United States Environmental Protection Agency Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5502G) EPA 520-F-94-005 Winter 1994 vvEPA Superfund At Work Hazardous Waste Cleanup Efforts Nationwide Seymour Recycling Site Profile Site Description: A former chemical recycling, storage, and Incineration facility near Seymour, Indiana Site Size: 14 acres Primary Contaminants: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals Potential Range of Health Risks: Increased risk of cancer through drinking contaminated ground water Nearby Population; 300 people within one mile Ecological Concerns: A shallow aquifer and ground water are contaminated; fish kilis in the White River Year Listed on NPL: 1983 EPA Region: 5 State: Indiana Congressional District: 9 Workers take water samples from a conduit to check treatment plant discharge. Success in Brief Model Superfund Cleanup in Seymour, Indiana Leaking barrels of chemicals reacted and erupted into spontaneous fires and explosions at the Seymour Recycling Corporation in the 1970s. This poorly managed and overburdened hazardous waste storage and incineration facility polluted soil and ground water with solvents, acids, and heavy metals. By 1980, more than 50,000 drums and storage tanks stood on site, many of them rusted, punctured or leaking. Using Superfund authority, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) negotiated voluntary cleanup agreements with waste generators to clean up this Jackson County facility. With help from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and the City of Seymour, cooperative efforts lead to an effective remediation of the site, including: an immediate removal of drums, tanks and soil; a comprehensive ground water treatment system and extension of the municipal water supply to affected residents; and use of two innovative technologies, bioremediation and soil vapor extraction, to treat contaminated materials under a multi-layer protective cover. Simultaneous construction activities, clear communication, and harmo- nious resolution of legal issues were key to beating the cleanup schedule by more than two years. The Site Today All construction activities at the site are complete. The site is fenced and a protective "cap" encapsulates" contaminated soil, dredged sedi- ments, and debris. A vapor extrac- tion system is currently removing VOCs from underneath the cap, in conjunction with bioremediation. Precautionary air sampling contin- ues to monitor any potential releases from that system. Ground water treatment will continue for 12 to 30 years. ------- Superfund At Work Seymour Recycling Corporation Site, Jackson County, IN Winter 1994 The Seymour Recycling Corporation is located on a 14- acre site two miles southwest of Seymour in Jackson County, Indiana. Surrounding land use is primarily agricultural except for the Freeman Munici- pal Airport and Industrial Park, and a residential community of about 100 homes located within one mile of the site. Drinking water for the airport, industrial park, and subdivi- sion was supplied by private wells until 1985 when the waste contributors paid for an extension of the Seymour municipal water system to the area. The company processed, stored, and incinerated chemi- cal waste throughout the A Site Snapshot 1970s. Wastes accumulated in drums, bulk storage tanks, and tank trucks; by 1980,100 storage tanks and 50,000 drums stood on the site, many rusted, punc- tured or leaking. Contaminants spread over a wide area, releas- ing toxic vapors and erupting in small fires until the facility finally closed in 1980. Soil and ground water at the site were contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals, including arsenic, manga- nese, and beryllium. A shallow aquifer was 'highly contaminated with various hazardous chemi- cals, and fish kills have been reported in the White River. Although area residents have not been directly exposed, VOCs and heavy metals do not break down easily, remain in the environment for many years, and require long-term remediation. Seymour Recycling site Jackson County, Indiana Seymour Recycling Timeline Site listed on NLP Site studies begin First removal conducted * Municipal water supply extended to 100 homes 1 * Congress enacts Superfund * State court places site in receivership < * Site fenced; dikes constructed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5, Library (PL-12J) 77 West Jackson Boulevard, 12th Floor Chicago, II 60604-3590 Owner agrees to institute management controls 1 Seymour recycling, storage, and incineration facility opens Explosions and chemical fires I- 1970 1978 1980 1982 1983 ------- Superfund At Work Seymour Recycling*Corporation Site, Jackson County, IN Winter 1994 Treat Hazardous Wastes Poor Management Practices The Seymour Recycling Corpo- ration accepted waste without adequate management plans for inventory, treatment or storage. Barrels of chemicals were fre- quently stored without checking their contents or emptied directly onto the ground. On several occasions, chemicals reacted, causing explosions and fires. Area residents complained of offensive odors. In 1978, the company agreed to stop receiving waste and to institute better controls. But in 1980, the company's failure to follow that agreement lead an Indiana state court to place the site under state receivership for failure to comply with environ- mental laws. Superfund Reduces Immediate Risks In the spring of 1980, leaking chemicals caused an explosion and fire at the site, and shortly thereafter, the state turned to EPA for help. Congress had enacted the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) that year, establishing the Superfund pro- gram to address thousands of hazardous waste sites nation- wide. CERCLA empowered EPA to compel those responsible for contaminating sites to undertake prescribed cleanup actions. EPA quickly identified a group of waste contributors who removed some of the drums and con- structed levees to prevent the hazardous waste from spreading. EPA then relocated several area residents and fenced the site to restrict access. 50,000 drums and 100 storage tanks were abandoned on the site In 1982, EPA entered into a cleanup agreement with a small group of the hazardous waste contributors. Between 1982 and 1984, this group removed and r 1 EPA selects final remedy following public comment * Temporary ground water treatment system constructed Waste contributors sign consent decree Protective cap installed * Bioremediation and soil vapor extraction systems begin «Vapor extraction completed (planned) * Ground water treatment, bioremediation, and site monitoring (ongoing) ------- Superfund At Work Seymour Recycling Corporation* Site, Jackson County, I Winter 1994 disposed of 50,000 drums, 100 storage tanks, and contaminated soil to a depth of one foot from about 75 percent of the site. The excavated areas were covered with clay and clean soil to immo- bilize the underlying contami- nants. These efforts cost about $2 million; subsequently, this group of waste contributors was released from future liability at the site. Agreements between EPA and additional parties in 1982 and 1983 established an escrow account of approximately $10 million. This account was used in 1985 to complete the soil cleanup and to extend the Seymour municipal water system to 100 residents of a nearby subdivision and on a farm. EPA and Indiana Select Final Remedy In 1983, EPA placed Seymour Recycling on the National Priori- ties List (NPL), a roster of uncon- trolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites requiring comprehen- sive cleanup under the Superfund program. Between 1983 and 1986, EPA investigated the nature and extent of the remaining contamination and evaluated appropriate cleanup technologies. The inves- tigation indicated a moving pool of contaminated ground water extending three-quarters of a mile from the site as well as 150,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and sediment. Following a period of public comment on various cleanup strategies, officials from EPA and the Indiana Department of Envi- ronmental Management (IDEM) selected the final remedy for the site in September 1986. The plan had four major components: treatment of ground water, a multi-layer protective soil cover, bioremediation, and vapor extraction for treating soil and sediment. Waste Contributors Establish Trust Fund After two years of negotiations, 150 waste contributors signed a settlement document called a consent decree with EPA and IDEM to conduct the selected remedy. During negotiations, the waste contributors installed a temporary ground water pump and treatment system to mini- mize the movement of contami- nated ground water and to test the effectiveness of the treatment technology being considered for the final cleanup. continued on page 5 Solvents, acids, and heavy metals from leaking barrels polluted soil and ground water over a 12 - year period, ------- Superfund At Work Seymour Recycling Corporation Site, Jackson County, Winter 1994 Innovative Tedmologies continued from page 4 In 1988, the waste contributors established a trust fund of almost $30 million for cleaning up the site. A selected trustee managed the fund and directed construc- tion activities. Ground Water and Soil Addressed First Initial cleanup efforts focused on addressing contamination in ground water, soil, and sediments from a ditch filled with runoff. Ground water was first exposed to an air stream that removed VOCs and then was filtered through activated carbon. That water was then pumped to the city wastewater treatment plant for further processing and dis- posal. Private wells in the nearby subdivision were sealed following their connection to the municipal water supply. Ground water treatment will continue for at least 12 and up to 30 years until cleanup goals are met. A seven-layer protective cover called a "cap" was constructed over the remaining contaminated soil and excavated sediment from the ditch. Several buildings on the site also were demolished and the debris consolidated with the soil. The cap provides a barrier against rain seeping into the ground water and prevents direct exposure to the underlying soil. EPA is continuing to treat the soil, sediment and debris under Soil Vapor Extraction An unusual method of vapor extraction was employed at the Seymour Recycling site to remove VOCs from the soil Conven- tional vapor extraction systems rely on a series of wells placed vertically into contaminated soil. A vacuum is applied to alter- nate weHs with those in between left open to the atmosphere to allow air circulation. The VOCs are drawn out of the soil and sent to an exhaust system. Because of me reliance on air, vapor extraction can only be conducted under dry conditions. This conventional technique did not work at the Seymour Recycling site because the VOCs were buried beneath the multi- layered cap and ground water was six feet below ground level. Horizonal wells were placed 30 inches below the cap and slot- ted and wrapped with filter doth to keep out sand and sol. The horizontal wells were men connected to headers at the north and south endof the cap. A vacuum puiap hooked to the header at on© end draws air from the header at the other end, and VOC-kden air from the soil flows through the system to the exhaust, fa addition, bioremediation occurring beneath the cap puts more VQGs into air spaces in the soil. the cap using an innovative technology called bioremediation. The technology takes advantage of naturally occurring bacteria in the soil to "eat" away the contami- nants. To speed growth of the bacteria, nutrients were added to the soil before the cap was com- pleted. "...government and industry have joined together at Seymour to implement the best technology available..." The bioremediation technique complemented another technol- ogy known as vapor extraction which acts like a giant vacuum cleaner, drawing VOCs from the soil. Together, both approaches 5 * prevent further migration of con- taminants into local ground water. Construction Completed Early The remedial plan for the site specified a completion date of five years, but a high degree of coop- eration among the settling parties enabled the effort to be completed in 1991, more than two years ahead of schedule. Early start up, simultaneous work activities, team communications, harmoni- ous resolution of legal issues, and cooperative management decision making were key to beating the cleanup schedule. EPA's Regional Administrator in Chicago stated, ". . . government and industry have joined together at Seymour to implement the best technology available to restore the area." U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5, Library (PL-12J) 77 West Jackson BoniwarH 1 9^ p|Mf ' , IL 60604-3590 ------- Superfund At Work Seymour Recycling Corporatiofi Site, Jackson County, I Winter 1994 Keeping the Community Informed Before selecting the final remedy for the site, EPA held a public meeting and invited the residents to comment on different cleanup alternatives. EPA repre- sentatives periodically appeared on the local cable network chan- nel to provide updates on site progress. In addition, EPA, IDEM, and the waste contributors conducted open houses and tours, held early and frequent meetings with key community leaders, gave frequent presenta- tions, distributed newsletters and information pamphlets, and designed and displayed an ex- hibit about the site. During construction, monthly progress reports were provided to the mayor of Seymour. 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 bulletins, contact the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161, telephone (703) 487-4650. Success at Seymour Recycling From early investigations through completion of construc- tion, EPA, the state, and the waste contributors worked in harmony to reduce risks at the site. Leaking drums, chemical storage tanks, and contaminated surface soil were quickly re- moved and disposed of off site. Treatment of ground water, soil, and sediment was completed more than two years ahead of schedule and biorahediation continues to break down con- taminants under a multi-layered protective cover. v EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency 5502G Washington, D.C. 20460 Bulk Rate Postage and Fees Paid EPA Permit No. G-35 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 ------- |