1.1.1 Incident Category
Removal action under an Action Memorandum.
1.1.2 Site Description
Former electroplating facility essentially abandoned in place
1.1.2.1 Location
4000 - 4008 E. Monument Street

Baltimore, MD 21205
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Potential release of plating acids and other materials into the environment
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

 After site visits on May 3, 2016 and May 18, 2016, the OSC issued a special bulletin on May 19, 2016 and initiated a cleanup at the site.  This was amended on May 27, 2016 to increase the project ceiling.  On June 2, 2016, an Action Memorandum was signed authorizing a removal action at this site.  See the documents section of this website for the Special Bulletins and Action Memorandum.

2.1.1 Narrative
Cleanup continues.
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
A complete inventory of hazardous substances, pollutants, and contaminants in the building has been conducted.  Both hazardous and nonhazardous debris is being transported offsite for proper disposal.  To date one rolloff of nonhazardous debris and one rolloff of hazardous debris have been removed from the site.

 Security fencing has been installed along the front of the building.  Several steps have been taken to minimize the infiltration of water into the building.  Water that has been collected from the sumps in the building has been pumped to an outside storage tank.  This water was sampled and did not meet the discharge limits for the City of Baltimore sanitary sewer system.  Therefore, proper offsite disposal is being arranged.

All drums of cyanide salts in the building have been overpacked and staged outside of the building, awaiting disposal.  The cleanup crew continues to group compatible drums and containers,  and has staged them in secure areas so they can be sampled and prepared for bulking and offsite disposal.  As of 6/15/16, 774 drums/containers have been sampled, and 565 have been haz catted.  Once all the drums/containers have been haz catted, a plan for bulking and disposal of all the materials will be developed.

The two laboratories in the building have been completely inventoried.  A request for bids for packaging and proper disposal of all the lab materials (including small containers 1 gallon or less from throughout the building) has been issued, and bids are due by the end of the week.  This action will remove approximately 1,000 containers from the building.

 Air monitoring is being conducted during all operations.  No impacts outside of the building have been observed. 

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
Research on PRPs is ongoing.
2.1.4 Progress Metrics

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
The inventory of the building contents will be updated as additional containers are identified.  Categorization, staging, and disposal of hazardous substances will continue. To date over 2,300 containers (ranging in size from small lab bottles up to several hundred gallon electroplating vats) have been inventoried.   As more information is gathered on the waste streams present, plans will be made for overpacking and/or bulking compatible waste streams in preparation for offsite disposal.

2.2.2 Issues

The building is in poor condition.  A structural engineer inspected the building and identified several areas of concern (which have been clearly marked with caution tape), but reported that overall the conditions were safe inside the building for the cleanup work.

3.1 Unified Command
The EPA took the lead for the site on Thursday, June 2, 2016.  Baltimore City Fire, Police, and Housing Departments and Office of Emergency Management, Maryland Department of the Environment, and EPA are continuing to coordinate on the response.

OSC - 1

START - 2

ERRS - 10