United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5502G)
EPA520-F-93-018
Summer 1993
«- EPA Superf und At Work
Hazardous Waste Cleanup Efforts Nationwide
Site Description:
Former metals reclamation facility
in Rush Township, Schuylkill
County, PA
Site Size: 25 acres
Primary Contaminants:
Heavy metals including lead,
potychlorinated napthalenes (PCNs),
polychlorinated biphenols (PCBs),
and dioxin
Potential Range of Health Risks:
Direct contact increases risk of
cancer, kidney and liver damage
Nearby Population Affected:
1,600 people within one mile
Ecological Concerns:
The Mauch Chunk Formation
Year Listed on NPL: 1989
EPA Region: 3
State: Pennsylvania
Congressional District: 6
More than 350 million pounds of plastic insulation waste formed an enormous
mountain on the property.
Success in Brief
EPA Pioneers Cleanup Strategy:
Recycling Hazardous Waste
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) selected on-site
waste recycling as the primary cleanup strategy for the Eastern Diver-
sified Metals site. This is the first time the Superfund program has
selected recycling at a hazardous waste site. More than 350 million
pounds of plastic insulation waste formed an enormous mountain on
the property. Because of the large volume of that single type of waste,
recycling was a cost-effective alternative to landfilling and incineration.
The plan demonstrated EPA's ability to resolve a complex situation
with a simple yet creative solution. By working with Pennsylvania
state officials, members of the community, and waste contributors,
Superfund staff:
Designed an effective cleanup that will be privately financed and
conducted; and
Demonstrated how recycled hazardous waste can be converted into
a marketable product whose sale will help finance the cost of
cleanup.
EPA increasingly seeks new technologies for hazardous waste cleanup
to save resources, to provide flexibility to potentially responsible
parties, and to encourage innovation in the marketplace.
The Site Today
Following a September 1991
order, the site owner and waste
contributors removed and dis-
posed of on-site miscellaneous
debris, initiated ground water
studies, and improved the exist-
ing fence around the site.
In July 1992, EPA selected
recycling to clean up the plastic
insulation waste. Because the
responsible parties failed to reach
a negotiated settlement, EPA
issued a unilateral order in June
1993, directing them to perform
and finance the recycling remedy.
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Superfund At Work
Eastern Diversified Metals, Rush, Pennsylvania
Summer 1993
Eastern Diversified Metals is
a former wire reclamation
facility located in Rush Town-
ship, Schuylkill County, Penn-
sylvania. The 25-acre site is
bordered by a home and sev-
eral businesses, as well as state
game lands. A tributary of the
Little Schuylkill River flows
adjacent to the site.
Beginning in 1966, the
facility reclaimed copper and
aluminum by stripping plastic
and fiber insulation from
electrical wires and cables.
Discarded insulation gradually
encompassed 7.5 acres.
Investigations conducted by
EPA and the state uncovered
A Site Snapshot
heavy metals including copper,
lead, manganese, and zinc in the
soil. In addition, some dioxin,
The waste materials
formed a
7.5-acre mountain
polychlorinated napthalenes
(PCNs), and polychlorinated
biphenols (PCBs) have been
found at dangerous levels.
Approximately 1,600 people
live within a one-mile radius of
the site. The Mauch Chunk
Formation, one of the largest
aquifers in Northeastern Pennsyl-
vania, underlies the site as well as
surrounding communities.
More than 1,400 local residents
draw from wells that are within
three miles of the site and are
connected to the Mauch Chunk
Formation. Volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) have been
detected in area ground water,
including on-site and off-site
monitoring wells, but may not
be site related.
Direct exposure to contami-
nated ground water, soil, or
surface wastes could result in
harmful health effects such as
liver or kidney damage or
could increase the risk of
certain types of cancer.
EPA begins preliminary investigations
Congress enacts Superfund 4
"Fluff" catches fire again
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Superfund At Work
Eastern Diversified Metals, Rush, Pennsylvania
Summer 1993
EPA and State
Supervise Cleanup of Site
Eastern Diversified
Rush Township, PA
Wire Reclamation
Contaminates Site
Between 1966 and 1977, East-
ern Diversified Metals Corpora-
tion (EDMC) reclaimed copper
and aluminum from wire and
communication cable. Plastic
insulation was mechanically
stripped from the wires and
EDMC reclaimed
copper and aluminum
from wire and
communication cable
disposed of behind the processing
building. Eventually the waste
material, referred to as "fluff,"
formed a 40- to 60-foot mountain
encompassing 7.5 acres and
weighing more than 350 million
pounds. Other debris, including
unstripped wire and cable, cable
spools, scrap metal, and wooden
pallets were dumped in several
small piles around the site.
Prior to EDMC's use of the
property, no waste disposal took
place at the site. Within a year of
purchase, however, residents
began to complain about odors
and runoff originating at the site.
In the early 1970s, the Pennsylva-
nia Department of Environmental
Resources (PADER) inspected the
site in response to these com-
plaints and cited EDMC with
failure to compact and cover the
waste.
In 1972, EDMC was cited for
violating Pennsylvania's Clean
Streams Law. Under the direction
of FADER, the company installed
a wastewater treatment plant,
surface and ground water diver-
sion ditches, and ground water
interceptors in 1974. This system
was designed to monitor, collect,
and treat leachate originating
from the "fluff." Leachate is
contaminated runoff caused by
rain draining through the "fluff,"
carrying hazardous chemical
residue into soil and ground
water.
EPA, PADER, and Sail conduct sampling, other studies
EPA directs Sail and AT&T to begin extensive investigations
Site listed on National Priorities List (NPL)
Investigations completed
Public meeting held
Remedy selected for "hotspots" and ground water
Public meeting held
Recycling selected for "fluff"
Ground water studies conducted
t>
Miscellaneous debris removed from site
Treatability studies to be conducted
P> Recycling ongoing
} "Hotspots" cleaned up
Upgrade wastewater treatment plant
i84
1987
1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
future
Page 3
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Superfund At Work
Eastern Diversified Metals, Rush, Pennsylvania
Summer 1993
Reclamation operations at the
site ceased in 1977 and the site
was sold to Theodore Sail, Inc.
(Sail), a subsidiary of Diversified
Industries, the parent company of
EDMC.
A fire ignited in the "fluff" in
1977 and burned for almost two
weeks. Fighting the fire proved
The "fluff" burned for
almost two weeks
very difficult because the flames
burned underneath the surface. In
1979, another fire erupted; in
response, Sail excavated the
scorched areas of the pile, installed
heat sensors, and developed a fire
contingency plan. But Sail did not
erect a fence to restrict access to
the site until 1987 when EPA
ordered the company to do so.
EPA Negotiates Cleanup
at Eastern Diversified Metals
Congress enacted the Compre-
hensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act
of 1980 (CERCLA) establishing
the Superfund program to ad-
dress thousands of hazardous
waste sites nationwide. CERCLA
empowered EPA to compel those
responsible for contaminating
sites to undertake prescribed
cleanup actions.
EPA first became involved at
Eastern Diversified Metals in 1983
after preliminary inspections
revealed dangerous contaminants
on the site. Subsequent investiga-
tions completed by EPA, PADER,
and Sail between 1984 and 1987
indicated that the site should be
placed on the National Priorities
List (NPL), EPA's roster of hazard-
ous waste sites requiring compre-
hensive cleanup under the Super-
fund program. In 1989, the site
was formally added to the NPL.
In October 1987, EPA signed an
agreement with Sail and AT&T
Nassau Metals Corporation
(AT&T), the major contributor of
the waste, to conduct comprehen-
sive studies to determine the
nature and extent of contamina-
tion. These studies were com-
pleted in 1990.
EPA Selects
Cleanup Alternatives
To streamline operations, EPA
divided the site into three man-
ageable units:
"Hotspots" in the "fluff" where
dioxin and PCB/PCN levels
were high, and other debris,
soil and sediments contami-
nated with high concentrations
of heavy metals;
Shallow ground water and
leachate;
The bulk of the waste includ-
ing plastic insulation contami-
nated with lead.
EPA proposed several options
for each unit and held a public
meeting in February 1991 to
inform local residents about the
upcoming work at the site. Fol-
lowing a public comment period,
EPA announced the preferred
remedy for the "hot spots." EPA
selected incineration, but further
examination of the wastes by EPA
laboratories revealed a different
composition than originally
determined. EPA is still in the
process of evaluating the incinera-
tion remedy.
To clean up ground water, EPA
Recycling was chosen
to clean up the waste
selected an interim plan requiring
shallow ground water studies,
improved water runoff controls,
and further analysis of the site's
effect on the Mauch Chunk
Formation, if any. EPA will choose
a final remedy for ground water
this October.
In September 1991, EPA or-
dered Sail and AT&T to remove
miscellaneous debris from the
site, repair a security fence, and
undertake additional
ground water
studies. In July
1992, following
' another public
comment period, EPA
issued the waste recycling rem-
edy for the "fluff." Under the
plan, this material will be recycled
on site. All non-recyclable materi-
als and contaminated soil will be
taken to off-site landfills.
EPA and the state supervised
removal activities until January,
1993. Cleanup actions to remove
the extraneous debris piles were
completed in the summer of 1993.
Page 4
U S Environmental Protection Agency
Region 5, Library (PL-12J)
77 WB&l Jaehson Boulowd, l?th Finer
Chicago, IL 606Q4-35IQ
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Superfund At Work
Eastern Diversified Metals, Rush, Pennsylvania
Summer 1993
Recycling the Reclaimer's Waste
For the first time at a Super-
fund site, EPA selected recy-
cling as the cleanup method.
This technique was chosen for
Eastern Diversified Metals
because there was a large
volume of one type of waste at
the site. Recycling was an
appealing alternative to tradi-
tional technologies because the
"disposal" method created a
marketable product. The
contaminants would be effi-
ciently removed and some
cleanup costs could potentially
be recouped through the sale of
the recycled waste.
Two principal recycling
methods may be used at East-
em Diversified Metals to
remove between 60 and 95
percent of the waste volume in
the "fluff." One method, called
"bulk processing," converts the
"fluff" without alteration
directly into a solid plastic
mass. The process uses pres-
sure, heat, and chemical addi-
tives to fuse the "fluff' to-
gether, reducing the risk of
exposure to contaminants. The
material can then be used to
fabricate tiles, mats, fenders,
cushions, plastic lumber, traffic
cones, and highway barriers.
The bulk process has proven to
be very successful in several
European countries.
Paper, fiber and metal also
can be recycled from the pile,
reducing even more waste.
Plastics are separated from the
soil and other debris through a
"sink-float" process using
water (heavy objects sink and
Plastic waste materials from Eastern Diversified Metals can be recycled to
manufacture new products such as tiles, cushions and traffic cones.
a a a
a a a a
lighter ones float to the surface).
This process can be used to
separate the polyethylene (PE)
and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
plastics. The PE and PVC plastics
are then formed into pellets that
can be used as raw materials in
the manufacture of new plastics
or as ingredients in concrete or
blacktop. Any contaminants are
encapsulated in the plastic.
Recycling will remove
between 60 and 95%
of the waste volume
Recycling and off-site disposal
are less costly than traditional
cleanup methods and can be
offset by the sale of the recycled
product. Less restrictions exist on
the use of the property in the
future. By comparison, traditional
on-site landfilling methods could
cost many times more and some-
times leave the land with very
limited future use.
The key to the success of a
waste recycling plan is the devel-
opment of markets for the
recycled product. Both EPA and
the US. Department of Com-
merce have encouraged the
development of new end-uses
for materials.
Recycling could be used at
other sites and industry sources
have applauded EPA's effort to
employ this cost-effective
technique. The EPA Remedial
Project Manager, Steve
Donohue, stated that not only
is recycling efficient, but "the
right thing to do for the envi-
ronment."
Following lengthy negotia-
tions, Saul and AT&T were
unable to reach a negotiated
settlement to conduct the
recycling portion of the
cleanup. The Saul corporation
then filed for bankruptcy. In
June 1993, EPA ordered AT&T
to start work; the company will
perform treatability studies this
fall to decide which of the two
processes are preferable. EPA
will supervise their efforts with
assistance from state officials.
Page 5
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Superfund At Work
Eastern Diversified Metals, Rush, Pennsylvania
Summer 1993
Public Participation is Vital
to the Superfund Program
During a hazardous waste
cleanup, clear communication
between EPA and the community
is essential. At Eastern Diversified
Metals, Superfund community
relations staff opened up informa-
tion repositories at convenient
locations, held public hearings,
distributed numerous fact sheets,
and issued press releases to share
information about the cleanup.
When EPA held public meet-
ings to discuss alternative cleanup
methods, residents from the
surrounding community brought
their questions and concerns to
the table.
Residents had lodged com-
plaints about the site with local
officials long before EPAs involve-
ment. Citizen groups had formed
to protect local streams and
wildlife and to control emissions
from polluting industries.
At this meeting, community
activists raised the issue of public
safety for both the recycling and
incineration proposals. EPA staff
reported that industrial hygienists
at Rutgers University had con-
ducted tests and found that no
contaminants were released
during the recycling process. In
addition, pollution control de-
vices would be installed and
emissions closely monitored in
the event incineration is used for
the dioxin, PCB/PCN "hotspots."
The community submitted
public comments approving the
cleanup alternatives, and will be
asked to participate again when
the ground water treatment
method is selected.
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.
Success at
Eastern
Diversified
Metals
For the first time at a
Superfund site, waste recy-
cling was chosen as the
primary cleanup strategy.
This remedy will effectively
clean up the site, converting
hazardous waste into a
marketable product for
resale. In June 1993, waste
contributors were ordered to
begin work after negotia-
tions failed. Treatability
studies are scheduled for
this fall to determine the best
method of recycling.
A ground water treatment
method will be selected this
winter. Dioxin, PCB/PCN
"hotspots" are under evalua-
tion at this time.
v EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
5502G
Washington, D.C. 20460
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