EPA has been performing an emergency removal action at this site which has primarily involved the stabilization, repackaging, transportation, and removal of hazardous magnesium materials and other solid wastes from the facility. EPA completed repackaging abandoned magnesium materials that have been stored in drums that have succumbed to varying degrees of corrosion. The repackaged materials have now been removed from the site. Areas of the site including open pad areas, low areas and drainage ways have been cleared of residual wastes that had spilled when the facility was operating. Low-level radioactive solids, and miscellaneous waste material have been packaged and shipped off site for disposal. Lime was removed from eight large vertical vats located on the west and south side of building 2. The lime was neutralized and shipped off site for disposal. Current activities at the Site are focused on separating materials from a large debris pile on the south side of the property that contains broken concrete embedded with rebar, and large pieces of scrap metal, mixed with dirt and other fines. PADEP is overseeing site activities for the state and providing support. EPA START contractor TechLaw is providing technical and administrative support to the EPA. Site security operations are now relinquished to Lawrence County and Taylor Township officials. EPA will continue cleanup and assessment operations on an intermitant basis.
Personnel On-Scene:
02/18/09 EPA-2, ERRS-8, PADEP-2,
02/19/09 EPA-2, ERRS-8,
02/20/09 EPA-1, ERRS-8, PADEP-2,
02/21/09 ERRS-8,
Weather:
02/17/09 Low of 13° F, high of 36° F, partly cloudy, 0.00” precipitation, wind 0-9 mph
02/18/09 Low of 32° F, high of 46° F, mostly cloudy, 0.30” precipitation, wind 5-16 mph
02/19/09 Low of 17° F, high of 37° F, mostly cloudy, 0.00” precipitation, wind 12-23 mph
02/20/09 Low of 12° F, high of 24° F, mostly cloudy, 0.00” precipitation, wind 13-20 mph
02/21/09 Low of 11° F, high of 37° F, mostly cloudy, 0.05” precipitation, wind 03-20 mph
02/17/09
Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS) mobilized to West Pittsburg PA area.
02/18/09- 02/21/09
ERRS contractor Guardian Environmental Services, Inc. held its morning safety meeting each morning and discussed the days planned activities.
ERRS continued cleanup activities of the large debris piles located on the south side of building 9. The debris piles consist of large pieces of metal scrap, and large concrete chunks with rebar protruding from them that are mixed with dirt and other fines. ERRS workers cut the scrap metal down to a transportable size. The concrete chunks were busted up using a backhoe, enabling the removal of the rebar. The rebar was then cut to a suitable length for transporting. A sifting device was used to separate the dirt and other fines from the larger concrete debris. The fines contained arsenic and lead and were staged separately in a stockpile. A composite sample was taken from the fines stockpile to determine proper disposal. The metal was taken to a scrap yard for recycling. The concrete was staged in the same location as the concrete debris from the burn area on the south side of building 9.
Large cylinder concrete anodes that were previously located on the west side of the property near the river bank were relocated to the east side of the concrete pile located on the south side of building 9.
Various debris was removed from the concrete pad area on the south side of building 9 in anticipation of the Superfund Technical Assessment & Response Team (START) sampling several locations on the pad area in the near future.
On Scene Coordinators (OSC) Jack Downie and Marjorie Easton provided oversight.
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) representatives Mary Hoffman and Kevin Jordan mobilized to site to assist with oversight on 02/18/09 and 02/20/09.
ERRS will continue to separate the material from the debris piles located on the south side of building 9. The metal will be taken to the scrap yard for recycling. The concrete will be staged onsite combined with the pile of concrete previously removed from the fire debris. The stockpile of fines containing elevated lead and arsenic concentrations that was sifted from the debris piles will be sampled and disposed of accordingly. Additional surface soil samples will be taken by EPA and START in locations of elevated arsenic and lead concentrations. The samples will be analyzed for total metals to determine if a threat to human health or the environment is present and determine if excavation is warranted.
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