Pollution/Situation Report Profile

Riverside Avenue Site
Newark, NJ - EPA Region II
POLREP #11

Printer Friendly | PDF

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 #11
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:

2/8/2012

Reporting Period:

01/21/12 thru 02/10/12

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. OSC Glenn and OSC Pellegrino covered several days within the time range. Building #7 Tanks- Sampling of the solid varnish material as well as liquid sampling were collected and analyzed for 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 fork lift. Underground Storage Tanks-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 has been put on hold. A sampling assessment to determine delineation of contamination surrounding the UST envelope (tank farm area) was initiated by Tetra Tech on 01/25/12 and concluded on 01/27/12. Test pits were excavated around the envelope and samples were taken at depths of 4 feet, 8 feet, and 10 feet. The following parameters were requested for the soil analysis: Dioxin, Metals (TAL), VOC, SVOC, PCB, PEST/HERB. On 01/26/12, while excavating the test pits, a water line was hit and began to leak. Berms would put to avoid flooding of the site. Also, the water flowed into UST #1/#2 pit which served as containment. EPA worked with the City of Newark Economic Development Contact to coordinate the repair efforts with the City of Newark Water Department. Valves were located and the water flow was able to be stopped temporarily until the repair was made by city contractors on 01/30/12. When EPA first started this removal action, the proper investigation for utilities was conducted and EPA/ERRS were told that no charged water lines were on the property (Lots # 63 & # 64). The City of Newark Water Department also made a site visit after receiving the report and confirmed this information. Dioxin-Due to Dioxin being present in the EPA historical data of riverbank soil near Building #7, the basement sludge and aqueous material (Frac Tank #3) in this building were sampled and analyzed for Dioxin. The preliminary results were received on 01/04/12 and the full report was received on 01/17/12. Those reports have been passed onto EPA-DESA for validation. There were some increased levels of Dioxin found in these samples. Therefore, a second phase of sampling was performed (other Frac tanks containing aqueous material recovered on-site, floor sweeps, pigments in Building #12, varnish from Building #7 tanks, and the soil from the UST farm). Samples were also taken of the aqueous material removed from Building #15 (Assessment/TO #43). This sampling event occurred on 01/11/12 and analytical results were received on 02/01/12. The assessment sampling conducted by Tetra Tech also included Dioxin analysis. The concentrations of polychlorinated-dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans measured in soil have been compared to Preliminary Remediation Goals (PRG) for dioxin in soil that has been established by EPA HQ for use in EPA projects. The Toxic Equivalent (TEQ) calculation is used to establish site specific action levels. The current Dioxin PRG range for a commercial/industrial setting is 5-20 ppb TEQ. All soil data collected to date had a TEQ value below the upper end of the guideline range (i.e., 20 ppb). However, to confirm that cleanup levels have been met (as in the case of the UST delineation assessment), the total TEQ value calculations will need to include analysis of the 12 PCB Dioxin-like congeners. This analysis was not performed on the UST soil samples collected by Tetra Tech as of today. Therefore, they will be included in the post-excavation confirmation sampling (regardless of whether the cleanup action is performed via the removal or remedial program). The aqueous phase concentration values are being compared to the NJDEP Surface Water Discharge Standard (ARAR) for 2, 3, 7, 8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin. This maximum daily discharge value is 0.01 µg/l. All aqueous phase samples collected to date were below this value. Frac Tank Aqueous Material-All disposal analytical as well as additional Dioxin data has been received on the aqueous material currently stored in Frac Tanks . There are three Frac tanks storing the aqueous material removed from Building #7 basement (TO#: 38/approximately 60,000 gallons). There are two Frac tanks storing the aqueous material from the assessment of Building #15 (TO #43/approximately 32,000 gallons). OSC has been working with NJDEP and EPA to evaluate data and compare to NJDEP Surface Water Discharge Criteria. The results from Building #15 Frac Tanks fall below the discharge standards. This was expected due to the fact that no hazardous materials were found in the tanks staged in Building #15 and the aqueous material is rain water that slowly built up due to breaches in the building walls. This rain water will be discharged into the storm water system. The analytical results for Building #7 have several parameters that slightly exceed NJDEP Surface Water Discharge Standards. Carbon/Sand/Bag filters will be utilized prior to discharging the material. Analytical will be provided to the filter supplier in order to calculate the appropriate filtration set up for contaminant removal. Enforcement Sampling- DESA visited the site on 12/14/11 to conduct enforcement sampling on the material inside 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. The analytical results were received this week. These records will be passed onto the enforcement team as well as stored in the site files.
2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal

2.2 Planning Section