Downsizing operations. All waste sample results will be in by Wednesday. Waste load-out is planned to occur on March 18^th or March 19^th with back fill and driveway base installation starting on Thursday or Friday and continuing through the weekend. The goal is to allow the property owners unrestricted access to the property starting on the weekend. Subcontractors will then install landscaping, repair the deck and restore the sections of the lower level living space that were demolished.

On March 12, met with the Cherokee County Department of Health on-site today. Coordinated with ATSDR on clearance levels and scenarios.  Met with the property owner and discussed the project schedule. Property owner has secured alternative housing through March 21, 2015. Property owner is still working on taking custody of any elemental mercury that was removed from the property by the juveniles.  

EPA and START completed clearance screening in both the upper and lower level living spaces on March 15, 2015. Drafted a clearance letter request to ATSDR and GA Public Health.

Response crews are currently removing contaminated soil and contaminated concrete. A new driveway will be installed and clean topsoil and sod with be installed in the soil excavation areas. The property owners will not reoccupy the residence until the exterior contamination has been removed. This work will be completed this week. The property owners plan to reoccupy the house on Saturday, March 21^st.

On March 16, met with the juvenile involved in the initial release of the mercury. He took me to the area in wood behind the house where he buried additional mercury. Found three 16-fluid ounce glass jars filled with elemental mercury. Believe that all the mercury involved in the release has now be recovered.

March 12, 2015

Basement Removal Activities:

• Installed the floor leveler in the lower level living space. The floor leveler and heating and venting operations significantly reduced the mercury vapor levels in the lower level living space. Levels during heating averaged around 5000 ng/m3. Applied an epoxy sealer to the HVAC equipment room. Applied additional coats of epoxy sealer on the garage floor and walls. The garage is ready for clearance testing. Average screening levels in the garage were less than 1000 ng/m3.
• Heating and venting operations began at approximately 1700 hours in the lower level living space and will continue through the night. HVAC system is currently running during the heating/venting operation.

Upstairs Screening Levels and Removal Activities:

• Item removal was completed in the master bathroom, bedroom #1 and bedroom #2.  Item removal operation is complete.
• ERRS crews completed three washes with the mercury removal solutions and a wet/dry vacuum with a squeegee attachment in the all remaining spaces in the upper level as well as identified hotspots. A fourth treatment was also completed using a mercury decontamination solution in all of these areas.
• The upper deck was successfully decontaminated. One hotspot area was retreated.
• Crews removed the exterior stair treads.
• Heating and venting operations began at approximately 1700 hours and will continue through the night. HVAC system is currently running during the heating/venting operation. Levels during heating averaged around 8000 ng/m3. These may be due to the remaining vapors from the numerous items that screened above 50,000 ng/m3 that were removed today.

Item Decontamination Activities:

• Moved bagged items from the upper level master bedroom, master bathroom, bedroom #1 and bedroom #2 into the heat tents for decontamination. Numerous items from these spaces screened greater than 50,000 ng/m3 and were disposed of unless they are deemed to be sentimental.
• Disposed of property identified by the property owner or items that exceeded 50,000 ng/m3.
• Approximately 650+ bags have been generated.
• Item removal operations has been completed.

• Relocated PPE donning/doffing and staging areas in preparation for soil excavation and driveway removal.
• Decontaminated equipment that will be returned to the rental company. 

Basement Removal Activities:

• Sealed the remaining walls in the lower level living space.
• Applied an epoxy sealer to the lower level closet that will not be tiled.
• Applied an epoxy sealer to remaining walls in the lower level.
• Sealed small remaining areas of the garage floor.
• Completed a test clearance screening. The average mercury vapor concentration in the lower levels were around 3000 - 4000 ng/m3. Consulted with Glenn Adams from Region 4 Superfund Technical Support Services Branch. Will install a temporary exhaust system in the basement to remove residual mercury vapor. Met with the property owner and discussed this option. She agreed to leave the unit running for 24 hours a day/7 days a week. OSC committed to returning in approximately 6 months to evaluate the mercury vapor concentrations and determine if temporary ventilation system needs to continue or can be removed.

Upstairs Screening Levels and Removal Activities:

• Completed decontamination and treatment operations in hotspot locations.
• Completed a test clearance screening. The average mercury vapor concentration in the lower levels was between 2700 and 3000 ng/m3.
• Heating and venting operations continued.

Item Decontamination Activities:

• Re-screened bagged items for release, continued heat treatment or disposal.
• Removed several of the lower level heat tents in preparation for soil excavation and driveway removal.

Road and Driveway Removal Activities:

• Decontaminated and treated the remaining road surface. Confirmation of decontamination effectiveness was determined by a transfer test with footwear. Area was cleared when the footwear screened at less then 6000 ng/m3 after walking the area.

March 14, 2015

General Activities:

• Decontaminated additional equipment.

Basement Removal Activities:

• Installed the temporary exhaust fan.

Upstairs Screening Levels and Removal Activities:

• Completed decontamination and treatment operations in additional hot spot locations.
• Decontaminated and treated the rear deck.

Item Decontamination Activities:

• Re-screened bagged items for release, continued heat treatment or disposal.
• All items have been relocated to the upper level heat tents. 

Road and Driveway Removal Activities:

• Decontaminated and treated the section of the driveway that was not sealed with the paint. The section with the paint will be removed due to the imbedded Hg contamination. This section will be removed after the soil excavation is complete. Confirmation of decontamination effectiveness was determined by a transfer test with foot wear. Area was cleared when the foot wear screened at less then 6000 ng/m3 after walking the area.

Soil Excavation Activities:

• Screened the property, as well as adjacent properties and areas along Apache Trail to determine the extent of the soil excavation. Screen indicated the need excavate soil in the front yard, ~1’ on both side of the driveway, a 20’ x 10’ area in a gully where the drive drained to, and sections of soil along the roadway. These areas fail screening or have visible mercury contamination. Will remove up to six inches of soil and restore with clean soil and sod.
• Began hand digging in areas that will not be accessible by the mini-excavator.

Community Involvement Activities:

• Continued meeting with property owners to discuss the status of the project, schedule of work and listened to/addressed concerns.

March 15, 2015

• Five-hour upper level average: 1904 ng/m3
• Bedroom #1 average: 1752 ng/m3
• Bedroom #2 average: 1551 ng/m3
• Master Bedroom average: 1819 ng/m3

• Five-hour lower level average: 3159 ng/m3
• Bedroom #3 average:  2896 ng/m3
• Bedroom #4 average:  3005 ng/m3

There are no young children living in the residence. A young child occasionally visits. The property owners agreed that no young children will be permitted in the lower level living space until after EPA reevaluates the need for the exhaust fan. The property owners committed to running the exhaust fan. The exhaust fan is drawing air from the upper level living space down to the lower level living space through either open doors or vents in the walls that were installed as part of the project.

ERRS crews continued hand digging operations, assisted with personal item heat treatment and decontamination additional unneeded equipment.

March 16, 2015

Basement Removal Activities:

• Basement removal activities are complete.

Upstairs Screening Levels and Removal Activities:

• Upper level removal activities are complete.

Item Decontamination Activities:

• Continued heat treating personal property. Identified additional items for disposal. Released items that tested less than 6000 ng/m3.

Road and Driveway Removal Activities:

• Road decontamination activities are complete. Confirmation of decontamination effectiveness was determined by a transfer test with foot wear. Area was cleared when the foot wear screened at less then 6000 ng/m3 after walking the area.
  
• Began removal of sections of the driveway that cannot be decontaminated.

Soil Excavation Activities:

• Completed soil excavation along both sides of the driveway, in the front yard and in a gully area where the driveway drained. Conducted confirmation mercury vapor screening in these areas. The only remain areas of soil excavation are the sections along Apache Trail and the area under the current soil stockpile.
• The area under the deck still had significant elemental mercury contamination. Removed the visible mercury, decontaminated the weir blocks that are supporting and deck and excavated roughly 6 inches of soil.

Item Decontamination Activities:

• Continued heat treating personal property. Identified additional items for disposal. Released items that tested less than 6000 ng/m3. Items that screen between 6000 ng/m3 and 10,000 ng/m3 or were deemed sentimental will be left with the property owner to continue heating and venting treatment. OSC will provide instruction to the property owner on how to handle the heating and venting once response crews demobilized from the site.

• Continue clean-up actions at contaminated homes
• Continue CIC coordination with community

• Finish driveway removal.
• Excavate areas along Apache Trail that fail the mercury screening or has visible mercury contamination.
• Load out soil and ship for disposal. Soil is RCRA non-hazardous by TCLP. It will be sent to the Pine Bluff Landfill.
• Install crush and run driveway base.
• Back fill excavations with clean topsoil.
• Shipped off staged concrete and other debris off for disposal. It is RCRA non-hazardous by TCLP. Waste will be sent to the Pine Bluff Landfill.
• The response generated approximately five cubic yard of mercury contaminated soil and solidified decontamination solutions that failed TCLP or have visible contamination. This will be shipped to the EQ Michigan hazardous waste landfill in cubic yard boxes. Will arrange for shipment when waste profiling is complete.
• Contacted the EPA Region 4 RCRA Enforcement Branch to assured that their approval of the vendor being used for recycling of the recovered elemental mercury is complaint with the 2008 Mercury Export Ban Rule.

• Complete activities listed above.
• Restore the site.
• Replace essential property

• Approximately 27 fluid ounces of elemental mercury was been recovered to date. Property owner stated that 2 1/2 gallon containers of elemental mercury was believed to have been stored in the residence.
• The mercury contamination of the residence, surrounding lot and roadway is extensive.
• An additional 48 fluid ounces of elementary mercury was found buried behind the house.
• The amount of free elemental mercury found under the deck continues to be extensive.

• US EPA
• Georgia Environmental Protection Division
• Georgia Department of Public Health

• Cherokee County Schools
• American Red Cross
• Agency for Toxic Substance Disease Registry (ATSDR)

• EPA OSC - 1
• START - 0
• ERRS - 4