United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region III
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

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 are staged inside site buildings pending removal 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. Eighty-four drums of low-level radioactive solids, and five hundred seventy-two drums containing 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 the transportation of re-packaged magnesium material to off-site recycling and disposal facilities.  PADEP is overseeing site activities for the state and providing support.  EPA START contractor TechLaw is providing technical and administrative support to the EPA.  EPA and PADEP officials continue to control access to the site as well as coordinate activities with the various generators and disposal contractors.

Personnel On-Scene:    
11/11/08 START-1, ERRS-8, Other-5, Security-1 (24 hr)
11/12/08 EPA-2 START-1, ERRS-8, PADEP-1 Other-4, Security-1 (24 hr)
11/13/08 EPA-1, START-1, ERRS-8, PADEP-1 Other-2 Security-1 (24 hr)
11/14/08 EPA-1 START-1, ERRS-8, Other-1, Security-1 (24 hr)
11/15/08 EPA-1 ERRS-8, Other-1, Security-1 (24 hr)

Weather:
11/11/08  Low of 32° F, high of 39° F, partly cloudy, 0.00” precipitation, wind W 6-7 mph.
11/12/08  Low of 32° F, high of 50° F, mostly cloudy, 0.02” precipitation, wind W 0-9 mph
11/13/08  Low of 43° F, high of 55° F, mostly cloudy, 0.06” precipitation, wind W 6-12 mph
11/14/08  Low of 48° F, high of 64° F, mostly cloudy, 0.09” precipitation, wind W 6-10 mph
11/15/08  Low of 34° F, high of 53° F, mostly cloudy, 0.51” precipitation, wind W 2-24 mph


11/11/08
Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS) contractor Guardian Environmental Services, Inc. held its morning safety meeting and discussed the days planned activities.
ERRS began preparing drums containing magnesium material for inspection by Capitol Inc. (The subcontractor chosen by EPA to assist with the disposal/recycling of the remaining magnesium -filled drums.) The Capitol Inc. representatives inspected and sorted the drums into various classifications (i.e. fines, turnings, powder, chunks, etc.)  After the drums were inspected and labeled by Capitol, ERRS workers resealed the drums, banded them together on skids in groups of four, and moved them from their current staging area in building 2 to building 9 near the loading dock to await offsite shipment for recycling /disposal. Some of the drums inspected contained water in addition to the magnesium material. These drums were set aside for de-watering.

START mobilized to the site and provided the OSC with technical and administrative assistance, conducted contractor monitoring, drum inspection, disposal tracking and written and photographic documentation.

11/12/08
Following the morning safety meeting, ERRS and Capitol, Inc., continued to inspect, segregate and move the magnesium drums staged in building 2 to the load-out pre-staging area in building 9. Drums containing water were set aside for dewatering.

START provided the OSC with technical and administrative assistance, conducted contractor monitoring, drum inspection, disposal tracking and written and photographic documentation.
PADEP Representative Mary Hoffman mobilized to site to assist with oversight.

11/13/08
After the morning safety meeting, ERRS and Capitol, Inc., continued to inspect, segregate and move the magnesium drums staged in building 2 to the load-out pre-staging area in building 9. Drums containing water were set aside for dewatering.

A reaction of magnesium material occured in one of the drums as it was being opened for inspection. ERRS placed the drum in the reaction pit isolating it from the others. It was monitored until it stabilized.
  
START provided the OSC with technical and administrative assistance, conducted contractor monitoring, drum inspection, disposal tracking and written and photographic documentation.
PADEP Representative Mary Hoffman mobilized to site to assist with oversight.

11/14/08    
A morning safety meeting was held for all onsite personnel.  Following the meeting, ERRS and Capitol, Inc., continued to inspect, segregate and move the magnesium drums staged in building 2 to the load-out pre-staging area in building 9. Drums containing water were set aside for dewatering.

START provided the OSC with technical and administrative assistance, conducted contractor monitoring, drum inspection, disposal tracking and written and photographic documentation.
PADEP Representative Mary Hoffman mobilized to site to assist with oversight.

11/15/08
A morning safety meeting was held for all onsite personnel.  Following the meeting, ERRS and Capitol, Inc., continued to inspect, segregate and move the magnesium drums staged in building 2 to the load-out pre-staging area in building 9. Drums containing water were set aside for dewatering.

OSC Dennis Matlock conducted oversight of activities this day.

ERRS will arrange for transportation of the drummed magnesium material to an off-site disposal or recycling facility, and begin shipping the drums offsite.  ERRS will continue to prepare the remaining drums for offsite shipment/ disposal.

None

Disposal Summary as of 11/15/08:

Magnesium Turnings, Flammable Solid, Haz Mat:   4,751,341 pounds
Magnesium Scrap, Non-Haz Mat:    766,273 pounds
Total:                                5,517,614 pounds

Low Level RAD drums:                            334,275 pounds
Bulk Load Waste Piles:                          5,764,000 pounds

Waste misc. liquids (Non-magnesium): 3,125 gallons
Waste misc. solids (Non-magnesium):             258,190 pounds