United States Environmental Protection Agency Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5502G) EPA 520-F-93-011 Summer 1993 x>EPA Superfund At Work Hazardous Waste Cleanup Efforts Nationwide Site Description: An inactive transformer salvage facility, one mile northeast of Chehalts, Washington Site Size: Eight acres Primary Contaminants: Polychiori- nated biphenyls (PCBs), asbestos, dioxin, and heavy metals (copper and lead) Potential Range of Health Risks: Dermatitis, central nervous system disorders or cancer from direct, long- term exposure to soil, oils and sediments Nearby Population: Approximately 6,670 people within a two-mile radius Ecological Concerns: Damage to the Coat Creek f Joodplaln and nearby wetlands Year Listed on NPL: N/A EPA Region: 10 State; Washington Congressional District; 3 Using a rotary rig, cleanup workers determine the presence of underground storage tanks and leakage at Coal Creek site. Success In Brief EPA Gains Cooperation of 86 Parties to Clean Up Coal Creek The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designed a rem- edy that will permanently remove polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), lead, and copper from the Coal Creek site in Chehalis, Washington. Through careful negotiations, EPA secured the participation of all 86 waste contributors to conduct the cleanup, valued between $13 and $15 million. These accomplishments involved: • Designing a two-phased cleanup plan to remove and destroy contaminants, ensuring the long-term safety of local residents and sensitive ecosystems; • Facilitating cooperation among the responsible parties, leading to the formation of the Coal Creek Steering Committee, which agreed to perform the cleanup; and • Working with the State of Washington to evaluate site conditions and involve the community in the selection of the remedy. The Coal Creek site illustrates the need for a federal enforcement program to ensure that waste contributors conduct comprehensive cleanups that protect citizens and the environment. EPA took the lead in coordinating cleanup activities, an important intervention at a time when the state did not yet have its own hazardous waste cleanup law. The Site Today The site is stable and immediate threats have been eliminated. The first phase of the cleanup began in March 1993 and is now complete. This effort involved decontamina- tion, demolition, and removal of * asbestos-contaminated buildings. Underground storage tanks were pumped and removed, their con- tents stored for future incineration. The second cleanup phase is sched- uled to begin in the fall of 1993. ------- Superfund At Work • Coal Creek, Chehalis, WA • Summer 1993 The eight-acre Coal Creek site is located one mile north- east of Chehalis, Washington in an area surrounded by light commercial activity and rural residences.The site is bordered on two sides by Coal Creek and lies partly within the creek's floodplain. In addition, wetlands in the western por- tion of the site serve as habitat for a variety of birds. Approxi- mately 6,670 people live in the City of Chehalis, and the nearest residence is one eighth of a mile from the site. The site has been owned primarily by public utilities since the early 1900s and is presently owned by the Lewis County Public Utility District. Between 1946 and 1983, utility companies used the site for manufacturing, repairing and recycling, and permitted their lessors to scrap electrical equip- ment, including transformers, on site. During salvage opera- tions, transformer fluid con- taining PCBs was drained or spilled onto the site. Dioxins A Site Snapshot and heavy metals (lead and copper) also were present due to the handling and disposal of scrap metal equipment, ash, and oil. In addition, an on-site shop building contained asbestos. PCB, lead and copper contamination pose the most significant threats to the environment and surrounding community Prior to the initial cleanup, the most extensive contaminants were sludges confined to under- ground storage tanks and a mound that covered one-quarter of the site. This mound contained soil, ash, coal remains, mixed debris and tainted ground water, and was formed by improper waste disposal practices, includ- ing the dumping and spilling of waste oil. A drainage ditch ex- tended from the mound to a wetlands area that discharged into Coal Creek, and the shop building sat atop a contami- nated oil pool. Perched ground water trapped in the mound was contaminated with low levels of PCBs and chlorobenzenes, but was not a source of drinking water for the city. The surround- ing environment was not signifi- cantly affected by discharges of contaminants from the site. The total volume of contaminated soil is estimated at 17,300 cubic yards; the volume of liquid contaminants and affected ground water is several thou- sand gallons. This waste will be incinerated in the fall of 1993. PCB, lead and copper con- tamination posed the most significant threats to the envi- ronment and surrounding community. Potential health effects from long-term direct exposure to these contaminants include dermatitis, neurological disorders, and an increased risk of cancer. To date, no health problems have been reported from those who live near the Coal Creek site. Coal Creek Site Timeline * Ross Beeiric atenetons site * Lewis County PUD stabilizes site > Congress enacts Suptrfund ^Congress enacts Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) • Early manufacturing activities begin Transformer scrap operations begin, causing PCB contamination > 1900s 1946 1976 1880 Page 2 ------- Superfund At Work • Coal Creek, Chehalis, WA • Summer 1993 Waste Contributors Clean Up Coal Creek Complaints Lead to State and Ross Electric to clean up the site. Federal Actions Ross Electric only partially In 1983, the Washington State satisfied the order. EPA issued Department of Ecology and EPA additional notices of violation conducted a joint inspection of and levied penalties against the the operating Coal Creek site for company. In September 1983, compliance with state and Ross Electric abandoned the federal pollution standards. The property and moved its opera- operator of the site, Ross Electric tions. From that point on, the Corporation, and the owner, Lewis County PUD assumed responsibility for the site. At the direction of the state, Lewis County PUD stabilized the site Lewis County Public Utility District (PUD), were found to be in violation of state and federal regulations, including the fed- eral Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The State of Washington issued a violation Coal Creek Chehalis, Washington by covering portions of the waste mound with plastic, dam- ming the drainage ditch, install- ing ground water monitoring notice and an order requiring wells, and erecting a fence. Although Coal Creek was not placed on the NPL, EPA remained involved in coordinating the cleanup activities Some Non-NPL Sites Deserve Federal Attention Because the primary intent of TSCA is to regulate and manage the use of toxic sub- stances — not to clean up abandoned hazardous waste sites — enforcement authority was transferred to the Super- fund program. The site then was assessed and scored according to criteria that rank the nation's poten- tially hazardous waste sites. Those that are placed on the National Priorities List (NPL) ------- Superfund At Work • Coal Creek, Chehalis, WA • Summer 1993 are eligible for comprehensive cleanup and funding under the Superfund program. But the Coal Creek site did not satisfy the criteria for placement on the NPL. At non-NPL sites, EPA normally removes the primary hazards at the site, and leaves the long-term cleanup to the state. However, at the time the Coal Creek site was scored, the State of Washington had not yet established a program for abandoned waste sites. In light of the potential long- term threats at the site and ex- pressed community concerns, the Superfund program remained involved and took the lead in coordinating the cleanup activi- ties. EPA Organizes Cleanup In early 1985, Lewis County PUD failed to respond to an EPA order requiring a study of the immediate hazards at the site, and so EPA initiated a site assessment. In 1986, EPA issued notices to 86 parries who contributed contami- nants to the site, informing them of their cleanup responsibilities. At the Agency's suggestion, these parties formed the Coal Creek Steering Committee, which served as a decision-making body to communicate with EPA. The Coal Creek Steering Committee served as a decision-making body for the waste contributors In February 1988, following negotiations with the steering committee, EPA signed a consent order with 66 of these parties, requiring them to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the site. EPA used the data from Former Superfund site manager Bill Glasser being interviewed by a local news station regarding the Coal Creek's transformer and scrapping operations. this study to calculate health risks posed by the site and as the technical basis for selecting its final cleanup remedy for the site. With the cooperation of the state Department of Ecology, EPA issued a proposed cleanup plan in May 1990. A combination of treatment and containment remedies was selected to meet these health-based standards, including the following: • Removing asbestos and demolishing on-site struc- tures; • Excavating and incinerating contaminated soil, sediment and water trapped in the fill area and on-site container liquids and sludges, to permanently destroy PCBs; • Capping incinerator ash and remaining soil and debris; • Constructing trenches to divert surface water; and • Monitoring ground water for five years. These measures were designed to prevent contaminants from migrating into the ground water, surface water, or air. In addition, EPA and local authorities will ————— page 4 ————— restrict future land and ground water use to ensure the integrity of the cap. In June, EPA held a public meeting to discuss this plan and to invite public comment. EPA's preferred cleanup method was finalized, with state concurrence, and embodied in the Agency's October 1990 Record of Decision. Negotiations Completed in Four Months In February 1991, the Coal Creek Steering Committee en- tered into further negotiations with EPA and the U.S. Depart- ment of Justice. Four months later, two separate agreements were reached in which all 86 of the contributing parties agreed to pay for the cleanup, valued between $13 and $15 million. Under the first agreement, 63 of the site's large waste contribu- tors agreed to perform the cleanup and to fully reimburse EPA for oversight and monitoring costs. The second agreement required 23 de minimis parties (companies or individuals who contributed hazardous materials continued on page 5 ------- Superfund At Work • Coal Creek, Chehalis, WA • Summer 1993 Waste Contributors Cleanup continued from page 4 that were minimal in both volume and toxicity) to put their share of the costs into a trust fund estab- lished for the cleanup. The pooled resources help to ensure that the cleanup remains on schedule. Planned Cleanup Tailored to Contamination The first phase of cleanup began in March 1993 and is now complete. This work in- volved decontaminating on-site buildings by removing asbestos and waste oil, and demolishing them. Underground storage tanks were pumped, removed, and their contents temporarily stored on site. Rainwater run-off controls were installed and contaminated 3" Oil/Watej/ • Separator Discharge Line t N (Not To Scale) The Coal Creek site as it appeared before cleanup water is currently being treated. The second, more complex, cleanup phase is scheduled to begin in the fall of 1993 and is expected to take nine months. The focus of this phase is the excava- continued on page 6 tion and incineration of soil and wastes temporarily stored during the initial phase. Ground water trapped inside the waste pile also State Authority of Non-NPL Sites Since the passage of the Superfund law in 1980, states have become Mcreasingiy involved in working with EPA to cocsrdtaate site cleanups. As of 1992,29 states and US. territories have enfoKBment authority and the resources to conduct removal and remedial actions at non-NPL sites. Twelve other states have passed legislation to conduct or compel private party cleanups of non-NPL sites/ but have undertaken limited cleanup activities. The remaining 11 states and territories lack either enforcement authority or funds, Only Nebraska and the District of Columbia do not nave their own cleanup programs. State 'SttperfuneT laws autho- rize a broad range of activities at non-NPL sites. State programs vary, but often share the follow- ing characteristics: * Procedures for emergency response actions and long- term cleanup of hazardous wastes; * ftovMcaisforafundor financing mechanism to pay for studies and cleanup; and * Enforcement authority to compel responsible parties to do the work When the cleanup began at Coal Creek, the State of WashSng- Pages ton did not yet have its own hazardous waste cleanup law, so WA took the lead to ensure that the site would be cleaned mp. In 1988, the State of Wash- ington passed the Model Toxics Control Act, authoriz- ing two accounts for funding state cleanup of hazardous waste sites, enforcement meehamtsms to compel cleanup, and pubEe participa- tion procedures. As a result, Washington now has the authority to ccaoapR^ensively address hazardous waste sites and respond to cornmtmity concerns. ------- Superfund At Work • Coal Creek, Chehalis, WA • Summer 1993 Cleanup continued from page 5 will be incinerated. Engineers will assemble a temporary, on-site incinerator to burn liquids, sludge, and soil. All 86 of the contributing parties agreed to conduct the cleanup The incinerator will destroy virtually all of the hazardous materials and toxins in the wastes, including PCBs. The resulting ash will be tested for metal content to determine whether it can safely be landfilled or placed on the site under an impermeable cover. Ash, which has the potential to leach metals into the environ- ment, will be solidified to pre- vent dispersion into soil and ground water before it is land- filled. After the cleanup, the respon- sible parties will monitor ground water for a minimum of five years and will ensure that no drinking water wells are drilled. A fence has been constructed around the property and will be maintained indefinitely as part of long-term site security. Locally- enforced deed restrictions will limit other future uses of the site. Success at Coal Creek By taking the lead in coordinating cleanup actions at Coal Creek, EPA's Super- fund program reached two agreements with all 86 waste contributors to treat and contain contaminants. These actions wiE ensure that hazardous chemicals do not further contaminate ground water or spread off site, protecting the long- term safety of local residents and the environment. If you wish to be added to or deleted from 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 ------- |