• Assessment of structural contamination in the west building;
• Removal of any contaminated debris inside the west building;
• Decontamination and fixation using a soil tacifier of the structural materials inside the west building to minimize hazardous waste debris during building demolition;
• Demolition of the west building;
• Removal of the contaminated slab from the east building; and
• Excavation of contaminated soil from the property.

See previous POLREPS for the history of the threats on-site.

The eastern building slab poses a direct contact hazard due to the presence of chrome, nickel, lead, zinc and copper on the surface of the slab and ingrained into the concrete above the California Total Threshold Limit Concentration (TTLC) hazardous waste determining levels.  The slab also contains a number of below grade plating line containment areas that contain hazardous waste solids and contaminated rainwater. 

On May 18 2015, EPA identified an off-site release of contaminated runoff that migrated off the slab and onto the street.  Samples of this material collected by Los Angeles Water Shed Protection indicated elevated levels of heavy metals present in the runoff indicating the runoff came into contact with RCRA F-Listed waste. 

The soils beneath the  slab, on the parkway along Romaine Street and on the southwest corner of the Orange Square business park north of Highland are contaminated with heavy metals from fire suppression runoff above the TTLC hazardous waste determining levels.  The contamination goes to a depth of three to five feet below ground surface (bgs).  Groundwater is at approximately 16-20 feet bgs.

The polishing room in the western building contains a large quantity of heavy metal laden polishing dust on the wall, floor, ceiling and rafter surfaces above TTLC levels.  Polishing dust has also been discovered in the interstitial spaces of the brick wall on the southern end of the room, inside the walls separating the polishing and gold plating rooms and in the crawl space between the first and second floors of the building.  A screening XRF survey conducted by the START contractor as documented percentage concentrations of chrome, nickel, zinc, lead and copper in the polishing dust.  The contractors for Highland Plating have attempted to clean this room multiple times unsuccessfully due to the sheer amount of polishing dust in the room.

The wastewater treatment room in the western building is heavily contaminated with wastewater treatment solids which are a F006 RCRA Listed Waste.  There are multiple sumps in the treatment system area that are filled with contaminated rain and decontamination water.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

See POLREPS Nos. 1,2, 3, 7 and 8.

See Section 1.1.2.1.
 

• Assessment of structural contamination in the west building;
• Removal of any contaminated debris inside the west building;
• Decontamination and fixation using a soil tacifier of the structural materials inside the west building to minimize hazardous waste debris during building demolition;
• Demolition of the west building;
• Removal of the contaminated slab from the east building; and
• Excavation of contaminated soil from the property.

• The new owner is seeking BFPP protection from EPA;  and
• Removal operations at the Orange Square Business Park.   Highland's insurance company is in conflict the property owner, Ralco, Inc., as to the amount of soil that needs to be removed.  EPA notified both parties if this issues is not resolved and the cleanup completed by September 28, 2015, EPA will be referring this site to DTSC for cleanup oversight.