A release of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants is present at the site.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) documented the presence of hazardous substances as defined by section 101(14) of CERCLA, including tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), cis-1,2-dichloroethene (DCE), vinyl chloride, chloroform, and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane; and pollutants and contaminants as defined by 101(33) of CERCLA.  

Hazardous substances are present in soil, groundwater, and soil vapor.  Possible exposure routes to hazardous substances include dermal contact with contaminated surface and subsurface soil during excavation activities; inhalation of contaminated air that has migrated through subsurface soil and groundwater, i.e. vapor intrusion; and ingestion of contaminated drinking water.  Potential human receptors include future on-site workers and nearby residents, including children in a day care adjacent to the site. 

At the request of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), EPA performed Site Assessments January 24 – 27, 2011 and April 9-10, 2012.  EPA and the Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) contractor collected seven subsurface soil samples for volatile organic compounds (VOC) and Toxicity Characteristic Leachate Procedure (TCLP) VOC analysis; ten groundwater samples from existing monitoring wells for VOC analysis; and nine soil gas samples, two of which were collected on-site and seven of which were collected off-site in a residential neighborhood about ¼ mile west of the site.  
 

EPA compared soil results to May 2012 Regional Screening Levels (RSL) for industrial soil. 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane was detected in one sample at a concentration of 11 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg), above the RSL of 2.8 mg/kg.  All samples were below the Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA) criteria for toxicity.  Historical soil analytical results documented that PCE was detected in near-surface soil (1 foot below ground surface (bgs)) at a maximum concentration of 2,400 mg/kg.

Groundwater results were compared to Superfund Removal Actions Levels (RAL), which were developed for contaminated drinking water sites.  The groundwater at Tuchman is not a drinking water source but could potentially migrate into the drinking water supply in the Fall Creek well field. Six of the ten monitoring wells sampled contained VOCs above the Superfund RALs; these VOCs included cis-1,2-DCE, PCE, TCE, and vinyl chloride.  PCE was detected at a maximum concentration of 49,000 micrograms per liter (ug/L).  Historical results indicated that PCE was detected in groundwater at a maximum concentration of 135,000 ug/L in groundwater monitoring well MW-2i.  TCE was detected at a maximum concentration of 2,960 ug/L.  

Soil gas data was collected at the site and in a residential area to the west.  The results were compared to soil gas screening levels for a 10^-4 cancer risk as established in EPA’s Vapor Intrusion Screening Level (VISL) spreadsheet, which were then converted from units of micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m³) to parts per billion by volume (ppbv) using standard atmospheric temperature and pressure and the molecular weight of each chemical constituent.  Seven of the nine soil gas samples contained VOCs above the VISL screening levels; these VOCs included chloroform, propylbenzene, PCE, and TCE. PCE was detected at a maximum concentration of 36,000 ppbv.

EPA conducted an extent-of-contamination survey September 17 - 19, 2012.  EPA divided the site into 25-foot grids and collected soil samples from each grid to determine the extent-of-contamination in soil. Analytical results indicated that three grids exceeded the criteria for hazardous waste.  Results in those grids ranged from 18,000 to 2,300,000 ug/kg for total PCE.  EPA will use a conservative approach in waste disposal and will manage grids adjoining hazardous grids as hazardous waste.

EPA’s "contained-in" policy states that environmental media contaminated with a hazardous waste must be managed as if they were hazardous wastes until they no longer contain the listed waste, no longer exhibit a characteristic, or are delisted.  In accordance with the contained-in policy, a determination as to whether or not "listed" waste is contained-in soil or groundwater may be made by authorized states based on whether constituents from listed waste are below health-based levels. IDEM has determined that contamination levels specified in the Risk Integrated System of Closure (RISC) system represent appropriate health-based levels for determining if soil or groundwater contain "listed" hazardous waste. Specifically, soil concentrations must be below the toxicity characteristic and RISC Industrial Soil Direct Level.  PCE-contaminated soil is considered hazardous waste if it is above 0.7 milligrams per liter (mg/L) for TCLP PCE or 16,000 ug/kg for total PCE.  PCE-contaminated soil between the Residential Soil Direct Level and Industrial Soil Direct Level may be managed as non-hazardous waste; this corresponds to 9,900 to 16,000 ug/kg for total PCE.  Soil below 9,900 ug/kg for total PCE is below the Residential Soil Direct Level and may be left in place.

• Conducted a pre-installation pilot test at one residence;
• Installed a vapor mitigation system at one residence;
• Sealed the crawl space at one property.  Crawl space access was difficult because there was no outside access and the property owner had placed flooring over the inside access;
• Conducted initial vapor intrusion sampling at one property for a total of 38 properties sampled; and
• Conducted follow-up sampling at five homes. 

• Using recycled paper products;
• Producing electronic 1900-55's instead of printing;
• Double-sided printing;
• Utilizing a water cooler instead of bottled water;
• Using electricity from the grid instead of a generator;
• Using rechargeable batteries;
• Established a no-idling policy for vehicles; and
• Recycling paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, aluminum, ink, and batteries.