1.1.1 Incident Category

Time Critical Removal Action

1.1.2 Site Description
The site is a former chemical plating facility, currently owned by the Kent County Land Bank. When the property tax reverted, historically accumulated plating wastes were abandoned in the building, and discovered by the Land Bank. 

1.1.2.1 Location

The site is located at 1516 Blaine Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan 49507. The site totals approximately 1/4 acre, and contains a one story industrial building and an open lot. The site was recently occupied by the Hard Chrome Plating and HCP Finishing LLC companies, and tax reverted to the Kent County Land Bank in 2014.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

See POLREP 1.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

See POLREP 1.

2.1.1 Narrative

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

2.1.2.1 Actions During Reporting Period

Over the reporting period, work focused primarily on the following activities:

- Continuing to implement air monitoring program

- Continuing to clear debris from within the building and decontaminate building floors. Non-hazardous debris is being consolidated in rolloff boxes. Sweepings are consolidated in cubic yard boxes for disposal.

- Continuing to package, overpack when necessary and secure waste for disposal. All known containerized wastes have now been secured pending disposal. 

- All sumps have been evacuated. One sump is continuing to refill with rainwater. 

- Continuing to dismantle vats. All 14 vats have now been evacuated. The entire nickel plating line has been dismantled, and staged for disposal/recycling. We completed evacuating the contents from the vats from the chrome plating line in Storage Area 1 during this reporting period, and removed the final 3 large vats (vats 2, 4, and 6) from floor inset location in Storage Area 1 (see photos). After the vats were removed, we decontaminated the floors where the vats had been located, and removed unnecessary pipework and ductwork. 

- Continued removal of ventilation systems.

2.1.2.2 Air Monitoring
Every day that cleanup activity work will be ongoing, air monitoring will be conducted to ensure public and worker safety. Please see the air monitoring plan and POLREP 2 for details.

A website has been established to view the current and past air monitoring data for the site. To view the data go to the web address: viper.ert.org. You have to create a login on your first visit to the site. Once logged in, go to the R05 Hard Chrome Metals Deployment to view site data. 

Particulate Air Monitoring:

Over the reporting period, no exceedances of the perimeter or work zone action levels (calculated as work day averages) for particulates were detected. 


MultiGas Air Monitoring:

Over the reporting period, no exceedances of the perimeter or work zone action levels were verified.

Hydrochloric Acid Monitoring

Over the reporting period, no exceedances of the perimeter or work zone action levels were detected. 

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
General notice letters were issued to former owners of the property. Investigation is ongoing.

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

See POLREP 1.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps
Over the next week, we will complete work to dismantle remaining vats where necessary; continue to decontaminate the building and floors; and remove and stage air filtration infrastructure for disposal. We will insure that all waste is secure and properly staged pending disposal and prepare to demobilize pending arrangement of disposal.

-   Security will be on site during non working hours, and during the time we are off-site arranging disposal.

2.2.2 Issues

3.1 Unified Command

3.2 Cooperating Agencies

Kent County Land Bank
MDEQ

2/1/16
EPA: 1
START: 1
ERRS: 7
USCG AST: 2

2/2/16-2/5/16
EPA: 1
START: 1
ERRS: 6
USCG AST: 2