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ALRECO Metals

All POL/SITREP's for this site ALRECO Metals
Benton Harbor, MI - EPA Region V
POLREP #2
Progress
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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
ALRECO Metals - Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region V

Subject: POLREP #2
Progress
ALRECO Metals
C52N
Benton Harbor, MI
Latitude: 42.1389684 Longitude: -86.4362357


To:
From: Elizabeth Nightingale, OSC
Date: 11/24/2014
Reporting Period: 11/17/14 - 11/21/14

1. Introduction
  1.1 Background
   
Site Number: C52N    Contract Number:  
D.O. Number:      Action Memo Date: 8/8/2014
Response Authority: CERCLA    Response Type: Time-Critical
Response Lead: EPA    Incident Category: Removal Action
NPL Status: Non NPL    Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date: 11/10/2014    Start Date: 11/10/2014
Demob Date:      Completion Date:  
CERCLIS ID: MIN000504648    RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:    State Notification: Yes
FPN#:    Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

Time Critical Removal Action

1.1.2 Site Description

See initial POLREP.

1.1.2.1 Location

See initial POLREP. 

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

See initial POLREP.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

 See initial POLREP.


2. Current Activities
  2.1 Operations Section
    2.1.1 Narrative

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
Over the week beginning the November 17, 2014 work focused primarily on the following activities:


- Continuing to implement air monitoring and site security plans
- Continuing to collect containers and staging them in staging area
- Continuing to consolidate dross/smelting waste from across the site, and decontaminate foundations
- Continuing to sort non-conforming debris from large dross/smelting waste piles and shaping piles 
- Collecting waste characterization samples from sections 2 and 3 (southern section) of the large aluminum waste pile
- Initiating repackaging bag house dust waste into shippable containers for disposal


Air Monitoring:
Every day that cleanup activity work will be ongoing, air monitoring will be conducted to ensure public and worker safety. Chemical hazards due to fugitive emissions from removal activities are anticipated to be low since the ERRS contractor will employ administrative and engineering controls to minimize fugitive emissions and particulates that migrate off-site.

Meteorological data will be obtained daily from the NWS website that provides current weather conditions and documented in the site logbook. 


Particulate Air Monitoring:
Perimeter:
Datarams (DR4) are deployed daily at four fixed locations in each direction along the site perimeter boundaries where off-site receptors are most at risk to exposure from fugitive emissions (figure forthcoming soon). Real-time PM-10 particulate data is transmitted back to the site command post where it is monitored continuously.

A website has been established to view the current and past perimeter 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 ALRECO Metals Deployment to view site data. Currently data from 2 of the 4 particulate meters are available online via VIPER. 

The perimeter action level for PM-10 particulates has been set at 150 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3). Should a DR4 unit detect sustained particulate concentrations greater than 150 μg/m3, the source of emissions will be investigated, and administrative and/or engineering controls will be initiated to reduce the particulate emissions.

One personal data ram (PDR) particulate air monitor will be deployed in the work zone during the removal action. The particulate monitor will data-log instantaneous and time weighted average (TWA) particulate concentrations during active operations. Data logs will be downloaded and stored.

The particulate action level within the work zone has been established as 2.0 mg/m3 for the respirable fraction of total particulates. This is a Site specific action level based on a calculation of airborne dust concentration. The crew will implement appropriate engineering control measures if an exceedance of the established action level is sustained for more than 60 seconds. Action level exceedances will be managed by setting the monitor to alarm at the established action level to notify on-site personnel. 

During the week of November 17, 2014, occasional exceedances of the perimeter action level of several seconds in duration were detected. Engineering controls were utilized to reduce these. No exceedances of the work zone particulate action level were recorded.


MultiGas Air Monitoring:

RAE Systems, Inc. AreaRAE multi-gas monitors are being deployed at the container staging area and at 3 perimeter locations (figure forthcoming soon).  The AreaRAE multi-gas monitors will be used to monitor ammonia in parts per million (ppm), hydrogen sulfide (ppm), VOCs (ppm), and percent lower explosive limit (LEL). Real-time multigas data are transmitted back to the site command post where they are monitored continuously. These data are also available real time through the VIPER system described above. 

The perimeter action levels are as follows: ·        
Ammonia = 10 ppm
Hydrogen Sulfide = 10 ppm
PM10 particulates =  150 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3)
LEL = >5%
VOCs > 5 ppm  

Work zone air monitoring results are being compared with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 10-hour recommended exposure limit (REL) or the OSHA 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) PEL, whichever is more restrictive.  

A MultiRAE Plus 5-gas monitor (loaded with sensors for detection of oxygen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, LEL, and VOCs) will also be used to periodically spot check AreaRAE data.

During the week of November 17, 2014, no exceedances of the perimeter or work zone multigas action levels were recorded.


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


2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal
           
           
           


  2.2 Planning Section
    2.2.1 Anticipated Activities

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
Planned removal activities on-site include:
 a)      Developing and implementing a site-specific Health and Safety Plan, including an Air Monitoring Plan, and a site Emergency Contingency Plan;
    
b)      Developing and implementing a Site Work Plan that includes a Site Security Plan;
    
c)      Securing, characterizing, and sampling known and suspected hazardous substances, including containers of liquid, baghouse dust, aluminum dross/ash waste piles, at the site;
    
d)     Consolidating and packaging hazardous substances, pollutants and contaminants, including containers of liquid, baghouse dust, aluminum dross/ash waste piles for transportation and off-site disposal;
    
e)      Decontaminating contaminated structures (primarily foundations) as necessary;
    
f)       Transporting and disposing of all characterized or identified hazardous substances, pollutants, wastes, or contaminants that pose a substantial threat of release at a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act/CERCLA-approved disposal facility in accordance with  EPA’s Off-site Rule (40 C.F.R. § 300.440), as applicable; and  

g)      Taking any other response actions to address any release or threatened release of a hazardous substance, pollutant and contaminant that the U.S. EPA OSC determines may pose an imminent and substantial endangerment to the public health or the environment.     


2.2.1.2 Next Steps
Next week, planned work will continue to gather and stage containers within the staging area; consolidate dross/waste from across the site; sort non-conforming debris from large dross/waste piles and shape piles; and repackage baghouse dust into intact bags. 

2.2.2 Issues

  2.3 Logistics Section
    ERRS is managing site logistics.

  2.4 Finance Section
    No information available at this time.

  2.5 Other Command Staff
    2.5.1 Safety Officer
OSC is serving in this role.

2.5.2 Liaison Officer
OSC is serving in this role.

2.5.3 Information Officer
OSC is serving in this role.

3. Participating Entities
  3.1 Unified Command
n/a


3.2 Cooperating Agencies
MDEQ

4. Personnel On Site
  11/17/14:
EPA: 1
START: 1
ERRS: 8

11/18/14:
EPA: 1
START: 1
ERRS: 8

11/19/14:
EPA: 1
START: 1
ERRS: 8

11/20/14:
EPA: 1
START: 1
ERRS: 8
MDEQ: 1

11/21/14:
EPA: 1
START: 1
ERRS: 8

5. Definition of Terms
 
ATSDR   Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
 BZ  Breathing Zone
CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
CERCLIS   Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System
DNR   Department of Natural Resources
EPA   Environmental Protection Agency
ERNS   Emergency Response Notification System
ERRS   Emergency and Rapid Response Service
MDEQ  Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
NCP   National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan
NOAA   National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
NPL   National Priorities List
NRC   National Response Center
OSC   On Scene Coordinator
PPE  Personal Protective Equipment
PPM  Parts per million
RCRIS   Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Information System
RP   Responsible Party
RRT   Regional Response Team
START   Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team
 ug/m3  micrograms per cubic meter
US FWS   United States Fish and Wildlife Service
USCG   United States Coast Guard
 VOC  Volatile Organic Compound


6. Additional sources of information
  6.1 Internet location of additional information/report
www.epaosc.net/alreco

and 

viper.ert.org. Once logged in, go to the R05 ALRECO deployment to view site data.



6.2 Reporting Schedule
POLREPs will be issued weekly over the course of the removal action.

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