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Long Creek WWTP Mercury Spill

All POL/SITREP's for this site Long Creek WWTP Mercury Spill
Albemarle, NC - EPA Region IV
POLREP #1
Initial
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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Long Creek WWTP Mercury Spill - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region IV

Subject: POLREP #1
Initial
Long Creek WWTP Mercury Spill
B48A
Albemarle, NC
Latitude: 35.3345930 Longitude: -80.2131220


To:
From: Ken Rhame, OSC
Date: 3/17/2016
Reporting Period: 3/17/2016 to 3/18/2016

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: B48A    Contract Number:  
D.O. Number:      Action Memo Date:  
Response Authority: CERCLA    Response Type: Emergency
Response Lead: PRP    Incident Category: Removal Action
NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date: 3/17/2016    Start Date: 3/17/2016
Demob Date:      Completion Date:  
CERCLIS ID:    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification: NC DEQ RCRA
FPN#:    Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category
Emergency Response - CERCLA

1.1.2 Site Description
Municipal Waste Water Treatment Plant

Long Creek Waste Water Treatment Plant

1.1.2.1 Location
1040 Coble Avenue

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Released Mercury to a municipal office building presenting a inhalation threat as well as the possibility of employees tracking it off site.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
   

2.1.1 Narrative
In approximately 2008, The City of Albemarle collected and consolidated several pounds of mercury from various city labs, offices and departments, and stored it in a room on the second floor of the Long Creek Waste Water Treatment Plant office building.  The City of Albemarle Waste Water Treatment Plant Operator noticed some spilled mercury on the concrete floor in the room; this prompted the city to solicited bids from contractors to conduct the transport and disposal of the mercury.  The contractor assessed the mercury on 3/16/2016 and determined that it may have exceeded the reportable quantity and that it would require a more detailed work plan. Based on the contractor's recommendation, the City of Albemarle reported the incident to the National Response Center and North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. 
There are several containers of mercury in the storage area, it appears that one container was damaged and leaked approximately 15 to 20 pounds of mercury onto the floor of the storage room. There are no drains or hvac vents leading to or from the storage room. EPA advised the city to isolate the second floor and to open windows on the first floor to increase ventilation until a thorough assessment could be completed. The City is attempting to hire a contractor to mitigate the spill. OSC Rhame mobilized with START contractors to assess the remainder of the building and provide technical assistance to the response crew.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
EPA advised the city to isolate the second floor and to open windows on the first floor to increase ventilation until a thorough assessment could be completed. The City is attempting to hire a contractor to mitigate the spill. OSC Rhame mobilized with START contractors to assess the remainder of the building and provide technical assistance to the response crew. Further actions are pending.
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
City of Albemarle is the owner  and operator of the facility.

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal
           
           
           


  2.2 Planning Section
    No information available at this time.

  2.3 Logistics Section
    No information available at this time.

  2.4 Finance Section
    No information available at this time.

  2.5 Other Command Staff
    No information available at this time.

3. Participating Entities
  No information available at this time.

4. Personnel On Site
  No information available at this time.

5. Definition of Terms
  No information available at this time.

6. Additional sources of information
  No information available at this time.

7. Situational Reference Materials
  No information available at this time.