U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Martin Street Lab Pack Response

All POL/SITREP's for this site Martin Street Lab Pack Response
Maynard, MA - EPA Region I
POLREP #1
Initial 		Printer Friendly  |   PDF
 
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Martin Street Lab Pack Response - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region I
Subject: POLREP #1
Initial
Martin Street Lab Pack Response

Maynard, MA
Latitude: 42.4308320 Longitude: -71.4629070

To:
From: Elsbeth Hearn, On-Scene Coordinator
Date: 8/31/2012
Reporting Period: 08/27/2012 - 08/31/2012

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: 01KR    Contract Number: EP-W-08-62
D.O. Number: 0031    Action Memo Date: 8/30/2012
Response Authority: CERCLA    Response Type: Emergency
Response Lead: EPA    Incident Category: Removal Action
NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date: 8/27/2012    Start Date: 8/27/2012
Demob Date:      Completion Date:  
CERCLIS ID: MAN000106131    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification:
FPN#:    Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

The incident is an emergency response for which the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services and the Maynard Fire Department requested EPA assistance at the residence.

1.1.2 Site Description

The Site is a single family residence located in a residential neighborhood adjacent to the Maynard town center and the Assabet River.

1.1.2.1 Location

9 Martin Street
Maynard, MA 01754

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

Multiple containers of hazardous substances were located in the basement and the garage together with personal belongings stacked from floor to ceiling.  Many of the containers were unlabeled or stored adjacent to incompatible chemicals.  Broken windows, support beams, and doors allow precipitation to enter the garage, and no temperature controls are present. Many of the containers in both the garage and basement are in poor condition with some evidence of leaking.  This increases the likelihood of a future release that would potentially cause a fire or chemical reaction that may affect the health of residents in the neighborhood.

There were many instances of improperly stored flammable materials that increase the potential for fire.  Air and water reactive metals were stored in rusting containers close to the flammable materials, further increasing the risk of explosion or fire. Sodium cyanide, an acid -reacitve chemical that produces cyanide gas, was stored adjacent to acids in the garage.

Hundreds of mercury switches were located in the basement, including some broken switches. Several jars of mercury were stored throughout the basement and garage including an open 10 oz jar.  Historical spills of mercury were suspected in the basement since mercury vapors above residential standards were present in the basement and living space of the house after removing containers and switches.  Without abating the source of these vapors, this presents a threat to residents of the home.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

The preliminary assessment on the evening of 27 August 2012 suggested that upwards of one hundred different chemicals were present on the property including caustics, corrosives, water and air reactives, metals, unknown liquids and solids, flammables, and poisons.  There was no path to access these chemicals except through an outside window due to the large amount of personal belongings stored in the residence. 
2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    2.1.1 Narrative

The Hazardous Materials Response Division of the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services requested assistance from EPA responders at a residence in Maynard, Massachusetts, where multiple containers of hazardous substances were found.  These substances included caustics, corrosives, water and air reactives, hazardous metals, unknown liquids and solids, flammables, and poisons.

On the evening of 27 August 2012, an EPA OSC and EPA's START contractor were dispatched to the scene. After an initial inventory of chemicals was produced, it was determined that that an EPA lead emergency removal action was warranted and EPA's Emergency and Rapid Response Services contractor was activated. The resident was offered relocation assistance that evening, but decided to relocate to a friend's house for the duration of the response.

Removal work began on 28 August 2012.  Preparatory work included creating safe access to the area in the basement where chemicals are stored since initial access was limited to a window.  This preparatory work lasted for the first day and a half of the response because personal possessions had to be relocated.  While moving personal possessions, more hazardous materials were uncovered.  A similar process had to be used to locate all the chemicals in the garage.   

An ERRS crew cleared a path down the stairs to the basement, then began to move the containers of hazardous substances to a storage container brought to the property for this purpose.  The chemicals stored in the garage were similarly moved to the storage container, and overpacked when required.

A general summary of the hazards found in containers include: mercury, toluene, vanadium pentoxide, lithium metal, ammonium nitrate, sodium cyanide, numerous acids (hydrochloric, phosphoric,carbonic, sulfuric, oxalic, boric, citric, tartaric), bases, oxidizers, solvents, and approximately 30 gallons of waste petroleum products that were subsequently removed by the Maynard DPW.

Monitoring equipment found very high levels of mercury in the basement of the house (up to 22,000 ng/m3 in the basement). Elevated levels of mercury (1000 - 7000 ng/m3) were also found in the living areas in the upper two levels. The source was initially assumed to be the open containers of mercury and numerous broken mercury switches found in the basement, but high vapors in the residential breathing space continued after these sources were removed. Crews began a thorough mercury removal in the basement on 30 August 2012 including a decontamination of the basement floor (vacuum and neutralizing agent).  It was also necessary to fill a basement sump that was emitting readings of mercury and dispose of some personal belongings (mostly porous boxes) that were contaminated with mercury.  An 8-hour clearance monitoring of the home was performed on 31 August 2012 per the 2012 EPA/ATSDR Action Levels for Elemental Mercury Spills Guidance. This assessment showed the house had safe levels of mercury (well below the action level of 1000 ng/m3) and the property resident was cleared to rehabitate the house at 1600 hrs on 31 August 2012.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

A summary of response actions to date:
  • A safe access to remove hazardous materials in the basement and garage was made on 28 & 29 August 2012.
  • All hazardous materials from both the garage and basement were moved to an EPA storage container located on the property on 29 & 30 August 2012.
  • A mercury clean-up was performed in the basement on 30 & 31 August 2012.
  • Personal belongings that had high readings of mercury were removed from the residence and placed in the sun to allow mercury vapors to reduce.  A tarp was placed over the belongings and allowed to heat up in the sun.  These were then monitored with the Lumex.  All personal belongings that still had mercury readings by COB on 31 August 2012 were left to air out for the weekend.
  • The residence was cleared for mercury vapors on 31 August 2012 following an 8-hour clearance monitoring of the house.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

A signed request for access was obtained from the homeowner.  Verbal access was requested and obtained from the homeowner's son who is the potential owner of the hazardous materials.  EPA's enforcement coordinator and legal counsel have been involved in the response.  Enforcement activities are on-going.


2.1.4 Progress Metrics

*As of 31 August 2012, no waste has been transported off-site.*



Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal
           
           
           


  2.2 Planning Section
    2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

All hazardous substances removed from the residence are anticipated to be transported and disposed of off-site by  12 September 2012. 

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

EPA determined that some personal belongings are contaminated with mercury.  These are currently outside of the house under a tarp.  These will be monitored for mercury vapors with mercury monitoring equipment (the Lumex) to determine if they have mercury levels above residential air standards.

A T&D subcontractor is currently being lined up to remove the hazardous materials from the site.  It is anticipated that T&D activities will begin around 6 September 2012.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps

Following the T&D work on-site, the EPA enforcement team will determine the next steps in the removal.

2.2.2 Issues

T & D is currently scheduled for week of 3 September 2012, but may be delayed for up to a week pending paperwork.
  2.3 Logistics Section
    A logistics section was not established for this response. 
  2.4 Finance Section
    No information available at this time.
  2.5 Other Command Staff
    2.5.1 Safety Officer

The OSC acted as Safety Officer for this response.

2.5.2 Liaison Officer

The OSC acted as Liaison Officer for this response.

2.5.3 Information Officer

A Community Involvement Coordinator (CIC) has been assigned to the Site. The CIC visited the Site and produced a community fact sheet. Local news media spoke with the CIC.
3. Participating Entities
  3.1 Unified Command

U.S. EPA
Maynard Fire Department
Massachusetts Department of Fire Services
Massachusetts Regional Hazmat
Maynard Department of Health


3.2 Cooperating Agencies

ATSDR
Maynard Department of Public Works
Maynard Police Department
4. Personnel On Site
  27 August 2012 (first evening of response)
  • Department of Fire Services Fire Chief and one Hazmat Crew
  • Maynard Fire Department Chief and 2-4 crews
  • Maynard Health Department, 1 person
  • EPA's START contractor, 4 people
  • EPA's Emergency Responder

After Operations began on 28 August 2012:

  • U.S EPA On-Scene Coordinator
  • EPA's START Contractor (2 people)
  • EPA's ERRS Removal Contractor (1 -5 people)
  • Maynard Fire Department provided a fire watch with one crew of two people for the first two days of the response
5. Definition of Terms
  OSC - On-Scene Coordinator
ERRS - Emergency and Rapid Response Services
PA/SI - Preliminary Assessment/Site Investigation
START - Superfund Technical Assistance Response Team
ATSDR - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
POLREP - Pollution Report/Situation Report
CERCLA - Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act
ng/m3 - Nanograms per meter cubed
T&D - Transportation & Disposal
6. Additional sources of information
  6.1 Internet location of additional information/report

www.epaosc.org/martinstreetlabpack


6.2 Reporting Schedule

Periodic.
7. Situational Reference Materials
  None.