain cyanide ladened rinse waters.  Two plating lines containing sludge are present at the Site.  All tanks associated with the facility’s wastewater treatment unit are assumed to contain untreated wastewater.

See previous POLREPs for additional details.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

On April 29, 2011, U.S. EPA OSC James Augustyn conducted a Site visit with the owner and representatives of the Cleveland Fire Prevention Bureau.  Conditions at the Site remain as stated in the Ohio EPA referral package.

Monday, July 11, 2011, ERRS cut access ports and removed debris from inside the WWTF sludge storage tank (T-20). Sludge (F006) was placed in cubic yard containers for disposal.  The sludge storage tank was decontaminated, cut into pieces and placed in a roll-off box for off-site disposal.  ERRS continued lab packing the flammable wastes into cubic yard containers and began removing fluorescent lamps and suspect PCB-light ballasts from the building.

Tuesday, July 12, and Wednesday 13th, ERRS began draining hydrochloric acid from overhead piping and removing the pipe from inside the building.  ERRS continued removal of fluorescent lamps and light ballasts.  A valve was installed on the building’s water supply line and the city turned on the water for use in power washing the floors and pits and for emergency decontamination.     

Thursday, July 14, and Friday 15th, ERRS completed the removal of hydrochloric acid and trichloroethylene over-head product lines.  ERRS continued removing light fixtures and ballasts.  Began removing sediment and debris from floor trenches and began pressure washing floors.

Monday, July 18, ERRS continued pressure washing floors in the SW portion of the building.  ERRS cut access ports into and removed all waste from inside the WWTF clarifier tank (T-22). The inside of the clarifier was decontaminated, all valving removed and the clarifier was rendered non-reuseable.  ERRS conducted “bucket tests” to determine reactivity of the wastewater in the floor pits and tanks and continued removing the sludge debris from floor trenches.

Tuesday, July 19, ERRS pumped standing water from the floor in the SW room to the pits after an overnight rain event.  ERRS continued removal of sediment and water from the floor trenches.  After sediment was removed the trenches were power washed and backfilled with recycled concrete.  Wastewater from Pits #1 and #2 were pumped into pits in the wastewater treatment area for future disposal.  Sediment and debris was removed from Pits #1 and #2 and the pits were power washed and then backfilled with crushed concrete.

Wednesday, July 20, ERRS continued pressure washing the floor and cleaning and backfilling the floor trenches inside the building.  ERRS began packaging fluorescent lamps for off-site recycling.  A local  subcontractor repaired an overhead garage door to the SW room to aid in building access and security.  An ERRS chemist mobilized to the Site and began identifying and segregating laboratory chemicals.

Thursday, July 21, ERRS continued lab packing chemicals in the laboratory and began cutting steel I-beams surrounding plating tank #1 in the SW room.  General floor cleaning continued.

Friday, July 22, two (2) tanker trucks arrived on Site to remove non-hazardous liquids from pits and tanks. Non-hazardous liquids were removed from Pits P3 (WWTF cyanide reduction), P4 (WWTF acid/alkali rinse), P7 (WWTF chrome rinse), P8 (WWTF cyanide rinse), and P9 (unknown pit in the northwest portion of the SE room).  Non-hazardous liquids were also removed from plating dip tanks T1, T2, T4, T5, T7, T8, T11, T12, and T13.  Approximately 8,200 gallons of non-hazardous liquids (waste code 029L) were removed from the Site for treatment and disposal.  Waste was transported to Dynecol Inc., in Detroit, MI.  ERRS pressure washed and backfilled pit P9 and remaining floor trenches in the SE room.  All floor trenches in the SE room have been pressure washed and backfilled.

* The above accounting of expenditures is an estimate based on figures known to the OSC at the time this report was written. The OSC does not necessarily receive specific figures on final payments made to any contractor(s). Other financial data which the OSC must rely upon may not be entirely up-to-date. The cost accounting provided in this report does not necessarily represent an exact monetary figure which the government may include in any claim for cost recovery.