U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Oglethorpe County High School Mercury Spill - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region IV
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Subject:
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POLREP #1
Initial POLREP
Oglethorpe County High School Mercury Spill
B451
Lexington, GA
Latitude: 33.8845294 Longitude: -83.1249189
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To:
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From:
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Alyssa Hughes, On-Scene Coordinator
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Date:
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12/12/2009
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Reporting Period:
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12/10-12/11/09
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1. Introduction
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1.1 Background
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Site Number: |
B451 |
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Contract Number: |
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D.O. Number: |
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Action Memo Date: |
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Response Authority: |
CERCLA |
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Response Type: |
Emergency |
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Response Lead: |
PRP |
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Incident Category: |
Removal Action |
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NPL Status: |
Non NPL |
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Operable Unit: |
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Mobilization Date: |
12/11/2009 |
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Start Date: |
12/11/2009 |
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Demob Date: |
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Completion Date: |
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CERCLIS ID: |
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RCRIS ID: |
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ERNS No.: |
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State Notification: |
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FPN#: |
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Reimbursable Account #: |
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1.1.1 Incident Category
Other - High School
1.1.2 Site Description
1.1.2.1 Location
Oglethorpe County High School is located in Lexington, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, approximately 20 miles east of Athens, GA (33.889 longitude, -83.138 latitude). The school services the entire county, with approximately 700 students. Oglethorpe County Middle School is attached to the high school. It is located in a rural area, with some commercial enterprises in the vicinity.
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
On December 10, 2009, a student reportedly brought a copenhagen container full of elemental mercury to school. The material was spilled in a computer classroom. Elemental mercury is a naturally occurring metal which is a liquid at room temperature. Mercury is not readily absorbed into the human body by ingestion or touch, but it produces vapors at room temperature which can be harmful to human health if inhaled. Exposure to high levels of mercury vapor can cause damage to the brain, kidneys and lungs, and may cause severe damage to a developing fetus.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
Not applicable due to emergency response.
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2. Current Activities
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2.1 Operations Section
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2.1.1 Narrative
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
On December 10, 2009, Duty Officer Dorian was notified by Georgia Emergency Management Agency personnel of a potential mercury spill in a high school. OSC Dorian contacted school officials and confirmed that a spill had occurred within a computer lab in the school.
On December 11, 2009, Duty Officer mobilized OSC Alyssa Hughes to the site with START contractor TetraTech EMI, Inc. OSC Hughes met with the school safety officer and GEMA officials for a debrief of the situation. One student reportedly brought a copenhagen container full of mercury to school the morning of December 10. Sometime during the morning, he transferred some of the mercury to a soda bottle top, which was given to another student. During this transfer, a release occurred in which some of the material was spilled onto the floor, some desks and computer equipment. The teacher recognized the material as metallic mercury and notified school officials. The classroom was evacuated. The high school science teacher searched online for information pertaining to mercury clean-up. She used an eye dropper and note cards in an attempt to capture as many beads as possible. The material she captured, along with the original container and any items she could tell were impacted by the spill, were double bagged and staged within the room. The science teacher returned to her classroom, where she removed her clothes and double bagged them.
At some point during the day, two other students were reportedly given some of the mercury. School officials were able to identify two rooms where mercury contamination was suspected: the science room and a room within a vocational building separate from the main building. These rooms were closed and secured. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that one of the students also entered the gym with his backpack containing the mercury. EPA and START conducted an assessment of the gym with a Lumex Mercury Vapor Analyzer, and found elevated levels of mercury vapors isolated to one corner of the gym approximately 100 square feet. Levels in the breathing zone remained below 1,000 ng/m3. Mercury vapor levels along the gym floor within the contaminated area ranged from 3,000 ng/m3 to 10,000 ng/m3. This is reportedly where students keep their backpack while playing basketball. The two students that were given mercury were called into the gym with their bags. Both backpack were bagged and screened. Mercury vapor levels were approximately 45,000 ng/m3. The contents of the bags were removed and aired out in an attempt to salvage them.
EPA mobilized two additional START contractors to assist with full school assessment at the end of the school day. The room in the vocational building was found to contain mercury vapor levels exceeding EPA action levels ranging from 2,000 ng/m3 to 6,000 ng/m3. The science room contained elevated mercury vapor levels ranging from 5,000 ng/m3 to greater than 50,000 ng/m3. The breathing zone area in the science contained mercury levels at 5,000 ng/m3. The bag containing the science teachers clothes, which was screened at greater than 50,000 ng/m3, will be removed and disposed of properly. Mercury vapors in the breathing zone of the computer lab, referred to as the source room, averaged approximately 10,000 ng/m3. At floor level, more than 50% of the room exceeded 50,000 ng/m3. The remainder of the school was assessed and values in the breathing zone were below 1,000 ng/m3 and at floor level remained below 3,000 ng/m3.
Two households were assessed on the evening of December 11. One belongs to a student that was told by the school nurse that she was impacted by the spilled mercury. Her mother was concerned, and called EPA OSC Hughes for additional information and a home screening. EPA and START visited the house and conducted a screening, but no levels of mercury vapors exceeded EPA's residential action levels. The second house belongs to one of the students that was given a portion of the mercury the previous day. Some areas along the carpeted floor and near the couch ranged from 1,000-1,500 ng/m3. The area leading into the laundry room reached levels of 3,500 ng/m3. The parents of the impacted students were told to wash the children's clothes. Mercury vapors were detected in the washing machine and dryer at levels exceeding 50,000 ng/m3. The family will be provided with a solution of Cs-102 to run through the washing machine. They were instructed to run the dryer on high heat and open the doors and windows in the laundry area. They were also instructed to heat and ventilate the living room area of the house. No levels exceeding 1,000 ng/m3 were detected in the remainder of the house.
On December 12, the school system hired environmental contractor USES to conduct the clean-up. Remediation work began in contaminated zone within the gym. Crews vacuumed the area with two MercVacs and followed with a solution of Cs-102, a wash used to reduce mercury levels. While remediation activities were being conducted, the heat nd fans were running in the gym. The levels were reduced on the whole, with a few elevated "hot spots" averaging approximately 5,000 ng/m3. These areas were washed again with Cs-102, and a screening indicated that the levels decreased to less than 1,000 ng/m3. The same procedure was executed in the vocation building classroom. These areas will undergo a full clearance prior to departure.
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
The Oglethorpe County School system has hired an environmental clean-up contractor.
2.1.4 Progress Metrics
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Medium |
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Manifest # |
Treatment |
Disposal |
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2.2 Planning Section
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2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
- Assess extent of migration of mercury;
- Ensure safety of response and facility personnel;
- Conduct oversight of removal activities; and,
- Support removal activities with air monitoring and technical assistance where needed.
2.2.1.2 Next Steps
OSC Randy Nattis will transition with OSC Alyssa Hughes and complete the clean-up. Potentially impacted houses will continue to be assessed for mercury vapor contamination.
The Environmental Clean-Up Contractor will continue to remediate the impacted areas. Crews will attempt to remediate with vacuuming and washing prior to removing the floor tiles in the classrooms.
2.2.2 Issues
The student who brought the mercury to school was not in school on Friday, and the mother is unwilling to make him available for questioning. In addition, she is not interested in EPA's assistance surveying her house for potential contamination. The school is aware of the issue, and will manage potential recontontamination accordingly.
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2.3 Logistics Section
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There are no logistical concerns for this response.
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2.4 Finance Section
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No information available at this time.
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2.5 Other Command Staff
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2.5.1 Safety Officer
EPA Removal Action Level for mercury vapors in schools is 3,000 ng/m3. Any areas with peak values over 3,000 ng/m3 are being remediated. Clearance will be conducted by monitoring selected locations with the Lumex for 6 consecutive hours.
EPA Removal Action Level for mercury vapors in private residences is 1,000 ng/m3.
All assessment activities were conducted in Level D PPE with booties and gloves. Protocal was in place to elevate to Level C PPE in the event that vapors in the breathing zone area exceeded 25,000 ng/mg.
2.6 Liaison Officer
The OSC is serving as the Liaison Officer in this response. To date, coordination has been between school and GEMA officials.
2.7 Information Officer
2.7.1 Public Information Officer
The OSC is serving as the PIO for this response. ATSDR fact sheets were provided to the school and potentially impacted families. The OSC and the school superintendent are working together to ensure that accurate and appropriate information is adequately communicated with the public.
2.7.2 Community Involvement Coordinator
At this time, Communty Involvement Coordinators are not involved. In the event that a stronger outreach effort is necessary, a CIC will be brought to the Site.
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3. Participating Entities
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3.1 Unified Command
At this time no Unified Command exists. The school system hired a competent and able environmental contractor to perform the remediation. EPA is serving in an oversight and technical support role.
3.2 Cooperating Agencies
Not applicable
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4. Personnel On Site
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EPA OSC (1)
START Contractor TetraTech EMI, Inc. (2)
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5. Definition of Terms
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No information available at this time.
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6. Additional sources of information
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No information available at this time.
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7. Situational Reference Materials
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No information available at this time.
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