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White Swan Laundry and Cleaners Site

All POL/SITREP's for this site White Swan Laundry and Cleaners Site
Wall Township, NJ - EPA Region II
POLREP #1
Initial and Final POLREP for White Swan Laundry and Cleaners Site- RV2 		Printer Friendly  |   PDF
 
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
White Swan Laundry and Cleaners Site - Removal Polrep
Initial and Final Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region II
Subject: POLREP #1
Initial and Final POLREP for White Swan Laundry and Cleaners Site- RV2
White Swan Laundry and Cleaners Site
RX
Wall Township, NJ
Latitude: 40.1336900 Longitude: -74.0373500

To: Matthew Westgate, ERRD-NJRB
From: Shawna Hoppe, OSC
Date: 9/4/2012
Reporting Period: 05/31/2012

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: RX    Contract Number: EP-S2-10-03
D.O. Number: 047    Action Memo Date: 12/20/2002
Response Authority: CERCLA    Response Type: Time-Critical
Response Lead: EPA    Incident Category: Removal Action
NPL Status: NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date: 5/31/2012    Start Date: 5/31/2012
Demob Date: 5/31/2012    Completion Date: 5/31/2012
CERCLIS ID: NJSFN0204241    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification:
FPN#:    Reimbursable Account #:


1.1.1 Incident Category

Residential neighborhood being impacted by a contaminated groundwater plume causing vapor intrusion into residences

1.1.2 Site Description

1.1.2.1 Location (40.1318193 N, -74.0358876 W)

The White Swan Laundry and Cleaners Site is an area of shallow groundwater contamination located in portions of Wall Township, Sea Girt Borough, and Manasquan Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey.  The Site is primarily residential with a few commercial properties.      


1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

The Site is a primarily residential neighborhood and consists of a shallow groundwater plume of tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) which is approximately 2.5 miles long and one mile wide and extends from Wall Township into Manasquan Township and Sea Girt Borough.  Over one thousand residential properties are believed to be in this plume.  Several surface water bodies are present on or border the Site.  Judas Creek lies in the southeast area of the Site and discharges to Stockton Lake.  Hannabrand Brook and Wreck Pond lie in the northern area of the Site.  Both of these bodies of water discharge to Old Mill Pond to the northeast and all eventually discharge into the Atlantic Ocean to the east.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

 

In 1997, the Monmouth County Health Department (MCHD) was notified that private testing of several irrigation wells on Magnolia Avenue in Wall Township had shown the wells were contaminated with elevated levels of PCE.  PCE is a volatile organic compound that is commonly used as a degreasing agent and dry cleaning solvent.  Subsequently, sampling of other private irrigation wells in the area by MCHD indicated widespread PCE contamination in the shallow ground water, as well as lower levels of TCE, a decomposition product of PCE.

 

Between 1999 and 2000, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and MCHD conducted a joint study to determine the extent of PCE and TCE in the ground water and evaluate the risk for contamination of Sea Girt=s municipal supply wells.  The study revealed that a plume of shallow groundwater contamination approximately 2.5 miles long and a mile wide extended from Wall Township into Manasquan Township and Sea Girt Borough and continued to the Atlantic coast.  Over one thousand homes are believed to be present over this plume.


During the period from 1998 to 2000, NJDEP conducted a Preliminary Assessment and Site Investigation (PA/SI) to identify sources of groundwater contamination.  Two defunct dry cleaners, Sun Cleaners on Route 35 and White Swan Laundry and Cleaners, which is now owned by Bank of America, on Sea Girt Avenue, have been identified as potential sources of the PCE contamination.  

EPA received a written request from NJDEP to evaluate the Site for removal action eligibility on December 4, 2001.  EPA began a vapor intrusion investigation in December 2001, which led to the installation of nine sub-slab depressurization systems (SDS).  NJDEP continued the vapor intrusion investigation and installed 20 additional SDS. The Site was listed on the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 2004. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    2.1.1 Narrative

The owner of a residence where a SDS was installed by EPA in November 2004 contacted the OSC because the fan was not running on the unit.  


2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

EPA and their contractor, Environmental Restoration, visited the residence on May 31, 2012 and replaced the fan on the SDS.

This action was completed using funding from the previous authorization that was not utilized.  No Action Memorandum was written for RV2 because the action taken falls under the scope of work for RV1. 

 

Confirmation sampling was conducted by EPA Division of Environmental Science and Assessment (DESA) at both the residence on July 24, 2012.  The results at the residential location showed that PCE in indoor air was was detected at levels between 3.3 µg/m3 and 4.5 µg/m3.  This is below EPA's indoor air removal action level (RAL) for PCE of 41 µg/m3.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

Two defunct dry cleaners, Sun Cleaners on Route 35 and White Swan Laundry and Cleaners on Sea Girt Avenue, have been identified as potential sources of the PCE contamination. 

In 2001, Bank of America, who purchased the former White Swan Cleaners property, conducted investigations on the property and identified high concentrations of PCE in the soils and groundwater.  They removed the septic tanks, seepage fields and associated soils.   


2.1.4 Progress Metrics

 

 
Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal
 TCE/PCE  Air 0 .
           
           

 

 

 
  2.2 Planning Section
   

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

No additional removal response activities are planned at the Site.  Remedial activities continue.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

The vapor intrusion investigation is ongoing and there is a potential that other residential locations overlying the groundwater plume may be impacted by the VOC vapors in the future, but no further removal action is planned.  NJRB is coordinating with the residents for additional air sampling.  This may result in the need for installation of additional SDS.

2.2.2 Issues

Currently, there are no known issues at the Site.
  2.3 Logistics Section
    A logistics section was not activiated for this response.  No logistical challenges or issues were encountered during this reporting period.
  2.4 Finance Section
    No information available at this time.
  2.5 Other Command Staff
    2.5.1 Safety Officer
No safety challenges were encountered during this reporting period.

2.6 Liaison Officer
A liaison officer was not activated for this response.

2.7 Information Officer
None

2.7.1 Public Information Officer
None

2.7.2 Community Involvement Coordinator

The Community Involvement Coordinator for the Site is Cecilia Echols. 
3. Participating Entities
  3.1 Unified Command
Unified Command is not relevant to this response.

3.2 Cooperating Agencies
The Monmouth County Health Department (MCHD) and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) have been involved in the Site since 1998.
4. Personnel On Site
  Currently, no personnel are working on the Site. 
5. Definition of Terms
  Vapor Intrusion- when chemicals or petroleum products are spilled on the ground or leak from underground storage tanks, they can give off gases, or vapors that can get inside buildings.  Common products that can cause vapor intrusion are gasoline or diesel fuel, dry cleaning solvents and industrial degreasers.  The vapors move through the soil and seep through the cracks in basements, foundations, sewer lines and other openings.  Vapor intrusion is a concern because vapors can build up to a point where the health of residents or workers in those buildings could be at risk.  Some vapors, such as those associated with petroleum products, have a gasoline odor.  Others are odor free.

Tetrachloroethene (AKA: Tetrachloroethylene, Perchloroethylene, PCE)- A manufactured chemical used for dry cleaning and metal degreasing.

Trichloroethene ( AKA: Trichloroethylene, TCE)- A manufactured chemical used in metal degreasing
6. Additional sources of information
  6.1 Internet location of additional information/report
    www.epaosc.org/whiteswan

6.2 Reporting Schedule

The VI investigation is on-going and there is a potential that other residential locations overlying the groundwater plume may be impacted by the VOC vapors in the future, but no further removal action is planned.  The Remedial Project Manager (RPM) is coordinating with the residents to conduct additional air sampling. This may result in the need for installation of additional SDS.  This is the Initial and Final Pollution Report for this Removal Action. 
7. Situational Reference Materials
  None