The Rochester Silver Works refines silver, manufacturies silver nitrate and recycles photographic film base material.  The facility consists of 4 main buildings on 9.98 acres and employs 55 personnel.  The facility at Building 156 separates and recovers metals (sliver, cadmium, nickel, and lead) contained in ash hoppers from Building 101 Smelter Baghouse.  Two hoppers of ash are added with Kodak Paper (KP) Water to Tank-1 and transferred to Tank-2.  The process is repeated a second time and Tank-1 is rinsed with more KP Water to Tank-2.  Additional water is added to Tank-2 and the mixture of ash hoppers and water is ready for treatment.  The treatment  takes place in Tank-2 where additional KP Water and Nitric Acid is added which results in a insoluble silver halide phase which is directed to Building 110 for silver recovery; and, an acidic aqueous phase that receives further treatment in Building 156 prior to external metals recovery. 

On 12/29/2011, in response to the spill at Building 156, a preliminary investigation by the Rochester Silver Works suggested the liquid to be nitric acid.  Examinations of the level loss of the nitric acid bulk storage tank found 1,718 gallons was used.  Calculations based on recovered/collected liquids that drained into the floor tank identified 233 gallons of nitric acid escaped the building onto adjacent soils.  Further investigation and calculations determined that due to the dilution in the process the nitric acid (raw from the tank farm) starts out as 60% nitric acid was diluted to approximately 40% nitric acid in the spill.  On 1/9/2012, OSC DeAngelis reviewed the response actions and cleanup activities that were taken by Rochester Silver Works and was satisfied with the actions taken.

12/29/2011         A call was made to the Eastman Business Park 911 system and both the Rochester and Kodak Fire Departments responded to the scene.  At 0900, approximately .5 hour after the discovery of the spill, the Rochester Fire Department Hazardous Response team entered Building 156 to determine that the discharge and ended and the remaining material was contained.  A member of the Kodak Fire Department entered the building to activate the exhaust fan and place a hose into the floor tank to pump the nitric acid to temporary storage containers.  Richmond Silver Works personnel pumped the acid from the floor and floor tank, followed by a water wash of the inside of the building (with rinse waters being transferred to the water treatment system.  The soil around the spill area was excavated and placed into lined temporary containers.  Soil samples were collected for disposal purposes (see attached Soil Analysis Reports) and sent to an external laboratory for both metals characterization and pH.

12/29/2011         OSC Gallo contacted NYSDEC Region 8 to obtain information regarding the spill. 

1/9/2012              On 1/9/2012, OSC DeAngelis responded to Rochester to tour the facility and meet with Mr. Ralph M. Holmes Jr., Rochester Silver Works VP, Gary Winburn and Jay Hull both with Rochester Silver Works, and Mr. Pradeep K. Jangbari, P.E. of the NYSDEC.  The Building 156 spill root cause analysis was discussed.  OSC DeAngelis inspected the spill site and observed the staged soils awaiting disposal.  At the time of the visit, the facility was awaiting the pH analysis of the soil to determine whether it would be disposed of as hazardous or non-hazardous waste.  

1/17/2012          The soils were sent off site for disposal (See attached Non-Haz Manifests).  EPA concluded the release at this facility had been addressed satisfactorily.  No further action is necessary and the completion date for this action is January 17, 2012, the day the contaminated soil was shipped off site for disposal.