.5. Environmental Protectior^ftggjg^ ''Oil 0, Library (PL-l^n Environmental Protection ./est Jackson Boulev.vd lftffi"EYnnr _6060_4-35'A ' -^fl-pte0f Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5502G) EPA520-F-92-017 Fall 1992 Superfund At Work Hazardous Waste Cleanup Efforts Nationwide Site Description: An industrial park in Mclntosh, Alabama, sur- rounded by farm and forest land, and bordered by a floodplain Site Size: 1,500 acres Primary Contaminants: DDT, Undone and herbicides Potential Range of Health Risks Without EPA Cleanup: From chronic health effects to cancer, resulting from ingestion of contaminated ground water Nearby Population Affected: 250 in the town of Mclntosh; 500 within greater municipal area Ecological Concerns: Contamina- tion of Tombigbee River and associated wetlands. Potential effects on area wildlife. Year Listed on the NPL: 1983 EPA Region: IV State: Alabama Congressional District: 1 EPA Launches Soil Cleanup at Ciba-Geigy Site EPA's most recent cleanup plan involves the excavation and treatment of approximately 130,000 cubic yards of DDT-contaminated soil. Workers pictured above use a rotary rig to collect soil samples. Success In Brief EPA Wins Ciba-Geigy's Full Cooperation to Clean Up Alabama Site On March 31,1992, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reached an agreement with Ciba-Geigy Corporation in Mcln- tosh, Alabama to clean up soil and ground water contaminated by DDT, herbicides, and chemicals. This agreement is one of the largest private party settlements in Superfund history, valued at approxi- mately $120 million. EPA activities at the site included: • Conducting preliminary contamination investigations jointly with the Alabama Environmental Health Administration, beginning in 1979; • Designing a multi-phased cleanup that is responsive to the complex nature of the contamination and reduces potential risk to the local population and environment; and • Awarding a grant to a community group to help them participate in cleanup decisions. Ciba-Geigy, like EPA, has made consistent efforts to build and maintain good relations with the community. The public participates in decisions regarding the cleanup process, and maintains a dialogue with EPA about changing site conditions. These efforts demonstrate the increasing trend toward cooperation between industries, local communities, and EPA at Superfund sites. The Site Today The first phase of cleanup — ground water treatment — is operating and significantly reduc- ing contamination. The company continues to monitor ground water to ensure contaminants do not migrate from the site. Ciba- Geigy is presently drafting a cleanup design workplan for the second phase of work to remove and treat approximately 130,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil. Sampling and analysis for a third phase of work has also begun to address the extent of remaining continued on page 3 ------- Supertund At Work • Ciba-Geigy, Mclntosh, Alabama • Fall 1992 The Ciba-Geigy Superfund site is located on 1,500 acres in Mclntosh, Alabama, approxi- mately 50 miles north of Mobile. The actual contamination is confined to 20 acres of the actual site. Some 250 people live in Mclntosh, but the mu- nicipal area serves over 500 residents. The surrounding area is forested, providing a habitat for wildlife and a liveli- hood for loggers. The south- eastern portion of the property is located along the floodplain of the Tombigbee River, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Immediately east of the site is a 185,000-acre wetland and forest area, containing several habitat types and supporting a variety of protected and endangered species, including the American alligator and various migratory birds. Geigy Chemical Corporation began operations in 1952, first producing the pesticide DDT, and later brighteners, herbi- cides, insecticides and other agricultural and industrial products. In 1970, Geigy A Site Snapshot merged with Ciba Industry, forming Ciba-Geigy Corporation. The company ceased producing DDT in the mid-1960s. The suspected carcinogen was banned by EPA in 1972. Ciba-Geigy currently produces resins and additives for the plastics industry, as well as other chemical prod- ucts. Adjacent to the Ciba-Geigy property is another chemical manufacturer, Olin-Mathieson, which began producing chlorine and caustic soda in 1953. Olin- Mathieson is itself a Superfund site because of mercury contami- nated soil, ground water and surface water. Together, Ciba- Geigy and Olin-Mathieson are major employers in Washington County, providing over half of the jobs for people in the Mcln- tosh area. Prior to 1965, Geigy discharged its wastewater directly into the Tombigbee River. After 1965, the company began neutralizing its wastewater before discharging it into the river in accordance with state and federal standards. Ciba- Geigy also disposed of its waste in several on-site areas, resulting in extensive soil and ground water contamination. Asa result of these disposal prac- tices, the Tombigbee River floodplain may also be affected. The primary contaminants include: chlorinated pesticides (including DDT), manufac- tured pesticides (lindane, atrazine, and some volatile organic compounds), heavy metals (including lead, chro- mium, copper and arsenic), and cyanide. Potential contamination of the Tombigbee River floodplain poses an undetermined threat to local wildlife and their habitat. Pathways of potential exposure to hazardous sub- stances include drinking con- taminated ground water, eating the meat of wildlife that feed in the affected area, and contami- nation of workers at the site through direct contact. Al- though the aquifer beneath the contaminated soil is not a current source of drinking water, its future use could be endangered if contaminated soil is not permanently cleaned up. Ciba-Geigy Site Timeline • Geigy begins to neutralize and treat wastewater before release into river 1 Geigy halts DDT production Local reports of diazinon release and fish-kill Disposal of DDT and insecticides into Tombigbee River 1 DDT banned from the U.S. market • Geigy merges with Ciba Industry 1952 1965 1968 1970 1972 Page 2 ------- Superfund At Work • Ciba-Geigy, Mclntosh, Alabama • Fall 1992 Cleanup at the Ciba-Geigy site represents a huge effort on the part of the company, which has complied with EPA requirements at all stages of the process. Suc- cessful decontamination of the site represents an equally strong effort on the part of EPA's Superfund program. Throughout the pro- cess, channels of communication between EPA, Ciba-Geigy and the community have been open, enabling the complex cleanup to proceed smoothly. Site Discovery Leads to EPA Action From the mid-1950s to the early 1960s, some Mclntosh residents detected fumes emanating from the Geigy site. They were reas- sured by plant personnel that the fumes were not harmful. In 1968, community members also noted a large fish-kill resulting from an accidental release of diazinon, a widely used pesticide, into the Tombigbee River. At that time, people were unaware of the risks associated with most chemicals. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, several members of the Mclntosh community became concerned about potential health risks associated with ground water contamination. Some felt they lacked sufficient information on contamination of this potential drinking water source to satisfy their concerns. In 1979, when mercury poisoning from the Olin- Mathieson Company was discov- ered in local fish, EPA and the State Health Administration began sampling ground and surface water. Through this preliminary investigation, a variety of hazardous chemicals other than mercury were de- tected, implicating Ciba-Geigy as the source of contamination. DDT, chloroform and chloroben- zene were found in nearby sur- face and ground water. In August 1982, EPA con- ducted another investigation of the Olin-Mathieson Company. As part of this investigation, EPA sampled a water well on Ciba- Geigy property. These studies indicated the presence of hazard- ous substances that warranted • EPA and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management begin investigating surface and ground water at the site • Superfund program enacted • EPA conducts preliminary investigations at Ciba-Geigy • EPA discovers contaminated ground water on Ciba-Geigy property m • Ciba-Geigy is placed on the I National Priorities List Site Today continued from page 1 contamination in soil, sediments, water, fish and wildlife. In July 1992, in consultation with Alabama's Department of Envi- ronmental Management, EPA selected a remedy for the fourth and final cleanup phase, a con- taminated bluffline area. • EPA issues Ciba-Geigy a permit specifying cleanup of surface and ground water as well as determining extent of contamination ^ 1 EPA issues first formalized cleanup plan r • EPA issues second cleanup plan • Ciba-Geigy signs $120 million agreement to clean up soil and begins remedial design workplan to accomplish cleanup 1979 1980 19821983 ------- Superfund At Work • Ciba-Geigy, Mclntosh, Alabama • Fall 1992 at Ciba-Geigy. In September 1983, the site was added to the National Priorities List (NPL), a roster of the nation's waste sites eligible for comprehensive cleanup under the Superfund program. EPA Uses Two Environmental Statutes to Regulate Cleanup Generally, Superfund sites are subject to the guidelines of one statute, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Com- pensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund. CERCLA regulates the cleanup of waste generated in the past, by both active and inac- tive facilities. Prior to the enact- ment of CERCLA in 1980, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 served as the regulatory standard for tracking hazardous substances from generation to disposal. RCRA requires procedures to be used in treating, storing, and disposing of hazardous wastes at currently operating facilities. EPA evaluated various cleanup alternatives at the Ciba-Geigy site and decided to control contami- nation through both RCRA and CERCLA. RCRA laws govern the cleanup standards for ground water (since production at the facility is on-going), and CERCLA provides the federal standard for soil, sludges and chemical resi- dues from past disposal activities. Contaminated Ground Water is the First Focus of Cleanup Cleanup at the site began in October 1985, when EPA issued Ciba-Geigy a RCRA permit and corrective action plan, directing them to: (1) clean up contami- nated surface and ground water; (2) conduct a detailed investiga- tion to determine the scope of soil Technician uses a splitspoon sampling device to collect soil samples along the floodplain of the Tombigbee River. contamination; and (3) close ten waste holding and transport units at the site. hi 1987 and pursuant to the 1985 corrective action plan, Ciba- Geigy installed a $3 million pumping system for the intercep- tion and removal of contaminated ground water from the shallow aquifer underneath the site. Also in 1987, Ciba-Geigy began using an above-ground waste water treatment system, valued at $73 million, which involves the use of bacteria and other biological organisms to treat waste water. In 1988, Ciba-Geigy began using an innovative ground water treatment, involving the use of bacteria and other biological organisms, to control ground water contamination. The waste water treatment system also treats process water from the operating facility as well as the first inch of storm flow runoff from the site. The company installed four corrective action monitoring wells downstream of the pumping wells to monitor the effectiveness of the removal system. Today, the ground water -^—— Page 4 ————— treatment system continues to significantly reduce contaminants in the water. EPA Undertakes a Multi-Faceted Soil Cleanup In 1989, EPA Superfund issued its first technical plan, endorsing the continuation of the treatment system for the shallow aquifer, hi addition, EPA evaluated the alternatives and risks posed by the contaminants as they relate to the Superfund portions of the site (i.e., those areas no longer in active use by Ciba-Geigy), and outlined three future cleanup activities for the site. These activities will address: • Contamination of soil at ten of the eleven former waste management areas; • Contamination within the floodplain of the Tombigbee River close to the site; and • Contamination of soil in former waste management Area #8, which was ad- dressed separately. The debris at this location and a separate bluffline required a different technical approach. continued on page 5 ------- Superfund At Work • Ciba-Geigy, Mclntosh, Alabama • Fall 1992 Cleanup Commitment continued from page 4 Throughout 1990 and into 1991, EPA, the State of Alabama and Ciba-Geigy worked together to develop a comprehensive cleanup plan for approximately 130,000 cubic yards of contami- nated soil. In September 1991, following a period of public comment, EPA formalized this cleanup strategy by issuing its second technical plan. EPA's goals for this phase of soil cleanup were to: (1) reduce or eliminate the threat of direct contact with contaminants by removing the first 12 inches of contaminated soil; (2) remove contaminated soil that endangers the aquifer; (3) develop a flexible strategy, including thermal treatment, to clean up soil with varying levels of contamination, and at varying depths above and below 20 feet; and (4) restrict future land and ground water use at and around the site. EPA and the company are now finalizing the engineering plan and detailed designs. Once soil is excavated, it will be treated by different methods, depending on the type and severity of contamination. EPA has left its treatment plan flexible to accommodate the use of inno- vative technologies such as bioremediation and vacuum extraction. Bioremediation in- volves the use of microorganisms to consume toxic compounds. Vacuum extraction removes contaminants from the soil by means of a vacuum or forced air device, and is generally used with other technologies. Excavated soil and sludge with high levels of contamination — approximately 65,000 cubic yards — will be thermally treated on- site. An additional 62,000 cubic yards of moderately contami- nated soil and sludge will be treated by stabilization/solidifica- tion. This process involves mix- ing the soil with hardening agents, such as cement, to immo- bilize the contaminants. Treated soil and ash from the thermal treatment process and treated material from any other process will be disposed of at an on-site, approved facility. Sampling and analysis of the floodplain began in May 1992. At this time, EPA's proposed cleanup for Area #8 was also presented to the Mcln- tosh community. Largest Single Private Party Agreement in Superfund History On March 31,1992, Ciba-Geigy signed an agreement to perform the second phase of work, and to pay for 100% of EPA's past costs. This single agreement, presently valued at approximately $120 million, represents the largest single private party settlement in Superfund history. The company has already spent $75 million for ground water treatment. In addition, Ciba-Geigy will reim- burse EPA for oversight costs and will pay for all future expenses associated with the site, including $50 million for the cleanup of Area #8. The cost of the third phase of cleanup (the flood- plain), if required, has yet to be determined. EPA and Ciba-Geigy Promote Strong Community Relations The Ciba-Geigy site pro- vides an encouraging example of a local population and an industry who are successfully bridging their differences. EPA facilitates communication links between the company and the neighboring commu- nity. In 1970, Ciba-Geigy began publishing a monthly newslet- ter for employees and commu- nity neighbors about company operations. During the 1970s, Ciba-Geigy held open houses, inviting groups to tour the plant facilities. Ciba-Geigy holds regular, advisory meetings with Mclntosh community members to discuss the on-going cleanup process. Ciba-Geigy kept Mclntosh residents and elected officials informed through regular informational mailings. EPA has a vigorous com- munity relations program in Mclntosh which aims at keeping the residents as well- informed as possible. Toward this end, EPA holds regular meetings with citizens, city council members, and other elected officials. As part of these meetings, EPA invites local residents to comment on cleanup plans. In addition, EPA uses local newspapers, radio, and direct mail to announce events. Pages ------- Superfund At Work • Ciba-Geigy, Mclntosh, Alabama • Fall 1992 EPA Technical Assistance Grants Give Communities Greater Access to Information In May 1992, the Mclntosh Community Action Committee was awarded a Technical Assis- tance Grant (TAG), and is now in the process of hiring a technical advisor to assist them in under- standing the actions taken at the site. They will be better equipped to make an informed assessment of the potential health and envi- ronmental effects associated with the on-going cleanup activities at the site. What is a Technical Assistance Grant (TAG)? As part of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthoriza- tion Act (SARA) of 1986, EPA identified the need to involve communities affected by Superfund sites. The TAG Pro- gram provides up to $50,000 in funds to assist qualified local groups in hiring independent technical advisors. These advisors help residents interpret technical elements of hazardous sites, so that they may comment on a range of cleanup decisions that directly affect their community. The group contributes 20 percent of the total cost of the project in matching funds, and will typically manage the TAG for an average of three years. Only one TAG is awarded per Superfund site. Detailed information on appli- cations and eligibility require- ments is outlined in the Superfund Success at Ciba-Geigy The Ciba-Geigy Mclntosh Plant site provides a positive example of how the Superfund program is de- signed to work—namely, getting private parties to voluntarily clean up hazard- ous waste sites. EPA and Ciba-Geigy have successfully coordinated efforts to com- municate with the affected community and build an atmosphere of trust. Technical Assistance Grant Hand- book and The Citizens' Guidance Manual for the Technical Assistance Grant Program, both available through EPA Regional Superfund or Grants offices. If you wish to be added to our mailing list or to comment on this bulletin's content, length or format, please call (703) 603-8984, or send a letter to Superfund At Work (5502G), 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460 For additional copies of this or other Superfund At Work updates, contact the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161, telephone (703) 487-4650. v EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency 5502G Washington, D.C. 20460 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 First Class Mail Postage and Fees Paid EPA Permit No. G-35 & Printed on recycled paper ------- |