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Knoxville College

All POL/SITREP's for this site Knoxville College
Knoxville, TN - EPA Region IV
POLREP #1
Initiation of Emergency Response Actions 		Printer Friendly  |   PDF
 
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Knoxville College - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region IV
Subject: POLREP #1
Initiation of Emergency Response Actions
Knoxville College
B43S
Knoxville, TN
Latitude: 35.9709164 Longitude: -83.9434094

To:
From: Kevin Eichinger, OSC
Date: 6/7/2014
Reporting Period: June 5, 2014 through June 7, 2014

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: B43S    Contract Number:  
D.O. Number:      Action Memo Date: 6/7/2014
Response Authority: CERCLA    Response Type: Emergency
Response Lead: EPA    Incident Category: Removal Action
NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date: 6/5/2014    Start Date: 6/5/2014
Demob Date:      Completion Date:  
CERCLIS ID:    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification:
FPN#:    Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

Emergency Response, inactive facility

1.1.2 Site Description

The incident occurred at an abandoned laboratory science teaching facility on the campus of the Knoxville College. The AK Stewart Science Hall is a three story brick structure located in the center of the campus. The facility is unsecured with many broken windows and doors at ground level. There are 39 rooms and laboratories containing various containers or hazardous substances. The college is in a residential neighborhood, with residences directly across the street. The facility is not fenced. There are numerous dilapidated structures on the campus that show evidence of trespassers and use by vagrants. Currently, the College is only utilizing one building for education and administrative purposes.

1.1.2.1 Location

The Site is located at 901 Knoxville College Drive, Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee. The geographical coordinates are 35.970870, -83.943343

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

There are numerous containers of hazardous materials, including some extremely hazardous substances, unsecured. Many are already broken, and the rain infiltration threatens to wash them from the building into the environment. Continued vandalism and theft in the building will only exacerbate the problem. The nature and type of the chemicals present pose toxicity, flammability, and reactivity threats to anyone mixing or playing with the chemicals. This poses the greatest threat to neighborhood children exploring the abandoned building.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

Knoxville College reported discontinued their science program in 2007. Since then, time, vandalism, and theft have led to the destruction and degradation of much of the containers stored in the A. K. Stewart Science Hall. Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation (TDEC) performed a site reconnaissance on June 5, 2014, and immediately contacted the Region 4 Emergency Response and Removal Branch (ERRB) to report the conditions. Thousands of bottles of hazardous chemicals, including acids, bases, oxidizers, organic peroxides, cyanides, radioactive sources, and asbestos are all present in the building. Container size ranges from 5-gallon buckets to milliliter-sized small containers. Many containers have no, or illegible, labels.   Many containers are spilled, broken, or otherwise destroyed. Flammable and corrosive liquids are spilled onto the floor. Vandals have thrown containers from upper windows onto the ground below, causing the bottles to break and spill. Elevated mercury levels were found throughout the facility. Three radioactive sources were found unsecured in the building.   The building is dilapidated, with leaks in the roof and a flooded ground floor. There is no security for the building; the windows are broken and the doors not functional. Entry into the building is unrestricted. The building does not have automatic sprinklers.
2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    2.1.1 Narrative

There are numerous containers of hazardous materials, including some extremely hazardous substances, unsecured. Many are already broken, and the rain infiltration threatens to wash them from the building into the environment. Continued vandalism and theft in the building will only exacerbate the problem. The nature and type of the chemicals present pose toxicity, flammability, and reactivity threats to anyone mixing or playing with the chemicals. This poses the greatest threat to neighborhood children exploring the abandoned building.   In consideration of these factors, the OSC elected to initiate an emergency response to address the potential risk of fire, explosion, and release of hazardous substances to the environment.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

EPA and Superfund Technical Assistance Response Team Contractor (START) TetraTech mobilized to the Site on 06/05/2014. OSC Eichinger met with the President of the College and discussed the situation. The President stated that the College does not have the financial resource to address the situation or to secure the facility. The President granted access to the facility and signed an access agreement. The Facility Manager confirmed that power has been disconnected to the building. EPA requested that the College to have the natural gas disconnected to the building.  

On 06/06/2014, EPA, START and Emergency and Rapid Removal Services (ERRS) Contractor CMC completed multiple Level B entries into the building to assess the situation and to determine the magnitude/threat. Crews observed and documented thousands of chemical bottles ranging in size from 5-gallons to milliliter volumes. Many of the chemical containers are damaged, leaking, unlabeled, or otherwise compromised. Crews observed flammable, combustible, oxidizing, toxic, air reactive, corrosive, biological, and radioactive materials as well as incompatible storage. Crews also found elevated mercury levels throughout the building. Crews observed suspect friable asbestos containing building materials (ACBM) on the floor throughout the buildings. Some of the suspect ACBM has fallen on the chemical bottles. Three radioactive sources were found in a ground floor laboratory. No elevated radiation levels were found outside of the laboratory. ERRS has secured the ground floor windows and damaged doors. EPA has closely interacted and coordinated with TDEC, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and the City of Knoxville. The OSC issued a CERCLA Notice of Federal Interest (NOFI). 


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

Knoxville College has stated they are the property owners and former operators of the Science Hall, but are financially unable to perform the removal.  

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

No pertinent information to report at this time.
  2.2 Planning Section
    2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

Anticipated removal activities for the Site include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Secure the site to limit trespassing or other unauthorized entry.
  • Conduct inventory of hazardous materials stored at the Site.
  • Stabilize hazardous materials pending testing and disposal.
  • Segregate hazardous materials into hazard categories.
  • Sample for hazard categorization and disposal profiling.
  • Consolidate, repack, over-pack, and lab-pack materials.
  • Off-site disposal, treatment, or recycling of materials.
  • Additional cleanup activities that may include demolition as necessary to provide a safe and efficient work environment, excavation of contaminated soils, as necessary, decontamination of personnel and equipment.
  • Conduct comprehensive air monitoring for employee and community protection.
  • Continue coordination with Local and State Agencies.
2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

Currently, crews are mobilizing additional personnel and equipment to remove and mitigate the hazardous substances that are a threat to human health and the environment. Additional equipment, personnel and supplies will arrive and begin work on Monday, 06/09/2014. START will establish numerous air monitoring stations for both employee and community protection. The current Health and Safety Plan (HASP) is being updated to address additional planned tasks. A command post and decontamination corridor will be established. Once mobilization is complete, crews will begin segregating chemicals into like hazard classes and begin bulking and consolidation activities. All work in the building (Exclusion Zone) will need to be conducted in Level B and/or C personal protective equipment due to the presence of damaged suspect friable asbestos (pipe insulation, broken floor tiles), elevated mercury levels and potential for elevated levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC)

2.2.1.2 Next Steps
  • Continue with mobilization plans.
  • Conduct a health and safety briefing and begin removal activities. 
  • Finalize the Emergency Response Action Memo and obtain necessary signatures.
  • Process Tasks Orders and Purchase Requisitions.
  • Work with the College to find a suitable building to temporarily store drums and containers generated by the response pending off-site approval and disposal.
  • Coordinate with Local and State Agencies.
2.2.2 Issues

Nothing pertinent or pressing to report at this time.
  2.3 Logistics Section
    Logistical support is being provided by ERRS, START and Q-Solutions/EPA Warehouse contractors and EPA personnel. Requested equipment, supplies and personnel will begin arrive Sunday, 06/08/2014, evening. 
  2.4 Finance Section
    No information available at this time.
  2.5 Other Command Staff
    2.5.1 Safety Officer

OSC Eichinger is serving as the Safety Officer with START and ERRS each providing an Assistant Safety Officer. An initial assessment of the structure was complete. All activities in the building will need to be conducted in Level B or C personal protective equipment. 

Emergency responders will be exposed to serious risk of injury due to numerous containers of hazardous materials, including some extremely hazardous substances, that are unsecured, broken and leaking. There is also damaged friable asbestos containing building material throughout the facility. 

2.5.2 Liaison Officer

OSC Eichinger is currently coordinating will Local and State Response Partners.

2.5.3 Community Involvement Coordinator (CIC)

CIC Neema Atashi will mobilize to the site on Monday, 06/09/2014 to assist with the emergency response.
3. Participating Entities
  3.1 Unified Command

An incident command structure has been established for this incident. At this time, OSC Eichinger is filling the role of Incident Commander with personnel from START and ERRS filling the Operation Section Chief, Assistance Safety Officer, HAZMAT Team Leader, Decontamination Team Leader, Air Monitoring Group Supervisor, Resource Unit Leader and Documentation Unit Leader positions. At this time, a Unified Command structure is not needed due to the size of the incident. Local and State Agencies will participate in the incident command structure as Assisting Agencies

3.2 Assisting Agencies

The following local and state agencies are providing support:
  • Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation (TDEC)
  • Tennessee Department of Emergency Management (TEMA)
  • City of Knoxville Emergency Management
  • City of Knoxville Mayor's Office
  • City of Knoxville Fire Department
4. Personnel On Site
  The following personnel were on-site at various times throughout this reporting period:
  • EPA - 2
  • START - 2
  • ERRS - 6
  • TDEC - 4
  • TEMA - 1
  • City of Knoxville (from various departments) - 4
  • PRP - 1
5. Definition of Terms
  Abbreviations and acronyms are spelled out within the text of the Pollution Report. Definitions will be added to this section as necessary.
6. Additional sources of information
  6.1 Internet location of additional information/report

Documents, photographs, maps and other important/pertinent information can be found at http://epaosc.org/knoxvillecollege. Log-in credentials may be required to view certain documents.

6.2 Reporting Schedule

Pollution Reports (POLREP) will initially be drafted daily starting Monday, 06/09/2014. This schedule will change and be less frequent as the emergency response progresses. Please note that POLREP must be review and approved prior to publication, so there may be a delay.
7. Situational Reference Materials
  All situational reference materials will be uploaded to http://epaosc.org/knoxvillecollege. Log-in credentials may be required to access certain documents.