1.1.2 Site Description

     The Transportation Drive PCB site is located in a commercial area of Hazleton, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The majority of the site is currently owned by Walp Trucking Incorporated, who operates a trucking dispatch and service center. An unused portion of the site is also owned by Consolidated Lands, Incorporated.  Prior to 1983 the site was reportedly the location of a facility that scraped electrical equipment including transformers and large capacitors. Site assessment activities conducted at the site in May and June 2014 revealed electric equipment and related scrap on the ground around the perimeter of the site and PCB concentrations that exceed the Toxic Substances and Control Act (TSCA) action level of 50 mg/kg. 

     The OSC issued Special Bulletin A and Polrep 1 for the site on November 14, 2014 to take actions to secure the site while additional assessment was conducted. An Action Memorandum was signed on June 26, 2015 authorizing a Removal Action to mitigate the threat posed by PCB electrical equipment and PCB contaminated soil and debris at the site. Personnel and equipment were mobilized to the site on August 11, 2015 to begin site work.  

Please see previous Polrep's for additional background information. 

2.1.1 Current Activities

- There was no site activity from July 1 - 5 due to the Independence Day holiday. 

 - A total of approximately 1,798 tons (80 intermodal containers) of PCB contaminated soil/debris was transported off site during the reporting period. PCB contaminated soil is being transported by truck and rail to Heritage Environmental Services in Roachdale, Indiana for disposal as PCB Remediation Waste.  

- ERRS excavated soil along the southern portion of the Walp Trucking parking lot in (areas C-032, C-033, C-034, C-035, and C-036).  Five confirmation samples were collected from the excavation areas to confirm that site cleanup goals were achieved. 

-All excavation areas were filled with clean fill and 2A modified stone.  A compactor was used to ensure proper compaction. 

 - During the reporting period, a total of 62 large capacitors were uncovered and placed in 55-gallons drums with absorbent material.  Drums will be stored on site temporarily in a secure area until off site disposal is arranged. To date, a total of approximately 481 large capacitors and transformers have uncovered at the site. 

-  Six samples were collected from the unused wooded lot across the street from the Walp property.  The wooded lot is owned by James Perchak. Storm water flows from the Walp Trucking property through 2 culverts to the Perchak property where it then eventually evaporates or percolates into the ground.  To date, a total of 47 soil samples have been collected from the wooded lot in areas where storm water drains to the property.  At total of 9 samples contained greater than 1 mg/kg and less than 25 mg/kg. The remainder of samples contained less than 1 mg/kg PCBs. No electrical equipment or related scrap has been observed on the property.  Based on sample results and visual observation it appears that PCB contamination on the Perchak property is limited to the surface of the area directly where storm water drains to the property. 

- A total of 7 surface and subsurface samples were collected from the Walp trucking parking lot to better delineate extent of contamination.  Preliminary sample results ranged from 0.69 to 99 mg/kg.  

- Water that collected in excavations was pumped to two temporary storage tanks. Samples collected from water stored in the tanks contained PCB concentrations ranging from 11 to 29.6 micrograms per liter (ug/L).  Water will be treated using carbon/clay filtration system and then discharged to site drainage.  ERRS received the filtration system which will be assembled during the next operational period. START will collect samples of treated water to ensure that the filtration is effective at removing low concentrations of PCBs from the water. 

- START performed daily air monitoring for particulates.  No site action levels were exceeded.