EPA is continuing emergency removal actions at this site during the repackaging, transportation, and removal of flammable magnesium materials. Magnesium generators, who previously supplied Remacor with recyclable magnesium and magnesium alloys, are removing their materials from the site. Intermet has been in contact with the EPA and will start shipping material on 11/19/07. Winters Performance Products, Inc. has plans to be on site the last week of November or the first week of December to begin shipping their material. MJ Metals of Bridgeport, CT, is currently on site repackaging their material for transport off site.
EPA’s ERRS contractor Guardian Environmental Services, Inc. (GES) has moved its operation to burn pile 2 & 3. Before reacting the material in the reaction pit GES has to empty drums from the piles which may contain material that may not have been reacted. PADEP is providing technical and oversight support at the site. EPA START contractor TechLaw is providing technical and administrative support to EPA. EPA and PADEP officials continue to control access to the site in addition to coordinating the activities of the various generators.
Personnel On-Scene:
11/13/07 PADEP-1, START-2, ERRS-8,MJ Metals-6, Other-2, Security-1 (24 hr)
11/14/07 PADEP-1, START-2, ERRS-8, MJ Metals-5, Security-1 (24 hr)
Weather:
11/13/07 Low of 46° F, high of 58° F. Hazy, 0.00 inches of precipitation, wind Calm 1-5 mph.
11/14/07 Low of 54° F, high of 61° F. Mostly Cloudy, 0.00 inches of precipitation, wind SSW 2-10 mph.
11/13/07
START attended the morning safety meeting held by MJ Metals and their subcontractor MHF Logistics who were on site repackaging their material. MJ is segregating drums that will need to be drained or over packed. MJ continues to seek an alternative to incineration of drums that contain over half of the volume weight in water.
START attended the morning safety meeting held by EPA, ERRS contractor Guardian Environmental Services, Inc. ERRS continued to remove drums and segregate piles from burn piles 5 & 6 the material continues to react and is worked in smaller sections. ERRS began to place new material into the reaction pit which had been staged for reaction. The material sparked and off gassed as it was handled by the excavator and placed in the reaction pit. The excavator is being used at the reaction pit to keep personnel at a safe distance when the material is reacting in the pit.
The Data Rams and the PDR are not being used because of inclement weather.
START continues to assist the EPA as needed, conduct written/photographic documentation, and monitor activities conducted on site. START also continues to finalize the sampling plan and order supplies for the event.
11/14/07
START attended the morning safety meeting held by MJ Metals and their subcontractor MHF Logistics. MJ continued to segregate and repackage drums for future shipment off site. Drums that are over flowing with water are left in place so the contents do not spill onto the soil.
START attended the morning safety meeting held by EPA’s ERRS contractor Guardian Environmental Services, Inc. ERRS completed packaging the RAD pile into drums and will be staging the drums in Building 2. ERRS also completed burn pile 5 and small piles in between 5 & 6. Burn pile 6 on the south of Building 6 is ¾ completed and the sifting of the materials was continued.
The Data Rams and the PDR are not being used because of inclement weather.
START continues to assist the EPA as needed, conduct written/photographic documentation, and monitor activities conducted on site. START also continues to finalize the sampling plan and order supplies for the event
American Iron & Metal (AIM) plans to ship its last load (over-packs) off site on 11/16/07.
Intermet has submitted a plan to begin shipping on 11/19/07 and complete the task in 3 weeks.
Winter Performance Products, Inc’s tentative schedule is to begin shipment of its product off site the 3rd week in November.
SPX Contech also has a tentative schedule to begin shipment of its product off site the 3rd week of November.
MJ Metals (generator) has plans to finish packing its material by 11/20/07.
EPA START contractor TechLaw, Inc. is presently preparing a comprehensive sampling plan and plans to begin sampling the last week of November and the first week of December.
EPA will continue to coordinate with magnesium waste generators for the safe and appropriate removal of the material from the site. EPA will continue to coordinate with all local, state, and federal agencies.
There are approximately 12 fire debris piles remaining on slab #3 that constitute the remains of a 68,000 square foot building that was destroyed during the Remacor fire on August 6, 2005. The piled fire debris contains construction material intermixed with charred, damaged and deteriorated drums containing reactive magnesium fines and oxides and other process alloys or materials. The nature of the reactive materials mixed with building debris requires careful handling and segregation while increasing the risk of a fire due to exposing once-buried materials to the elements. EPA is in the process of slowly segregating the first of these piles. The magnesium-based oxides and fines that are segregated from oversized building debris are being managed on site in order to make them safer to handle. The West Pittsburg Fire Chief has been informed that EPA has started handling of these piles.
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