Pollution/Situation Report Profile

Riverside Avenue Site
Newark, NJ - EPA Region II
POLREP #10

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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Riverside Avenue Site - Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region II

Subject:

POLREP #10
Riverside Avenue Site
02PC
Newark, NJ
Latitude: 40.7670135 Longitude: -74.1593681

To:

Benjamin Tuxhorn, USCG-AST
Andrew Raddant, Department of Interior
Dave Sweeney, NJDEP
David Isabel, Golub & Isabel
Danielle Torok, City of Newark
Fred Mumford, NJDEP

From:

Eric M. Daly, On-Scene Coordinator

Date:

1/18/2012

Reporting Period:

12/22/11 thru 01/20/12

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Site Number:	02PC	Contract Number:	EP-S2-10-01
D.O. Number:	0038	Action Memo Date:	8/23/2011
Response Authority:	CERCLA	Response Type:	Time-Critical
Response Lead:	EPA	Incident Category:	Removal Action
NPL Status:	Non NPL	Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date:	10/17/2011	Start Date:	10/17/2011
Demob Date:		Completion Date:
CERCLIS ID:	NJSFN0204232	RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:		State Notification:
FPN#:		Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

Time-Critical CERCLA Removal Action

1.1.2 Site Description

The Riverside Avenue Site is an abandoned industrial facility on the banks of the Passic River. Since the early 1900s the Site had been used for many businesses, including a paint manufacturer, a packaging company, and a chemical warehouse. It consists of two abandoned buildings on approximately two acres. The property is owned by the City of Newark and was acquired in tax foreclosure proceedings.

1.1.2.1 Location

29 Riverside Avenue, Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, between the Passaic River and Mcarter Highway.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

Ten abandoned 12,000-15,000 gallon USTs containing hazardous wastes have been identified on the property. Approximately 100 3,000 -10,000 gallon ASTs have been identified in the buildings, many of which have been sampled for hazardous materials. Two tanks containing an oily wastes have been identified in the basement of one of the buildings. A number of 55-gallon drums and smaller containers have been observed in the buildings.
In addition, there are a number of sumps that may contain hazardous substances.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

The preliminary assessment was completed in 2010. Two basement tanks in one building and the sumps of the other building have been sampled for hazardous waste characterization. See Documents Section for results of the site assessment sampling/analytical.

2. Current Activities

2.1 Operations Section

2.1.1 Narrative

See Profile section.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
OSC Daly was at Riverside to oversee removal operations during this time period. The Site was shutdown with the exception of 24 hour security from 12/23/11 until mobilization on 01/04/12. The sampling preparation continued for Building #7 Varnish Tanks located on the second and third floors. Tank information is being recorded (Tank ID/material level). Tanks as well as process piping are being cut in order to provide access for sampling and removal. The solid residue varnish will be chipped out of the containers, packaged, temporarily staged in the tank areas and then eventually moved all at once by lowering containers from the second and third floors via telescoping lull forklift. Due to Dioxin being present in the EPA historical data of riverbank soil near Building #7, the basement sludge and liquid in this building were sampled and analyzed for Dioxin. The preliminary results were received on 01/04/12 and the QA/QC report was received this week. Those reports have been passed onto EPA-DESA to validate and determine if Dioxin is indeed present. UST #1 and #2 were drained and the material removed offside via tanker truck for proper disposal. However, due to the analytical received on the UST contents, the visible liquid material present around and below the UST pits, the visible staining of the soil observed in the two pits as well as a distinct odor emitting from the pits, it was determined that the UST tanks were leaking significantly. Therefore, the plan to remove the UST and back fill was put on hold. A sampling assessment will be conducted to determine delineation of contamination surrounding the UST envelope (tank farm area). Tetra Tech will be performing the sampling and setting up the laboratory. The tentative plan to start excavating test pits around the UST envelope and sample is 01/25/12. The start date is dependent on contracts with EPA Region 07 being modified, sampling plan being finalized, and laboratories being set up. Enforcement: DESA visited the site on 12/14/11 to conduct enforcement sampling on the Underground Storage Tanks (UST) and the pigment hoppers located in Building #12. On 01/05/12, the enforcement team requested that the UST pits be sampled for enforcement. On 01/17/12, DESA returned to the site to perform sampling in UST #1 and UST #2 Pits. On 01/16/12, a frac tank containing rainwater from Building #15 started to leak from a fill pipe. Due to the holiday, only the security guard was on-site initially. OSC Daly was notified and coordinated with KEMRON contractor and Newark Fire Department. Due to freezing temperatures the water started freezing and pushed the water up through the fill pipe. The cap on this fill pipe was rusted and cracked. Approximately 100 gallons of water was spilled onto the asphalt. The data results on this water had no hazardous characteristics. The water was removed to perform an assessment on the building and tanks inside. A hose was placed on the fill pipe to drain back into Building #15 until a new cap was installed. Circulations pumps were on order at the time and now in place to assist in the prevention of the water freezing prior to proper disposal.2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal

2.2 Planning Section