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. Materials were separated from a large debris pile on the south side of the property that contained broken concrete embedded with rebar, and large pieces of scrap metal, mixed with dirt and other fines. The metal was shipped off site for recycling and the concrete and soil were shipped to landfill. Currently, surface soil is being excavated from locations where elevated arsenic and lead are present. PADEP is overseeing site activities for the state and providing support. EPA Superfund Technical Assessment & Response Team (START) contractor TechLaw is providing sampling, 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 intermittent basis.
08/25/09
Under the direction of the OSC, two START members mobilized to the site to collect groundwater samples from the on-site monitoring wells, MW01, MW02, MW03, and MW04. START collected samples, MW01-09 and MW02-09 from two of the four monitoring wells located on site.
08/26/09
START collected groundwater samples from the on-site monitoring wells, MW03 and MW04. From MW03, START collected sample numbers MW03-09 and MWD-09 (Duplicate). From MW04, START collected sample number MW04-09. All monitoring well samples were collected via low-flow methods. All samples were analyzed for trace VOCs, SVOCs, pesticides, PCBs, TAL metals and cyanide.
09/29/09
EPA had received the validated data from the monitoring well samples. All sample results were below EPA’s Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) with the exception of MW03-09 and MWD-09 (duplicate) for benzene. Sample numbers MW03-09 and MWD-09 indicated benzene at 46 ppb and 44 ppb, respectively, which is above EPA’s MCL of 5.0 ppb. The ground water from the site is not used for drinking water.
11/17/09
EPA OSCs Downie and Easton, START, and ERRS were on site to begin mitigation of two areas where high concentrations of arsenic remained in surface soils and also to explore an area at the location of the former burned building where the PADEP observed bulging concrete. ERRS excavated an approximately one- to two-foot thick layer of soil in a roughly 50 by 50-foot grid southwest of Building 9. The soil was stockpiled and covered awaiting transport and disposal from the site.
11/18/09
ERRS excavated concrete and dug a test pit in the vicinity where concrete was observed to be bulging at the former burned-building location. PADEP Hoffman was on site to observe the activities. During excavation of the bulge, ERRS uncovered an area approximately 20 by 20 feet underlain by a brick foundation approximately three feet thick. Adjacent to this area, ERRS uncovered a 10 by 18-foot concrete pit that was approximately three feet deep. The pit contained a peculiar material thought to be a plant waste or a type of fly-ash. The excavated “fly-ash” was placed to the side, covered, and was left open. The remainder of the test pit was backfilled with excavated brick and soil. ERRS staked off and cordoned off the area around the open pit to prevent accidental entry.
ERRS placed rip rap along a portion of the stream bank to stabilize and control erosion on a steep riverbank slope where high arsenic concentrations remained in site soils.
11/19/09
Soil stockpiled during the excavation on 11/17/09 was transported off site to the Carbon Limestone Landfill in Lowellville, Ohio. A total of six truckloads, 145.6 tons, were transported off site. ERRS excavated a concrete-lined “holding tank” near the pit excavated on 11/18. The pit was approximately 15 feet long by 10 feet wide. It was filled with material similar to the fly-ash discovered in previous test pit. The pit was partially excavated (to a depth of approximately six feet deep. ERRS submerged the backhoe bucket through the material to a depth of approximately 14 feet. The bottom was not encountered. START collected a sample of the excavated material for radiation screening. PADEP collected a small sample for infra-red screening. The pit was left open, the excavated material covered, and the hole was cordoned off with barriers and caution tape to prevent accidental entry.
11/20/09
ERRS acquired sand and gravel to backfill the open pits at the burned building. Two truckloads were delivered to the site; the pits were filled and graded. ERRS sampled the “fly-ash” for disposal parameters. Following grading and sampling, EPA, START, ERRS, and PADEP demobilized from the site.
12/8/09
OSC, PADEP, START, and ERRS met onsite to further investigate an additional pit area and complete disposal of all staged soil. The sample analyzed for disposal parameters indicated the material is a non-hazardous waste and fits the disposal profile for Carbon Limestone Landfill. ERRS removed the cover of another pit, approximately 10 feet long by 12 feet wide and 3 foot deep. The pit contained the same type of material, “fly-ash” like waste which was removed and mixed with the other staged waste. Four truck loads of sand were delivered to the site to bring the settled fill from the pit areas up to grade again and fill the new pit. In addition, the fill was used to stabilize the “fly-ash” material for disposal.
12/9/09
ERRS completed load out of the staged pit waste material. A total of three truckloads, 68 tons, were transported off site for disposal at the Carbon Limestone Landfill in Lowellville, Ohio.
EPA phasing out Removal Actions as the site transitions to a state-lead HSCA site. Limited funds remain to assist if PADEP encounters emergency conditions during their HSCA site assessment.
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Disposal Summary as of 12/09/09:
Magnesium Turnings, Flammable Solid, Haz Mat: 6,017,825 pounds
Magnesium Scrap, Non-Haz Mat: 766,273 pounds
Total: 6,784,098 pounds
Low Level RAD drums: 334,275 pounds
Bulk Load Waste Piles: 15,058,520 pounds
Waste misc. liquids (Non-magnesium): 4,125 gallons
Waste misc. solids (Non-magnesium): 228,759 pounds
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