&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste And
Emergency Response
(5102G)
SUPERFUND:
EPA/540/R-93/007
December 1992
PB93-963208
Progress at
National
Priority
List Sites
CONNECTICUT
1992 UPDATE
Printed cm Ri'i y. li'd I'apc-
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Publication #9200.5-7086
December 1992
NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST SITES:
Connecticut
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Office of Emergency & Remedial Response t Action
Office of Program Management u s. Envr'onrnenla(pLri2J)
Washington, DC 20460 ^^jacS Boulevard, 12th Floor
Chicago, IL 60604-359U
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If you wish to purchase copies of any additional State volumes, contact:
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
U.S. Department of Commerce
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
(703) 486-4650
The complete set of the 49 State reports may be ordered as PB93-963250.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
A Brief Overview of Superfund v
Streamlining Superfund: The Superfund Accelerated Cleanup Model ix
How Superfund Works x
THE VOLUME
How to Use the State Book xi
A SUMMARY OF THE STATE PROGRAM
.XV
THE NPL REPORT
Progress to Date xix
THE NPL FACT SHEETS i
THE GLOSSARY
Terms used in the NPL Book... G-l
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INTRODUCTION
A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF SUPERFUND
During the second half of the Twentieth
Century, the environmental conse-
quences of more than 100 years of industrial-
ization in the United States became increas-
ingly clear. Authors such as Rachel Carson
wrote passionately about the often-hidden en-
vironmental effects of our modern society's
widespread use of chemicals and other haz-
ardous materials. Their audience was small at
first, but gradually their message spread.
Growing concern turned to action, as people
learned more about the environment and be-
gan to act on their knowledge
The 1970s saw environmental issues burst
onto the national scene and take hold in the
national consciousness. The first Earth Day
was observed in 1970, the year that the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was
founded. By the end of the 1970s, Love Canal
in New York and the Valley of the Drums in
Superfund Is Established
The industrialization that gave Americans the
world's highest standard of living also created
problems that only a national program could
address. By 1980, the U.S. Congress had
passed numerous environmental laws, imple-
mented by the EPA, but many serious hazard-
ous waste problems were slipping through the
cracks.
Responding to growing concern about public
health and environmental threats from uncon-
trolled releases of hazardous materials, the
U.S. Congress passed the Comprehensive En-
vironmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act (CERCLA). Popularly known as
Superfund, CERCLA had one seemingly
simple job—to uncover and clean up hazard-
ous materials spills and contaminated sites.
Kentucky had entered the popular lexicon as
synonyms for pollution and environmental
degradation.
A Big Job
Few in Congress, the EPA, the environmen-
tal community, or the general public knew in
1980 just how big the nation's hazardous ma-
terials problem is. Almost everyone thought
that Superfund would be a short-lived pro-
gram requiring relatively few resources to
clean up at most a few hundred sites. They
were quite mistaken.
As the EPA set to work finding sites and
gauging their potential to harm people and
the environment, the number of sites grew.
Each discovery seemed to lead to another,
and today almost 36,000 hazardous waste
sites have been investigated as potential haz-
ardous waste sites. They are catalogued in
the EPA's computerized database, CERCLIS
(for the Comprehensive Environmental Re-
-------
INTRODUCTION
sponse, Compensation, and Liability Informa-
tion System).
The damage to public health and the environ-
ment that each site in CERCLIS might cause
is evaluated; many sites have been referred to
State and local governments for cleanup. The
EPA lists the nation's most serious hazardous
waste sites on the National Priorities List, or
NPL. (These Superfund sites are eligible for
federally-funded cleanup, but whenever pos-
sible the EPA makes polluters pay for the
contamination they helped create.) The NPL
now numbers 1,275 sites, with 50 to 100
added each year. By the end of the century,
the NPL may reach as many as 2,100 sites.
Superfund faces some of the most complex
pollution problems ever encountered by an
environmental program. Improperly stored or
disposed chemicals and the soil they contami-
nate are one concern. More difficult to correct
are the wetlands and bays, and the groundwa-
ter, lakes, and rivers often used for drinking
water that are contaminated by chemicals
spreading through the soil or mixing with
storm water runoff. Toxic vapors contaminate
the air at some sites, threatening the health of
people living and working near by.
Superfund aims to control immediate public-
health and environmental threats by tackling
the worst problems at the worst sites first.
Wherever possible, Superfund officials use
innovative treatment techniques—many de-
veloped or refined by the EPA—to correct
hazardous materials problems once and for
all. Many of the treatment techniques they use
did not exist when the program was created.
The EPA Administrator had challenged Su-
perfund to complete construction necessary
for cleanup work at 130 NPL sites by the end
of the 1992 federal fiscal year. By September
30, 1992, the end of fiscal year 1992, con-
struction had been completed at a total of 149
NPL sites. Superfund is well on its way of
meeting the Administrator's goal of complet-
ing construction at 200 NPL sites by the end
of fiscal year 1993, and 650 sites by the end
of fiscal year 2000.
Quick Cleanup at
Non-NPL Sites
Long-standing hazardous waste sites are not
Superfund's only concern. The EPA also re-
sponds to hazardous spills and other emergen-
cies, hauling away chemicals for proper treat-
ment or disposal. Superfund teams perform or
supervise responses at rail and motor vehicle
accidents, fires, and other emergencies in-
volving hazardous substances. They also
evacuate people living and working near by,
if necessary, and provide clean drinking water
to people whose own water is contaminated.
Removal crews also post warning signs and
take other precautions to keep people and ani-
mals away from hazardous substances.
Superfund employee prepares equipment for groundwater
treatment.
VI
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INTRODUCTION
Quick Cleanups, or Removals, are not limited
to emergencies. When cleanup crews at con-
taminated sites find hazardous substances that
immediately threaten people or the environ-
ment, they act right away to reduce the threat
or to remove the chemicals outright. As the
EPA implements the Superfund Accelerated
Cleanup Model (SACM), more and more sites
will undergo quick cleanups, and many of
these will be cleaned up completely without
ever being included on the NPL. (See
"Streamlining Superfund: The Superfund Ac-
celerated Cleanup Model.")
Some of Superfund's most significant gains in
public health and environmental protection
have been won by the removal program. As of
March 31, 1992, the Emergency Response
The Public's Role
Superfund is unique among federal programs
in its commitment to citizen participation. Al-
though the EPA is responsible for determin-
ing how dangerous a site is and how best to
clean it up, the Agency relies on citizen input
as it makes these decisions.
Community residents are often invaluable
sources of information about a hazardous
waste site, its current and previous owners,
and the activities that took place there. Such
information can be crucial to experts evaluat-
ing a site and its potential dangers.
Residents also comment on EPA cleanup
plans by stating their concerns and prefer-
ences at public meetings and other forums and
in formal, written comments to Agency pro-
posals. The EPA takes these comments and
concerns seriously, and has modified many
proposals in response to local concerns. For,
ultimately, it is the community and its citizens
that will live with the results of the EPA's de-
cisions and actions; it is only fair that citizens
participate in the process.
Superfund employee removing drums from a Superfund site.
Program had logged more than 2,300 removal
completions since Superfund was established.
A Commitment to
Communication
The Superfund program is very serious about
public outreach and communication. Com-
munity relations coordinators are assigned to
each NPL site to help the public understand
the potential hazards present, as well as the
cleanup alternatives. Local information re-
positories, such as libraries or other public
buildings, have been established near each
NPL site to ensure that the public has an op-
portunity to review all relevant information
and the proposed cleanup plans.
The individual State volumes contain sum-
mary fact sheets on NPL sites in each State
and territory. Together, the fact sheets provide
a concise report on site conditions and the
progress made toward site cleanups as of
March 1992. The EPA revises these volumes
periodically to provide an up-to-date record of
program activities. A glossary of key terms
relating to hazardous waste management and
Superfund site cleanup is provided at the back
of this book.
VII
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INTRODUCTION
Superfund is, of course, a public program, and
as such it belongs to everyone of us. This vol-
ume, along with other State volumes, com-
prises the EPA's report on Superfund
progress to the program's owners for the year
1992.
VIII
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INTRODUCTION
STREAMLINING SUPERFUND: THE SUPERFUND
ACCELERATED CLEANUP MODEL
Historically, critics and supporters alike
have measured Superfund's progress
by the number of hazardous waste sites de-
leted from the NPL. Although easy enough to
tally, this approach is too narrow. It misses
the major gains Superfund makes by reducing
major risks at the nation's worst hazardous
sites long before all clean-up work is done
and the site deleted. It also ignores the Re-
moval Program's contributions to meeting
Superfund's twin mandates of maximizing
public health and environmental protection.
Renewing Superfund's commitment to rapid
protection from hazardous materials, the EPA
is streamlining the program. The Superfund
Accelerated Cleanup Model, or SACM, will
take Early Actions, such as removing hazard-
ous wastes or contaminated materials, while
experts study the site. SACM also will com-
bine similar site studies to reduce the time re-
quired to evaluate a site and its threats to
people and the environment. This way, imme-
diate public health and environmental threats
will be addressed while long-term cleanups
are being planned.
Emergencies such as train derailments and
motor vehicle accidents will continue to be
handled expeditiously. Teams of highly
trained technicians will swing into action
right away, coordinating the cleanup and re-
moval of hazardous substances to ensure pub-
lic safety as quickly as possible.
Breaking With Tradition
The traditional Superfund process begins with
a lengthy phase of study and site assessment,
but SACM will save time by combining sepa-
rate, yet similar, activities. Each EPA Region
will form a Decision Team of site managers,
risk assessors, community relations coordina-
tors, lawyers, and other experts to monitor the
studies and quickly determine whether a site
requires Early Action (taking less than five
years), Long-term Action, or both.
While the site studies continue, the Decision
Team will begin the short-term work required
to correct immediate public health or environ-
mental threats from the site. Besides remov-
ing hazardous materials, Early Actions in-
clude taking precautions to keep contaminants
from moving off the site and restricting access
to the site. Early Actions could eliminate most
human risk from these sites, and Superfund
will further focus its public participation and
public information activities on site assess-
ment and Early Action.
Long-Term Solutions
While Early Actions can correct many hazard-
ous waste problems—and provide the bulk of
public health and environmental protection—
some contamination will take longer to cor-
rect. Cleanups of mining sites, wetlands, estu-
aries, and projects involving incineration of
contaminants or restoration of groundwater
can take far longer than the three to five years
envisioned for Early Actions. Under SACM,
these sites will be handled much as they are
now.
Also under SACM, the EPA will continue its
pursuit of potentially responsible parties who
may have caused or contributed to site con-
tamination. Expedited enforcement and
procedures for negotiating potentially respon-
sible party settlements will secure their par-
ticipation. Superfund personnel will continue
to oversee clean-up work performed by poten-
tially responsible parties.
IX
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INTRODUCTION
HOW SUPERFUND WORKS
Each Superfund site presents a different
set of complex problems. The same haz-
ardous materials and chemicals often con-
taminate many sites, but the details of each
site are different. Almost always, soil is con-
taminated with one or more chemicals. Their
vapors may taint the air over and around the
site. Contaminants may travel through the soil
and reach underground aquifers which may be
used for drinking water, or they may spread
over the site to contaminate streams, ponds,
and wetlands. The contaminating chemicals
may interact with each other, presenting even
more complicated cleanup problems.
Superfund's cleanup process is arduous and
exacting. It requires the best efforts of hun-
dreds of experts in science and engineering,
public health, administration and manage-
ment, law, and many other fields.
The average NPL site takes from seven to ten
years to work its way through the system,
from discovery to the start of long-term
cleanup. Actual cleanup work can take years,
decades if contaminated groundwater must
be treated. Of course, imminent threats to
public health or the environment are cor-
rected right away.
The diagram to the right presents a simplified
view of the cleanup process. The major steps
in the Superfund process are:
• Site discovery and investigation to iden-
tify contaminants and determine whether
emergency action is required;
• Emergency site work such as removing
contaminants for proper treatment or dis-
posal, and securing the site to keep people
and animals away, if warranted by condi-
tions at the site;
• Site evaluation to determine how people
living and working nearby, and the envi-
ronment, may be exposed to site contami-
nants;
• Detailed studies to determine whether con-
ditions are serious enough to add the site to
the National Priorities List of sites eligible
for federally funded cleanup under Super-
fund;
• Selection, design, and implementation of a
cleanup plan, after a thorough review of
the most effective cleanup options, given
site conditions, contaminants present, and
their potential threat to public health or the
environment.
• Follow-up to ensure that the cleanup work
done at the site continues to be effective
over the long term.
The Superfund Process
From the earliest stages, EPA investigators
work hard to identify those responsible for the
contamination. As their responsibility is es-
tablished, the EPA negotiates with these "re-
sponsible parties" to pay for cleaning up the
problem they helped create. This "enforce-
ment first" policy saves Superfund Trust Fund
monies for use in cleanups where the respon-
sible parties cannot be identified, or where
they are unable to fund cleanup work.
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THE VOLUME
How to Use the State Book
The site fact sheets presented in this book
are comprehensive summaries that cover
a broad range of information. The fact sheets
describe hazardous waste sites on the NPL and
their locations, as well as the conditions
leading to their listing ("Site Description").
The summaries list the types of contaminants
that have been discovered and related threats
to public and ecological health ("Threats and
Contaminants"). "Cleanup Approach" pres-
ents an overview of the cleanup activities
completed, underway, or planned. The fact
sheets conclude with a brief synopsis of how
much progress has been made in protecting
public health and the environment. The
summaries also pinpoint other actions, such as
legal efforts to involve polluters responsible
for site contamination and community con-
cerns.
The fact sheets are arranged in alphabetical
order by site name. Because site cleanup is a
dynamic and gradual process, all site informa-
tion is accurate as of the date shown on the
bottom of each page. Progress always is being
made at NPL sites, and the EPA periodically
will update the site fact sheets to reflect recent
actions and will publish updated State vol-
umes. The following two pages show a ge-
neric fact sheet and briefly describe the infor-
mation under each section.
How Can You Use
This State Book?
You can use this book to keep informed about
the sites that concern you, particularly ones
close to home. The EPA is committed to
involving the public in the decision making
process associated with hazardous waste
cleanup. The Agency solicits input from area
residents in communities affected by Super-
fund sites. Citizens are likely to be affected
not only by hazardous site conditions, but also
by the remedies that combat them. Site clean-
ups take many forms and can affect communi-
ties in different ways. Local traffic may be
rerouted, residents may be relocated, tempo-
rary water supplies may be necessary.
Definitive information on a site can help
citizens sift through alternatives and make
decisions. To make good choices, you must
know what the threats are and how the EPA
intends to clean up the site. You must under-
stand the cleanup alternatives being proposed
for site cleanup and how residents may be
affected by each one. You also need to have
some idea of how your community intends to
use the site in the future, and you need to know
what the community can realistically expect
once the cleanup is complete.
The EPA wants to develop cleanup methods
that meet community needs, but the Agency
only can take local concerns into account if it
understands what they are. Information must
travel both ways in order for cleanups to be
effective and satisfactory. Please take this
opportunity to learn more, become involved,
and assure that hazardous waste cleanup at
"your" site considers your community's
concerns.
XI
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THE VOLUME
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Provides the dates when the
site was Proposed, made Final,
and Deleted from the NPL.
SITE RESPONSIBILITY
Identifies the Federal, State,
and/or potentially responsible
parties taking responsibility
for cleanup actions at the site.
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROGRESS
Summarizes the actions to
reduce the threats to nearby
residents and the surrounding
environment and the progress
towards cleaning up the site.
SITE NAME
STATE
EPA ID* ABCOOOOOOO
EPA REGION XX
COUNTY NAME
LOCATION
Site Description
Site Responsibility:
NPL Listing History
Threats and Contaminants
Cleanup Approach
Response Action Status
Site Facts:
Environmental Progress
Site Repository
SITE REPOSITORY
Lists the location of the primary site repository. The site
repository may include community relations plans, public
meeting announcements and minutes, fact sheets, press
releases, and other site-related documents.
XII
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THE VOLUME
SITE DESCRIPTION
This section describes the location and history of the site. It includes descrip-
tions of the most recent activities and past actions at the site that have con-
tributed to the contamination. Population estimates, land usages, and nearby
resources give readers background on the local setting surrounding the site.
THREATS AND CONTAMINANTS
The major chemical categories of site contamination are noted, as well as
which environmental resources are affected. Icons representing each of the
affected resources (may include air, groundwater, surface water, soil, and
contamination to environmentally sensitive areas) are included in the margins
of this section. Potential threats to residents and the surrounding environ-
ments arising from the site contamination also are described.
CLEANUP APPROACH
This section contains a brief overview of how the site is being cleaned up.
RESPONSE ACTION STATUS
Specific actions that have been accomplished or will be undertaken to clean
up the site are described here. Cleanup activities at NPL sites are divided
into separate phases, depending on the complexity and required actions at the
site. Two major types of cleanup activities often are described: initial,
immediate, or emergency actions to quickly remove or reduce imminent
threats to the community and surrounding areas; and long-term remedial
phases directed at final cleanup at the site. Each stage of the cleanup strategy
is presented in this section of the summary. Icons representing the stage of
the cleanup process (initial actions, site investigations, EPA selection of the
cleanup remedy, engineering design phase, cleanup activities underway, and
completed cleanup) are located in the margin next to each activity descrip-
tion.
SITE FACTS
Additional information on activities and events at the site are included in this
section. Often details on legal or administrative actions taken by the EPA to
achieve site cleanup or other facts pertaining to community involvement with
the site cleanup process are reported here.
xiii
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THE VOLUME
The "icons," or symbols, accompanying the text allow the reader to see at a glance which envi-
ronmental resources are affected and the status of cleanup activities at the site.
Icons in the Threats
and Contaminants
Section
Contaminated Groundwater resources
in the vicinity or underlying the site.
(Groundwater is often used as a drink-
ing water source.)
Contaminated Surface Water and
Sediments on or near the site. (These
include lakes, ponds, streams, and
rivers.)
Contaminated Air in the vicinity of
the site. (Air pollution usually is
periodic and involves contaminated
dust particles or hazardous gas emis-
sions.)
Contaminated Soil and Sludges on or
near the site. (This contamination
category may include bulk or other
surface hazardous wastes found on the
site.)
Threatened or contaminated Environ-
mentally Sensitive Areas in the vicinity
of the site. (Examples include wet-
lands and coastal areas or critical
habitats.)
Icons in the Response
Action Status Section
Initial, Immediate, or Emergency
Actions have been taken or are
underway to eliminate immediate
threats at the site.
Site Studies at the site to determine
the nature and extent of contamination
are planned or underway.
Remedy Selected indicates that site
investigations have been concluded,
and the EPA has selected a final
cleanup remedy for the site or part of
the site.
Remedy Design means that engineers
are preparing specifications and
drawings for the selected cleanup
technologies.
Cleanup Ongoing indicates that the
selected cleanup remedies for the
contaminated site, or part of the site,
currently are underway.
Cleanup Complete shows that all
cleanup goals have been achieved for
the contaminated site or part of the
site.
XIV
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A SUMMARY OF THE STATE PROGRAM
xv
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Superfund
Activities in
Connecticut
The State of Connecticut is located within EPA
Region 1, which includes the six States of New England. The
State covers 5,018 square miles. According to the 1990 Census,
Connecticut experienced a 6 percent increase in population between 1980 and 1990, and is
ranked twenty-seventh in U.S. population with approximately 3,287,000 residents.
Public Act 87-561, codified in 1987 and amended in 1989, created the Connecticut Superfund
program and authorizes the State to issue enforcement orders to polluters. If polluters are unwilling or
unable to clean up a site, the Act authorizes the State to conduct cleanup activities itself and to recover
the cost of cleanup at a later date. In practice, the State seeks out polluters and notifies them of their
liability for site cleanup activities regardless of fault or actual contribution to the hazardous conditions of
the site. If the polluters refuse or are unable to cooperate and the State funds the cleanup action, the State
is required to attempt to recover the costs of cleanup from the polluters. In 1982, the Emergency Spill
Response Fund was created to pay for studies and design activities, emergency response actions, remov-
als, and long-term cleanup activities as well as the 10 percent contribution from the State required under
the Federal Superfund program. To draw from the Fund to conduct cleanup activities, the State must
demonstrate that the threats posed by a site are unacceptable and that a polluter either could not be
identified or has not complied with an enforcement order. Currently, 15 sites in the State of Connecticut
have been listed as final on the NPL. No new sites have been proposed for listing in 1992.
The Department of Environmental Protection
implements the Superfund Program in the State of Connecticut
Activities responsible for hazardous
waste contamination in the State of
Connecticut include:
Textile
Operations
Other
Landfills/
Storage and
Disposal
Facilities
Federal
Facilities
Metal
Facilities and
Electroplating
Facilities
Manufacturing Facilities
Facts about the 15 NPL sites
in Connecticut:
Immediate Actions (such as removing
hazardous substances or restricting
site access) were performed at nine
sites.
Eight sites endanger sensitive envi-
ronments.
All 15 sites are located near residen-
tial areas.
D.D
XVII
March 1992
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CONNECTICUT
Most Sites Have Multiple Contaminants and
Contaminated Media:
Media Contaminated at Sites
Air
Surface
Water
Sediments
Soil
Ground-
water
Contaminants Found at Sites
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Percentage of Sites
Percentage of Sites
VOCs
Heavy Metals
PCBs
Creosotes
Other*
Pesticides/Herbicides
93%
60%
20%
20%
13%
7%
*Other contaminants include cyanide and
hydrocarbons.
The Potentially Responsible
Party Pays...
In the State of Connecticut, potentially respon-
sible parties are paying for or conducting
cleanup activities at 11 sites.
For Further Information on NPL Sites and Hazardous
Waste Programs in the State of Connecticut Please Contact:
® EPA Region 1 Superfund Community
Relations Section
® National Response Center
^ The Department of Environmental
Protection: Waste Management
Bureau, Site Remediation and
Closure Division
® EPA Region 1 Superfund Waste
Management Division
^ EPA Superfund Hotline
For information concerning
community involvement
To report a hazardous
waste emergency
For information about the
State's responsibility in the
Superfund Program
For information about the
Regional Superfund Program
For information about the
Federal Superfund Program
(617)565-2713
(800) 424-8802
(203) 566-7132
(617)573-5707
(800) 424-9068
March 1992
XVIII
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THE NPL REPORT
PROGRESS TO DATE
The following Progress Report lists all
sites currently on, or deleted from, the
NPL and briefly summarizes the status of ac-
tivities for each site at the time this report was
prepared. The steps in the Superfund cleanup
process are arrayed across the top of the chart,
and each site's progress through these steps is
represented by an arrow (^>) indicating the
current stage of cleanup.
Large and complex sites often are organized
into several cleanup stages. For example,
separate cleanup efforts may be required to
address the source of the contamination,
hazardous substances in the groundwater, and
surface water pollution, or to clean up differ-
ent areas of a large site. In such cases, the
chart portrays cleanup progress at the site's
most advanced stage, reflecting the status of
site activities rather than administrative ac-
complishments.
O An arrow in the "Initial Response" cate-
gory indicates that an emergency
cleanup, immediate action, or initial ac-
tion has been completed or currently is
underway. Emergency or initial actions
are taken as an interim measure to pro-
vide immediate relief from exposure to
hazardous site conditions or to stabilize
a site to prevent further contamination.
O A final arrow in the "Site Studies" cat-
egory indicates that an investigation to
determine the nature and extent of the
contamination at the site currently is on-
going or planned.
^> A final arrow in the "Remedy Selection"
category means that the EPA has se-
lected the final cleanup strategy for the
site. At the few sites where the EPA has
determined that initial response actions
have eliminated site contamination, or
that any remaining contamination will
be naturally dispersed without further
cleanup activities, a "No Action" rem-
edy has been selected. In these cases,
the arrows are discontinued at the
"Remedy Selection" step and resume in
the "Construction Complete" category.
^ A final arrow at the "Remedial Design"
stage indicates that engineers currently
are designing the technical specifica-
tions for the selected cleanup remedies
and technologies.
^> A final arrow in the "Cleanup Ongoing"
column means that final cleanup actions
have been started at the site and cur-
rently are underway.
^ A final arrow in the "Construction Com-
plete" category is used only when all
phases of the site cleanup plan have
been performed, and the EPA has deter-
mined that no additional construction
actions are required at the site. Some
sites in this category currently may be
undergoing long-term operation and
maintenance or monitoring to ensure
that the cleanup actions continue to pro-
tect human health and the environment.
/ A check in the "Deleted" category indi-
cates that the site cleanup has met all
human health and environmental goals
and that the EPA has deleted the site
from the NPL.
Further information on the activities and
progress at each site is given in the site "Fact
Sheets" published in this volume.
XIX
-------
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BARKHAMS
NEW HARTF
LANDFILL
CONNECTICUT
EPA ID# CTD980732333
EPA REGION 1
Litchfield County
Barkhamsted
Site Description
The Barkhamsted-New Hartford Landfill encompasses 98 acres near the Barkhamsted and
New Hartford town line. Since 1974, it has been owned and operated by the Regional Refuse
Disposal District One. The unlined landfill accepted municipal and industrial wastes, including
oily metal grindings and sludge containing heavy metals. A barrel-crushing operation to
reclaim metals was also located on site. In 1983, leaking drums containing hazardous solvents
were observed on site during a State inspection. Tests indicated volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) were present in shallow and deep wells on site. An unnamed brook borders the site
to the southwest and the north and flows through a wetland to the Farmington River. The
surrounding area is rural and residential. Many private wells and a municipal supply well
serving an estimated 4,800 people are within 3 miles of the site.
Site Responsibility:
The site is being addressed through
Federal and potentially responsible
parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 06/21/88
Final Date: 10/04/89
Threats and Contaminants
The groundwater underlying the site is contaminated with VOCs including xylene,
toluene, and vinyl chloride, all of which are present in shallow and deep wells. The
site is not completely fenced, making it possible for people and animals to come
into contact with hazardous substances. Potential public health threats include
accidentally ingesting or coming in direct contact with the groundwater or surface
wastes.
March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in a single long-term remedial phase aimed at cleanup of the
entire site.
Response Action Status
Initial Action: The Farmington Valley Health District shut down the on-site
well serving the landfill office due to VOC contamination.
Entire Site: An investigation into the nature and extent of site contamination
began in late 1991 and is expected to be completed in 1994.
Environmental Progress
The EPA has studied the conditions at the Barkhamsted-New Hartford Landfill site and has
determined that since the contaminated water source has been removed from service, no
other immediate actions are required while waiting for cleanup actions to begin.
Site Repository
Not established.
March 1992
BARKHAMSTED-NEW HARTFORD LANDFILL
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BEACON
HEIGHTS
LANDFILL
CONNECTICU
EPA ID# CTD072122
Site Description
EPA REGION 1
New Haven County
Southeast of the intersection of
Blackberry Hill Road and Skokorat Road
Other Names:
Betkoski's Dump
The Beacon Heights Landfill site covers 34 acres on an 83-acre property. Between 1920 and
1979, the landfill was used for the disposal of industrial and municipal waste, including oils,
chemical liquids, sludges, solvents, rubber, and plastics. Landfill operations included open
burning, along with burial of non-combustibles. During an investigation conducted by the
EPA in 1984, benzene and several other solvents were detected in two private wells on
Skokorat Road at levels that exceeded drinking water standards set by the State of
Connecticut. Hockanum Brook, located 1/2 mile northwest of the landfill, flows into the
Naugatuck River 2 miles northwest of the site. Approximately 44 homes are within 1/2 mile
of the site along Skokorat and Blackberry Hill Road. The nearest residences are
approximately 1,000 feet to the north and west of the site. Eight hundred people live within a
mile of the site. Local residences used groundwater as the drinking water supply source. The
local surface water is used for recreational purposes. An apple orchard is located
approximately 600 feet northwest of the landfill.
Site Responsibility:
The site is being addressed through
Federal and potentially responsible
parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 12/01/82
Final Date: 09/01/83
Threats and Contaminants
The groundwater underlying the site was found to be contaminated with volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) including methylene chloride. The on-site leachate and
soils are contaminated with VOCs, as well as lead. The on-site surface water has
been shown to be contaminated with VOCs. People are at risk by coming into
direct contact with or drinking contaminated surface water or groundwater,
breathing potentially contaminated air, or by accidentally ingesting soil on the site.
March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in two long-term remedial phases focusing on control of
contamination sources and cleanup of the entire site.
Response Action Status
Source Control: In 1985, the EPA chose the following remedies, which the
potentially responsible parties agreed to carry out: excavating Betkoski's Dump
and other contaminated soils for consolidation with the main landfill prior to
closing it down; covering the consolidated wastes to prevent contaminant migration; providing
gas venting and stormwater management controls; and installing a system to collect leachate
along the perimeter of the site. The potentially responsible parties also fenced the site and
State and local control of use of groundwater in the area is being enforced. Connection to
the municipal water line was made available, and 49 residences elected to connect to it.
Three pumping stations and a reservoir have been built to accommodate the additional water
service.
Leachate: Under the EPA's guidance, a study of leachate disposal was completed
by the potentially responsible parties. The remedy chosen by the EPA for this area
includes capping the site and excavating leachate for off-site disposal. More
extensive groundwater monitoring is planned as well. In the spring of 1992, the potentially
responsible parties completed the design for the remedy and began conducting the cleanup
activities.
Site Facts: In 1987, 32 of the more than 70 companies identified by the EPA as potentially
responsible parties agreed to pay for a substantial portion of the site cleanup.
Environmental Progress
Excavating contaminated soil, covering wastes, installing gas venting and leachate collection
systems, and connecting residences to the municipal water line have provided a safe drinking
water supply and reduced the potential for exposure to contamination, making the Beacon
Heights Landfill site safer while it awaits completion of the cap and leachate collection.
Site Repository
Beacon Falls Town Hall, 10 Maple Avenue, Beacon Falls, CT 06403
March 1992 4 BEACON HEIGHTS LANDFILL
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CHESHIRE
GROUND W
CONTAMIN
CONNECTICUT
EPA ID#CTD9810673
Site Description
EPA REGION 1
New Haven County
Cheshire
Other Names:
Cheshire Associates Property
The 15-acre Cheshire Ground Water Contamination site in Cheshire has been leased by a
variety of tenants that have conducted various manufacturing processes. A major portion of
the site has been owned by Cheshire Associates, a New York-based partnership, since 1966.
The company leased the property to Valley National Corporation from 1966 to 1979 and to
Cheshire Molding Co. from 1979 to 1980. Both companies manufactured plastic molding at
the site; neither kept records of disposal practices or waste quantities. Airpax Corporation
Plant 2, the current lessee, manufactured electrochemical and electronic devices, beginning in
1983, and disposed of its wastes in accordance with the existing State regulations. The wastes
of principal concern at the site include organic chemicals and solvents. Both soil and
groundwater on the site are contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), as are
residential wells both on and off site, on-site shallow wells, and an off-site bedrock well. The
area is residential and industrial. About 330 people living within a mile of the site use private
wells for drinking water. Cheshire municipal wells, serving 22,900 people, lie 2 miles southeast
of the site.
Site Responsibility: The site is being addressed through
Federal and potentially responsible
parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 06/21/88
Final Date: 08/30/90
Threats and Contaminants
The groundwater is contaminated with VOCs from the organic chemicals and
solvents formerly used at the site. Wells are polluted with VOCs, including high
levels of trichloroethane, dichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, and xylenes. VOCs
contaminating the soil also include trichloroethane, dichloroethylene, and
tetrachloroethylene. People drinking contaminated groundwater are at risk from
exposure to contaminants. The site is in a low-lying freshwater wetland bordered
by two ponds.
March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in two stages: initial actions and a long-term remedial phase
aimed at cleanup of the entire site.
Response Action Status
Initial Actions: In October 1983, in compliance with a State Consent
Agreement, Cheshire Associates removed 20 cubic yards of contaminated soil to
an EPA-regulated landfill. Municipal water has been provided to the residences
that had contaminated wells.
Entire Site: A thorough investigation of the site to assess the type and extent of
contamination and to identify cleanup strategies is scheduled to begin in 1995.
Site Facts: In 1983, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection signed a
Consent Agreement with Cheshire Associates, requiring the company to remove
contaminated on-site soil and to monitor VOCs in the two private wells for five years.
Environmental Progress
The removal of contaminated soil and the provision of a safe drinking water supply have
reduced the potential for exposure to contaminated drinking water at the Cheshire Ground
Water Contamination site, making it safer while it awaits further cleanup activity.
Site Repository
Not established.
March 1992
CHESHIRE GROUND WATER
CONTAMINATION
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DURHAM MEAD
CONNECTICUT
EPA ID#CTD0014520
EPA REGION 1
Middlesex County
Main Street in Durham
Other Names:
Merriam Mfg.
Site Description
Investigations at the Durham Meadows site center around the Merriam Manufacturing
Company, which occupies 5 acres on Main Street. Established in 1851, the company makes
metal products, primarily boxes for files, security, tools, and fishing supplies. Merriam
disposed of contaminated wastewater and sludges on its property in two unlined and undiked
lagoons built in 1973. Before that, waste apparently was put into the facility's septic system.
The owner ceased dumping in the lagoons in 1982. In another area, paint wastes and
degreasing solvents were stored on the ground in drums. Some were in poor condition or
were leaking during a State inspection in 1981. In early 1983, after an EPA/State inspection,
the EPA ordered the owner to correct several violations of State hazardous waste
management regulations. In response, Merriam removed drums and supplied bottled water to
affected residents. Durham has a population of approximately 5,600 residents, all using
private wells. The nearest resident lives only 10 feet away from the site border. The site is
less than 1/2 mile from the Coginchaug River, which eventually drains into the Connecticut
River. A freshwater wetland is within 1,500 feet of the site.
Site Responsibility:
The site is being addressed through
Federal, State, and potentially
responsible parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 06/21/88
Final Date: 10/04/89
Threats and Contaminants
Wastewater and sludges from manufacturing processes at the site contained paint
waste and organic solvents. In 1982, the State Department of Environmental
Protection detected volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including methylene
chloride, in private wells in the Durham area. Drinking contaminated groundwater
could threaten the health of nearby residents. The site currently lacks any security
or physical barrier to prevent direct contact with contaminated wastes. The nearby
freshwater wetlands potentially could become polluted from the contaminants
migrating from the site.
March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in two-stages: initial actions and a long-term remedial phase
focusing on developing cleanup alternatives for contamination at the entire site.
Response Action Status
Initial Actions: Under State order, Merriam removed drums containing
hazardous wastes to an EPA-approved facility and supplied bottled water to
residents in the vicinity of the site after the private wells were found to be
contaminated. Carbon filters since have been installed in affected homes.
Entire Site: The EPA will perform a detailed site investigation to determine the
extent and nature of groundwater contamination and to recommend strategies for
cleanup. The study is scheduled to begin in 1994. Once the investigation is
completed, scheduled for late 1995, the EPA will evaluate the study findings and will select
the final cleanup remedies for site contamination.
Site Facts: The State ordered Merriam Manufacturing to supply bottled water to residents
in the vicinity of the site. The EPA issued an Administrative Order, requiring Merriam to
correct several violations of State hazardous waste management regulations.
Environmental Progress
The provision of an alternate drinking water source and the removal of some hazardous
materials have reduced the potential for exposure to contaminated drinking water and soil
from the Durham Meadows site, making it safer while awaiting completion of site studies and
selection of remedies.
Site Repository
Not established.
March 1992 8 DURHAM MEADOWS
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GALLUP'SrQtt
CONNECTIC
EPA ID# CTD108
Site Description
EPA REGION 1
Windham County
Plainfield
Gallup's Quarry is a 22-acre abandoned gravel pit located in a rural area on Tarbox Road, 1
mile south of Plainfield's business district. In the 1970s, the owner accepted chemical wastes
without a permit. Drums and free liquids were dumped at the site, including wastes containing
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals. Several of these contaminants have
been detected in on-site monitoring wells operated by the State from 1980 to 1981 and by the
EPA in 1986. In 1989, the EPA sampled private drinking water wells and found no
contamination. The area is rural and residential. Approximately 6,500 people rely on wells
within 3 miles of the site as their sole source of drinking water. A community well is 4,000
feet away, and a private well is 1,160 feet from the site.
Site Responsibility: The site is being addressed through
combined State and Federal actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 06/21/88
Final Date: 10/04/89
Threats and Contaminants
The groundwater is contaminated with VOCs and heavy metals, including copper,
nickel, and chromium. Ketone and hydrocarbons have been found in the soil. The
site currently is unrestricted. Direct contact with hazardous substances on site may
pose a health threat. Mill Brook and associated wetlands, located 500 feet
downgradient of the site, are threatened by site contamination. Local residents use
these resources for swimming and recreational purposes.
March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in two stages: initial actions and a long-term remedial phase
aimed at cleanup of the entire site.
Response Action Status
Initial Actions: In 1978, the site was evaluated by the Connecticut Department
of Environmental Protection. The State environmental staff and the State Police
supervised removal of waste drums and contaminated soil. The owner agreed to
reimburse the State for the removal activities at Gallup's Quarry and at another property he
owned. However, limited soil analyses conducted by the State in 1981 indicated that soil
contaminated with ketone and hydrocarbons still remained on the site.
Entire Site: The EPA has scheduled an in-depth investigation at Gallup's Quarry
for 1993. The study will explore the extent and nature of soil and groundwater
contamination and will recommend cleanup strategies for the site. Completion of
the study and final selection of a cleanup method is planned for 1995.
Environmental Progress
The EPA assessed conditions at Gallup's Quarry and determined that the site does not pose
an immediate threat to public health or the surrounding environment. The initial actions
described above have reduced the risk of accidental exposure to contamination and have
made the site safer while it awaits further cleanup activities.
Site Repository
Not established.
March 1992
10
GALLUP'S QUARRY
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KELLOGG-D
WELL FIELD
CONNECTICUT
EPA ID# CTD9806708
EPA REGION 1
Fairfield County
Western bank of the Norwalk River
Other Names:
Smith Well Field
Site Description
The Kellogg-Deering Well Field site consists of an approximately 10-acre municipal well field
and adjacent areas that contribute to the well field contamination. Groundwater sampling
data indicated that a significant source of contamination exists below the Elinco/Pitney
Bowes/Matheis Court Complex located at the eastern edge of the site. The well field supplies
approximately 25 percent of the drinking water for 45,000 residents in the city of Norwalk.
The primary source of public water supply to the Norwalk First Taxing District (NFTD)
Water Department is surface water from four reservoirs. Reservoir water is blended with well
field water at varying ratios, depending on reservoir storage and distribution system location.
The well field is adjacent to residential and industrial areas.
Site Responsibility: The site is being addressed through
Federal, State, and potentially
responsible parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 09/01/83
Final Date: 09/01/84
Threats and Contaminants
The groundwater and soil are contaminated with volatile organic compounds
(VOCs), primarily trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE). People
could be exposed to chemical contaminants by drinking contaminated water if no
treatment were provided; however, the water department is treating and blending
water from the wells and reservoir to provide safe drinking water.
11
March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in three long-term remedial phases focusing on wellhead
treatment, source control, and downgradient aquifer management.
Response Action Status
Wellhead Treatment: The Water Department installed an aerator in 1981 at
one of the wells. The aerator consistently removes 65 percent of the volatile
organics in the groundwater. In 1984, NFTD installed an air stripper on another
well, bringing the removal of VOCs to 99 percent. The air filtering actions were completed in
1988. The air stripper is part of the water treatment plant and will remain in operation.
Contaminants are removed from the water by air filtering the volatile contaminants to a gas.
The treated water is discharged into the existing conventional water treatment plant and
distribution system.
Source Control: The remedy selected by the EPA for controlling the source of
contamination involves removing contaminants from the soil with vacuum
extraction, treatment and discharge of contaminated groundwater, and
institutional controls to prevent exposure during the time that the remedy is being conducted.
Air and groundwater monitoring also will be provided. Planning activities for the remedy
began in 1991. Design of the cleanup is expected to be completed in late 1993 with cleanup
activities to begin shortly thereafter.
Downgradient Area: In 1990, the EPA began an investigation into the nature
and extent of contamination of areas downgradient from the source and above the
well field. The study will evaluate the impact of the cleanup at the well head and
source control areas on reducing the levels of contaminants downgradient from the source
and above the well field.
Site Facts: An EPA Administrative Order was signed with the parties potentially responsible
for the site contamination in 1989 concerning the wellhead treatment. A Consent Decree
from the EPA covering design and implementation of source control cleanup activities was
issued in 1991 to the potentially responsible parties. The EPA recognizes that some
groundwater cleanup efforts are being undertaken by the owners, under an order by the
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, and will evaluate these efforts during
the technical design phase to determine whether these actions are consistent with the overall
cleanup of the aquifer.
March 1992 12 KELLOGG-DEERING WELL FIELD
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Environmental Progress
The wellhead treatment actions described above have eliminated the potential of exposure to
hazardous substances in the drinking water and will continue to protect the households until
planned cleanup activities at the Kellogg-Deering site are completed.
Site Repository
East Norwalk Public Library, 51 Vanzant Street, East Norwalk CT 06770
KELLOGG-DEERING WELL FIELD
13
March 1992
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LAUREL P
CONNECTICU
EPA ID# CTD980521
EPA REGION 1
New Haven County
Naugatuck
Other Names:
Murthas Hunter Mountain Landfill
Laurel Park Landfill
Site Description
The Laurel Park, Inc. site is a landfill that occupies approximately 20 acres of a 35-acre
parcel of land. The landfill has been in existence since the late 1940s, and several industries
disposed of solvents, oils, hydrocarbons, chemical and liquid sludge, chemical solids, tires, and
rubber products there. The facility continued to operate as a municipal landfill until 1987.
The centrally developed portion of the town of Naugatuck, which has an estimated
population of 26,500 people, is located approximately 1 mile northeast of the site. Homes are
located around three sides of the landfill. Approximately 50 homes are located within a
1/4-mile radius of the site, with the closest residents being about 1,000 feet from the site. The
nearest homes used groundwater from individual wells as a drinking water supply source, but
have been connected to the public water supply. The homes at the bottom of Huntington
Hill, downslope of the landfill, are on a public water supply line. Most of the area
immediately bordering the site is forested.
Site Responsibility:
This site is being addressed through a
combination of Federal and
potentially responsible parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 10/23/81
Final Date: 09/08/83
Threats and Contaminants
ZEJ
The on-site soil and leachate are contaminated with inorganic and organic
chemicals including dichloroethane and benzene. Groundwater and surface water
are contaminated with heavy metals, including calcium and magnesium, and volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) such as toluene and acetone. The health threats
include direct contact with, drinking, or accidental ingestion of contaminated
groundwater, surface water, soils, and leachate. Forested areas surrounding the site
may be threatened by runoff of site contamination.
14
March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in three stages: initial actions; and two long-term remedial phases
concentrating on fencing, water line installation, and sewer treatment and source control and
groundwater treatment.
Response Action Status
Initial Actions: A leachate collection system was constructed in 1984, under a
court order, to capture contaminants leaching from the landfill area into the
groundwater and other site areas. Additionally, the potentially responsible parties
provided bottled water to area residents affected by a contaminated drinking water supply.
Fencing, Water Line, and Sewer Treatment: The potentially responsible
parties fenced a leachate seep in 1986 and installed a water supply line in 1989.
The water line is completed, except for surface landscaping. All of the homes are
hooked up, with the exception of three residences whose owners refused hookup to the
system. There is no hook-up fee, but the homeowners have to pay for municipal water use.
The potentially responsible parties constructed a sewer line in 1990 to carry leachate from the
site to the Naugatuck Water Pollution Control facility for treatment.
Source Control and Groundwater Treatment: The remedy selected by the
EPA to control the source of contamination and to treat groundwater includes:
(1) installation of a synthetic cap over all waste disposal areas to prevent contact
with surface water and groundwater; (2) rehabilitation of the existing leachate collection
system, including the addition of a system consisting of french drains and groundwater
extraction wells, followed by off-site treatment and discharge at the Naugatuck Water
Pollution Control Facility; (3) monitoring of the air, water, soils, and groundwater at the site;
and (4) installation of a permanent fence around the perimeter of the site, following the
completion of the cap and landscape grading. Preparation of the design and technical
specifications for the selected remedy is underway and is expected to be completed in late
1993.
Site Facts: In the early 1960s, citizens began to complain about odors, fires, spills, and
runoff from the site. In 1985, Uniroyal Chemical Company, Inc., a potentially responsible
party, entered into an Administrative Consent Order with the EPA to conduct an
investigation into the type and extent of contamination at the site. In 1987, the EPA issued
an Adiminstrative Order on Consent to potentially responsible parties for construction of a
waterline. In 1989, the State and Uniroyal agreed to equally fund the installation of a sewer
line to convey leachate from the landfill. In 1991, 19 potentially responsible parties signed a
Consent Decree and the accompanying Administrative Order to conduct the technical design
of the remedy.
LAUREL PARK, INC. 15 March 1992
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Environmental Progress
Initial actions to provide safe drinking water and to control leachate from the landfill have
reduced the immediate threats at the Laurel Park, Inc. site. Additional cleanup actions and
the planned groundwater treatment will continue to reduce contamination levels at the site,
making it safe to the nearby residents and the environment.
Site Repository
Howard Wittemore Library, 243 Church Street, Naugatuck, CT 06770
March 1992
16
LAUREL PARK, INC.
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LINEMASTER
CORPORATI
CONNECTICUT
EPA ID#CTD00115392
Site Description
EPA REGION 1
Windham County
Plaine Hill Road in Woodstock
The 45-acre Linemaster Switch Corporation site has been used for the manufacturing of
electrical and pneumatic foot switches and wiring harnesses since 1952. Facility operations
involve the use of trichloroethylene (TCE), paint, and thinners. Wastes are stored in barrels
in sheds near the factory building. The site boundary has been expanded to 92 acres, due to
the spread of contamination, extending to Route 171 to the south, Plaine Hill Road to the
west, and Route 169 to the north and east. Approximately 2,100 people live, and obtain
drinking water from wells drawing on the contaminated groundwater, within 3 miles of the
site. An on-site well supplies drinking water to the factory and its offices. The site is
surrounded by the Town of Woodstock, a rural community of approximately 5,300 people.
Artificial ponds located on the site are used for boating.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through a
combination of Federal, State, and
potentially responsible parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 06/21/88
Final Date: 02/21/90
Threats and Contaminants
IT
Groundwater, sediments, surface water, and soils are contaminated with TCE.
TCE also was detected in Linemaster's main pump house well, which supplies
drinking water to the factory and its offices. Solvents were detected in the artificial
ponds. The site is unfenced, making it possible for people and animals to come
into direct contact with hazardous substances. Other public health threats include
drinking contaminated groundwater or coming into direct contact with the soil,
surface water, or sediments.
17
March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in two stages: an initial action and a long-term remedial phase
focusing on cleanup of the entire site.
Response Action Status
Initial Action: Linemaster began providing bottled water to its employees in
1986. Also in 1986, the EPA began to provide bottled water to off-site residents
whose wells are contaminated. Presently, all bottled water is provided by
Linemaster.
Entire Site: Linemaster's main production well has been equipped with an air
stripper to remove groundwater contaminants, and the well now supplies potable
water to the factory and one on-site residence. Several other contaminated wells,
both on- and off-site, have been equipped with carbon treatment systems to remove
contaminants. A water supply monitoring program has been established for on- and off-site
wells. Monitoring wells have been drilled to determine the extent of site contamination and to
aid in developing a remedy. A small pilot study of vapor extraction as a means to clean up
contaminants proved ineffectual due to the high water table. In addition, the parties
potentially responsible for site contamination have installed a groundwater extraction and
treatment system to eliminate the contamination threat. This system is expected to be
operational in mid-1992. Completion of the site study is expected in mid-1993, at which time
a cleanup remedy will be selected.
Site Facts: In 1986, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection issued an
Abatement Order, requiring Linemaster to develop a plan for a hydrological study to
determine the extent and degree of contamination on the site. In 1987, Linemaster and the
EPA entered into a Consent Order to provide bottled water off site, monitor residential
wells, and conduct a hydrogeologic study.
Environmental Progress
Supplying bottled water to affected residents has reduced the potential for exposure to
hazardous substances in the drinking water and will continue to protect surrounding
households and Linemaster Switch Corporation employees until planned cleanup activities are
completed.
Site Repository
Woodstock Town Hall, Route 169, Woodstock, CT 06281
March 1992 18 LINEMASTER SWITCH CORPORATION
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NEW LONDO
SUBMARIN
BASE
CONNECTICU
EPA ID# CTD98090
Site Description
EPA REGION 1
New London County
Groton
Other Names:
DOD/USN SB/Overbank Disp Area NW 3
DOD/USN SOB/DPDO Area Site #6
DOD/USN SB/Area A Landfill #2
The New London Submarine Base site covers 547 acres of the 1,412 acre base on the eastern
bank of the Thames River in Groton. The base was established in 1916 as an operation and
support base for submarine activities in the Atlantic Ocean. Areas of concern include the
Area A Landfill, the Over Bank Disposal Area, the Defense Property Disposal Operations
Areas, the Lower Submarine Base, and the Gosscove Landfill. From 1957 to 1973, volatile
organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), spent battery acids,
and other wastes were buried below the water table in the 24-acre Area A Landfill, which is
situated on wetlands. The Over Bank Disposal Area operated from 1957 to the 1970s. The
Defense Property Disposal Operations Area was used as a burning ground and landfill from
1950 to 1969. Inspection reports from 1982 recorded leaking containers and evidence of spills
associated with containers stored directly on the ground. In 1983, approximately 40 gallons of
PCB-contaminated oil was reported as having been spilled onto the ground. In 1988, Navy
sampling revealed lead, cadmium, and various pesticides in sediments and surface water. The
area around the base is mixed industrial, commercial, and residential property. Groundwater
in some areas of the base is as shallow as 10 feet below the surface, with permeable soils.
These conditions potentially threaten the area groundwater, which provides drinking water to
3,500 to 5,000 people living within 3 miles of the base. The population within 1 mile of the
base is 4,000.
Site Responsibility: The site is being addressed through
Federal actions.
Threats and Contaminants
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 10/26/89
Final Date: 08/30/90
The soil, sediments, and surface water are contaminated with pesticides and heavy
metals including cadmium and lead. The soil also contains VOCs, PCBs and
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The site is a restricted-access Naval
base, so the chance of direct contact with on-site sediments, soil, or surface water
is minimal.
19
March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in five long-term remedial phases directed at cleanup of the Area
A Landfill, the Over Bank Disposal Area, the DPDO Area, the Lower Sub Base, and other
contaminated areas of the base.
Response Action Status
Area A Landfill: In 1990, the Navy began a study into the nature and extent of
VOC, pesticide, battery acid, and other waste contaminations at the Area A
Landfill. While in operation, the landfill accepted all non-salvageable materials.
Leachate from the landfill drains into the area wetland and is ultimately carried downstream
and discharged into the Thames River. When the study is completed, cleanup alternatives will
be identified and a cleanup approach will be chosen.
Over Bank Disposal Area: In 1990, the Navy began a study into the nature and
extent of contamination at the Over Bank Disposal Area. Once the study is
completed, alternatives will be identified and recommended for the final cleanup
DPDO Area: In 1990, the Navy began a study into the nature and extent of
contamination at the DPDO Area. The first phase of the investigation detected
high to moderate levels of contaminants in the soil samples analyzed; low
contaminant levels were detected in the groundwater. The investigation is still underway and
once completed, cleanup alternatives will be identified and a cleanup approach will be chosen.
Lower Sub Base: In 1990, the Navy began a study into the nature and extent of
contamination at the Lower Sub Base. Petroleum products have been observed in
several man holes. The exact source of these releases is still being investigated,
although it appears to be from underground fuel lines or storage tank leaks. The EPA will
choose the cleanup approach when the study is completed and the cleanup alternatives are
identified.
Other Areas: In late 1992, the Navy is expected to begin a study into the nature
and extent of contamination in other site areas. The site areas to be investigated
include : CBU Drum Storage Area; Rubble Fill at Bunker A-86; Torpedo Shops,
Buildings 325 and 450; Gross Cove Landfill; Over Bank Disposal Area Northeast; Spent Acid
Storage and Disposal Area; and a Former Gasoline Station. Once the investigations are
completed, the EPA will evaluate the study results to determine the most appropriate cleanup
remedies.
Site Facts: The base is participating in the Installation Restoration Program, a specially
funded program established by the Department of Defense (DOD) in 1978 to identify,
investigate and control the migration of hazardous contaminants at military and other DOD
facilities.
March 1992 20 NEW LONDON SUBMARINE BASE
-------
Environmental Progress
The Navy is in the process of conducting numerous investigations at all the discovered
contaminated areas of the New London Submarine Base site. These investigations will lead to
the identification and selection of the best cleanup alternatives for the base.
Site Repository
1) Town of Groton Public Library, 52 Route 117 Newtown Rd., Groton, CT 06340
2) Bill Library, 718 Colonel Ledyard Highway, Ledyard, CT 06339
3) Public Works Office, Naval Submarine Base, New London, Groton, CT 06349
NEW LONDON SUBMARINE BASE
21
March 1992
-------
NUTMEG
VALLEY
ROAD
CONNECTICUT
EPA ID# CTD98066926
Site Description -
EPA REGION 1
New Haven County
Wolcott
Other Names:
utmeg Screw Machine
Products, Inc.
The investigation of the Nutmeg Valley Road site centers around Nutmeg Screw Machine
Products Company (NSMP), which covers 3 1/2 acres on Nutmeg Valley Road. The area
around the site is both rural residential and light industrial, with several other metal-working
and metal-finishing shops in the immediate vicinity, including Waterbury Heat Treating
Corporation (WHTC) and Alpine Electronic Components, Inc. (AEC). WHTC is 300 feet to
the northwest of NSMP and performs various heat-treating operations (annealing and
hardening) on metal parts and degreasing, polishing, acid dipping, and assembly functions.
AEC leases part of the NSMP building. The NSMP is a small metal-working and machine
shop that has been in business since 1951. Substances used in the machining processes include
a kerosene-like cutting oil, machine lubrication oils, and agents used for cleaning and
degreasing (carbon tetrachloride). Carbon tetrachloride, cyanide wastes, and cutting oils were
dumped onto the ground at an estimated rate of up to 15 gallons per day, according to the
State. This practice was followed for approximately 14 to 20 years, ceasing by 1980.
Approximately 10,500 people draw drinking water from private wells within 3 miles of the site.
There are 43 industries and 25 residences using groundwater as a drinking water source at
this site. Within a 3-mile radius of the site lie the towns of Waterbury, with a population of
approximately 103,800, and Wolcott, with a population of approximately 13,200.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through
Federal and State actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 01/23/87
Final Date: 03/31/89
Threats and Contaminants
Contamination has been documented in 25 industrial wells. The groundwater is
contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), heavy metals, and high
levels of cyanide. The soil also is contaminated with VOCs and heavy metals
including lead and copper. Contamination has been documented in the
groundwater beneath the site. The primary health threats to area residents are
from ingestion or direct contact with contaminated water or soil.
22
March 1992
-------
Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in two stages: immediate actions and a long-term remedial phase
focusing on cleanup of the entire site.
Response Action Status
Immediate Actions: The State has been supplying bottled drinking water to
affected residents since 1987. Also, carbon filters have been installed on the
industrial wells to reduce contamination levels. Interim measures have included
the extension of public water supplies to the area, and removal of some contaminated soil
from a lagoon onsite.
Entire Site: The EPA plans to conduct an investigation into the soil and
groundwater contamination at the site and develop strategies for final cleanup.
The study is expected to start in 1994. Once completed, the EPA will evaluate the
study findings and select the final cleanup remedies for the contamination at the site.
Environmental Progress
The initial actions described above have provided safe drinking water to affected residents
and reduced contamination levels in the industrial water supply, limiting the threat of
exposure while the investigation leading to final cleanup continues at the Nutmeg Valley
Road site.
Site Repository
Not established.
NUTMEG VALLEY ROAD 23 March 1992
-------
OLD SOUTHING!
LANDFILL
CONNECTICUT
EPA ID# CTD980670806
A REGION 1
Hartford County
pike Road in Southington
Site Description
The Old Southington Landfill is a 10-acre site that may have been used as early as the 1920s
until 1967 as a municipal disposal area. During this time, the landfill was open to residents
and businesses of the town. In 1967, the Town of Southington closed the landfill. Closure
procedures included compacting loose refuse, covering the landfill with at least 2 feet of clean
fill material, and reseeding the grasses. Between 1973 and 1980, parts of the landfill were
subdivided and sold for commercial development. Several residential and commercial
structures now occupy the closed landfill and adjacent areas. The former landfill is located
approximately 700 feet southeast of the former municipal Well No. 5, which was installed in
1971 by the Town of Southington Water Department as a public water supply. In 1979, the
municipal well was closed because groundwater analyses indicated the presence of volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) at levels that exceeded State standards. The well has not been
reopened. The site is located about 3,500 feet to the east of the Quinnipiac River.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through
Federal and potentially responsible
parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 09/01/83
Final Date: 09/01/84
Threats and Contaminants
The groundwater, soil, and surface water are contaminated with VOCs including
trichloroethane. People could be threatened by coming in direct contact with or
accidentally ingesting contaminants in the groundwater, surface water, or soil.
Black Pond, used for recreation, hunting, and fishing, is threatened by site
contaminants. Ingestion of contaminated fish, waterfowl, and plants may pose a
health threat.
24
March 1992
-------
Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in a single long-term remedial phase focusing on cleanup of the
entire site.
Response Action Status
Entire Site: The potentially responsible parties currently are conducting an
investigation into the contamination at the site. The investigation will define the
contaminants and will recommend alternatives for the final cleanup. The
investigation is planned to be completed in mid-1993, when a cleanup remedy is expected to
be selected.
Site Facts: In 1987, the EPA issued an Administrative Consent Order to three parties
potentially responsible for the contamination of the site to perform a study to determine the
nature and extent of contamination at the site.
Environmental Progress
After adding this site to the NPL, the EPA assessed conditions at the site and determined
that contamination from the Old Southington Landfill site currently does not pose an
immediate threat to area residents and surrounding environments, and no emergency actions
were required to make it safe while waiting for cleanup actions to begin.
Site Repository
Southington Public Library, 225 Main Street, Southington, CT 06489
OLD SOUTHINGTON LANDFILL 25 March 1992
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PRECISION
PLATING CO
CONNECTICUT
EPA ID# CTD05131631
EPA REGION 1
Tolland County
Vernon
Site Description
Precision Plating Coloration has been chrome plating various metal parts and fixtures on
this 3-acre site since 1970. The chrome plating process includes alkaline cleaning, chemical
etching, rinsing, buffing, and polishing. Wastes generated during this process include rinse
waters containing heavy metals, batch wastes of alkaline cleaner, and spent plating and
etching acids. Before 1983, rinse waters were discharged to a storm drain outside the building.
Process plating acids and chrome plating wastes were stored on the ground in drums and in a
500-gallon tank. In 1979, Vernon's Health Department found the well serving Hillside
Industrial Park to be contaminated with hexavalent and trivalent chromium. The rupturing of
drums and the tank by a snow plow was determined to be the cause of the contamination.
The company, and later the EPA, confirmed that the groundwater underlying the site had
become contaminated. An estimated 10,800 people obtain drinking water from public and
private wells within 3 miles of the site. Surface waters in the area are used for recreational
fishing. The site is within 1 mile of a freshwater wetland.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through
Federal, State, and potentially
responsible parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 06/21/88
Final Date: 10/04/89
Threats and Contaminants
The groundwater underlying the Precision Plating site is contaminated with
hexavalent and trivalent chromium as a result of the spillage of contaminants at
the site. The site is unfenced, making it possible for people and animals to come
into direct contact with hazardous substances. The health of people who use
contaminated groundwater as a water supply may be threatened.
26
March 1992
-------
Cleanup Approach
This site is being addressed in two stages: initial actions and a single long-term remedial phase
focusing on cleanup of the entire site.
Response Action Status
Initial Actions: Precision Plating complied with 1986 State issued orders by
installing five shallow monitoring wells on site, sampling surface water, and
removing 20 cubic yards of contaminated soil. In addition, Precision Plating and
Hillside Industrial Park are providing alternate drinking water supplies to the High Manor
Mobile Home Park.
Entire Site: In 1995, the parties potentially responsible for the site contamination
are expected to begin a study of sources and the extent of contamination at the
site. Once the investigation has been completed and reviewed by the EPA, a final
cleanup remedy for the site will be selected.
Site Facts: In 1986, the State issued orders requiring Precision Plating and Hillside
Industrial Park to provide drinking water to affected residents and to study and clean up the
site.
Environmental Progress
By providing drinking water to nearby residents, the potential of exposure to hazardous
substances has been reduced, and these households will continue to be protected until
cleanup activities are completed at the Precision Plating Corp. site.
Site Repository
Not established.
PRECISION PLATING CORP. 27 March 1992
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REVERE TE
PRINTS
CORPORA
CONNECTIC
EPA ID# CTD004532610
EPA REGION 1
Windham County
Sterling
Site Description
The Revere Textile Prints Corporation site covers 15 acres in Sterling in a town-owned
industrial park. The textile processing facility first operated over 50 years ago as the U.S.
Finishing Company. In 1978, Revere Textile was allegedly observed dumping barrels of wastes
into the Moosup River. The facility was destroyed by fire in 1980. Following the fire, a
number of drums were evident in the ruins of two buildings on site. The property was sold
after the fire in 1980. On site at the time were over 1,500 drums leaking dyes, paints,
solvents, and heavy metals onto the ground. The State detected over 30 compounds in the
drums and soil on site and issued an order against the new owner to clean up the site. In
1982, ownership of the site was transferred to Sterling Industrial Park Corporation. After
several State inspections and rounds of sampling, the drums were removed in 1983 by the
new owner. An unknown quantity of contaminated soil also was removed. On-site monitoring
wells were sampled in 1984 and found to be contaminated. The site is located in an industrial
park with approximately 350 people living within 1 mile of the site and 4,500 people living
within a 3-mile radius. The site is now inactive. The Moosup River is downgradient of the site
and is used for recreational purposes.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through
Federal and local actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 06/01/86
Final Date: 07/01/87
Threats and Contaminants
Groundwater was contaminated with antimony, methanol, and volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) including toluene and trichloroethylene (TCE). The soil was
contaminated with barium and VOCs including ethyl benzene and xylene. Before
cleanup actions were taken at the site, people who accidentally came in direct
contact with or ingested contaminated groundwater or soil may have been at risk.
Residents in the area depend on the groundwater as their sole source of drinking
water. However, the water supply to the residents is not affected by this
contamination.
28
March 1992
-------
Cleanup Approach
This site is being addressed through immediate actions; further investigations have shown that
no other cleanup actions are required.
Response Action Status
Immediate Actions: In 1983, more than 1,500 drums containing dyes, paints,
solvents, and heavy metals were removed by the Town of Sterling. In 1990, the
Town removed an additional six drums and paint cans from the site. This was a
small effort involving solvents, oils, naphthalene, and VOCs. The Town placed restrictions on
land use excluding non-commercial development and groundwater use.
Entire Site: The EPA completed an investigation in 1992 exploring the
contamination present at the site. The EPA reviewed the study findings and
determined that the level of contamination at the site was not harmful to the
surrounding population or environment; therefore, no further action is necessary. The site will
be monitored over the next five years to ensure that the site remains safe.
Site Facts: In 1980, the State issued an order against the owner to clean up the site. In
1982, ownership of the site was transferred to Sterling Industrial Park Corp. In September
1983, Sterling Industrial Park Corp. complied with the 1980 State Order and removed the
leaking drums and an unknown quantity of contaminated soil from the site.
Environmental Progress
The initial actions to remove drums and contaminated soils from the site reduced the
potential for accidental exposure to hazardous wastes at the Revere Textile site.
Investigations were completed and determined that the site no longer poses a threat to the
public health or the environment. Five years of monitoring to ensure that the immediate
actions taken at the site continue to protect public health and the environment began in
1992.
Site Repository
Sterling Public Library, 11110 Plainfield Pike, Oneco, CT 06373
REVERE TEXTILE PRINTS CORPORATION 29 March 1992
-------
SOLVENTS
RECOVERY
SERVICE OF
NEW ENG
CONNECTICUT
EPA ID# CTD009717604
EPA REGION 1
Hartford County
Southington
Other Names:
Solvents Recovery, Inc.
Site Description
Solvents Recovery Services of New England is a fenced 2 1/2-acre facility in the town of
Southington. The facility operated as an EPA-approved hazardous waste treatment and
storage facility. The facility received various waste industrial solvents that are blended for use
as a fuel product. From 1957 to 1967, stillbottom sludges were disposed of in two unlined
lagoons. In 1967, sludge disposal was discontinued, and the lagoons were drained and covered
with fill. After the lagoons were closed, wastes were burned in an open pit on site or disposed
of off site. In the 1970s, the State ordered that the incineration practice be discontinued.
Other past and present operating practices on site, such as accidental spills or poor
housekeeping, may have constituted additional sources of contamination. No hazardous waste
disposal currently takes place at the site. In 1991, all activities at the site ceased in
preparation for closure under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The
Town of Southington Well #4 is approximately 2,000 feet south of the site, and Well #6 is
located 1,300 feet to the south of the site. Both of these wells were closed in 1979 because of
contamination. The population of Southington is 38,000. The area near the site is a mixture
of commercial, light industrial, residential, and some agricultural uses. The facility is located
approximately 500 feet to the west of the Quinnipiac River.
Site Responsibility: The site is being addressed through
Federal and potentially responsible
parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 12/01/82
Final Date: 09/01/83
30
March 1992
-------
Threats and Contaminants
The groundwater is contaminated with isopropyl alcohol, acetone, toluene, and
other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The soil is contaminated with lead,
cadmium, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and VOCs. People who accidentally
drink contaminated groundwater would be at risk. However, since the two
municipal wells have been taken out of service, this health threat is reduced. In
addition, direct contact with or accidental ingestion of contaminated soil may pose
a health risk.
Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in three long-term remedial phases directed at cleanup of on-site
and off-site groundwater and source control.
Response Action Status
On-site Groundwater: Under a 1983 Consent Decree, the parties potentially
responsible for the site contamination agreed to pump and treat groundwater by
air stripping the contaminants in the facility's cooling water tower. The treated
water subsequently is discharged through a drainage ditch to the Quinnipiac River. Solvents
Recovery Services has installed the on-site groundwater pumping system, which currently is
operational.
Off-site Groundwater: Under a 1983 Consent Decree, the potentially
responsible parties are conducting cleanup of off-site groundwater. The off-site
system is similar to that constructed for on-site groundwater.
Source Control: The EPA is conducting an investigation into the sources and
the nature and extent of site contamination to identify alternatives for cleanup.
Concurrent with this study is a planned removal of VOC contaminated soils from
the operations area. It is believed that these soils are the source of contamination of the
groundwater. Actual removal is expected to begin in 1993. The study is expected to be
completed in 1994.
Site Facts: In 1983, Solvents Recovery Service signed a Consent Decree with the EPA,
requiring the installation of a system to recover groundwater on and off site and a plan for
on-site storage and management of hazardous wastes. The EPA has sued the potentially
responsible parties to enforce the Consent Decree and for violations of RCRA.
SOLVENTS RECOVERY SERVICE OF NEW ENGLAND 31 March 1992
-------
Environmental Progress
The closure of the contaminated drinking well has eliminated the threat of exposure to
affected residences while pump and treat operations continue to reduce groundwater
contamination to safe levels at the Solvents Recovery Service of New England site.
Site Repository
Southington Public Library, 225 Main Street, Southington, CT 07489
March 1992
32
SOLVENTS RECOVERY SERVICE
OF NEW ENGLAND
-------
YAWORSK
LAGOON
CONNECTICU
EPA ID# CTD00977
EPA REGION 1
Windham County
Canterbury Township
Site Description
The Yaworski Waste Lagoon is a dewatered and backfilled lagoon, approximately 800 feet by
300 feet and 12 feet deep. From about 1948 to 1973, drummed material and bulk wastes
including textile dyes, solvents, resins, acids, caustics, stillbottom sludges, and solvent-soaked
rags were disposed of in the lagoon. Periodically, flammable liquid waste was burned in
several pits in the lagoon area until 1965, when the Connecticut Department of Health
ordered a halt to on-site burning of waste. The combined efforts of local residents and State
and local officials concerned about adverse human health and environmental effects from
disposal operations at the site led to the end of all dumping at the site in 1973. In 1976, the
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CTDEP) directed James Yaworski,
the site owner, to assess the environmental hazard posed by the site. Mr. Yaworski was
required to install monitoring wells adjacent to the lagoon. Sampling of these wells detected
contaminated groundwater. In 1980, the CTDEP ordered Mr. Yaworski to employ a
professional engineering firm to conduct an environmental study of the property. The firm
recommended closing the lagoon by covering the waste and, in 1982, the CTDEP ordered
Mr. Yaworski to close the lagoon in accordance with the engineering firm's report. After a
fire in 1982, the EPA decided that additional information was needed about the site to better
assess the potential threat to human health and the environment. The population of
Canterbury is approximately 1,600. The nearest residence that uses groundwater is 1,600 feet
upgradient from the site and across the Quinebaug River. The site is surrounded by
agricultural land and is bordered by the Quinebaug River. It lies within the 100-year flood
plain.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through
Federal and potentially responsible
parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 12/01/82
Final Date: 09/01/83
33
March 1992
-------
Threats and Contaminants
Groundwater samples taken from the areas immediately adjacent to the lagoon
revealed the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals.
Inorganic contaminants were found in the sediments in the wetlands area just
south of the lagoon. The soil is contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and soil samples taken from
areas immediately adjacent to the lagoon revealed the presence of low levels of
VOCs. In addition, accidental ingestion of contaminated groundwater may pose a
health risk.
Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed through a single long-term remedial phase focusing on cleanup of
the entire site.
Response Action Status
Entire Site: The parties potentially responsible for the site contamination were
responsible for containing the waste in the lagoon by constructing an impermeable
cover that complied with all environmental laws, improving the dike around the
lagoon ensuring that it can withstand floods, establishing a groundwater protection standard
known as an Alternate Concentration Limit (ACL), and monitoring the groundwater for 30
years to confirm that the ACL standard is met. The lagoon was capped in the summer of
1990. A permanent vegetative cover was added in 1991. In early 1992, the EPA approved
closure of the lagoon. In addition, monitoring wells were installed in late 1990 and 1991, and
the potentially responsible parties are conducting groundwater, surface water, and sediment
sampling on-site. Additional monitoring wells are being installed through the summer of
1992. Sampling will continue to be conducted as well.
Environmental Progress
After adding this site to the NPL, the EPA assessed site conditions and determined that the
site contamination currently does not pose an immediate threat to area residents and the
surrounding environment while waiting for cleanup actions to be completed at the Yaworski
Waste site. The cap has eliminated all threats of residents coming into contact with
contaminants from the lagoon.
March 1992 34 YAWORSKI WASTE LAGOON
-------
Site Repository
Canterbury Public Library, 8 Library Road, Canterbury, CT 06331
YAWORSKI WASTE LAGOON
35
March 1992
-------
GLOSSARY
Terms Used in the NPL Book
This glossary defines terms used throughout the NPL Volumes. The terms and
abbreviations contained in this glossary apply specifically to work performed
under the Superfund program in the context of hazardous waste management. These
terms may have other meanings when used in a different context. A table of common
toxic chemicals found at NPL sites, their sources, and their potential threats is located
on page G-15
Acids: Substances, characterized by low pH
(less than 7.0), that are used in chemical manu-
facturing. Acids in high concentration can be
very corrosive and react with many inorganic
and organic substances. These reactions possi-
bly may create toxic compounds or release
heavy metal contaminants that remain in the
environment long after the acid is neutralized.
Administrative Order On Consent: A
legal and enforceable agreement between the
EPA and the parties potentially responsible for
site contamination. Under the terms of the
Order, the potentially responsible parties (PRPs)
agree to perform or pay for site studies or
cleanups. It also describes the oversight rules,
responsibilities, and enforcement options that
the government may exercise in the event of
non-compliance by potentially responsible
parties. This Order is signed by PRPs and the
government; it does not require approval by a
judge.
Administrative Order [Unilateral]: A
legally binding document issued by the EPA,
directing the parties potentially responsible to
perform site cleanups or studies (generally, the
EPA does not issue Unilateral Orders for site
studies). This type of Order is not signed by the
PRPs and does not require approval by a judge.
Aeration: A process that promotes breakdown
of contaminants in soil or water by exposing
them to air.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Dis-
ease Registry (ATSDR): The Federal
agency within the U.S. Public Health Service
charged with carrying out the health-related
responsibilities of CERCLA.
Air Stripping: A process whereby volatile
organic chemicals (VOCs) are removed from
contaminated material by forcing a stream of air
through the contaminated material in a pressur-
ized vessel. The contaminants are evaporated
into the air stream. The air may be further
treated before it is released into the atmosphere.
Ambient Air: Any unconfined part of the
atmosphere. Refers to the air that may be
inhaled by workers or residents in the vicinity of
contaminated air sources.
Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate
Requirements (ARARs): Federal, State, or
local laws which apply to Superfund activities at
NPL sites. Both emergency and long-term
actions must comply with these laws or provide
sound reasons for allowing a waiver. ARARs
must be identified for each site relative to the
characteristics of the site, the substances found
at the site, or the cleanup alternatives being
considered for the site.
G-1
-------
GLOSSARY
Aquifer: An underground layer of rock, sand,
or gravel capable of storing water within cracks
and pore spaces, or between grains. When
water contained within an aquifer is of sufficient
quantity and quality, it can be tapped and used
for drinking or other purposes. The water
contained in the aquifer is called groundwater.
A "sole source aquifer" supplies 50 percent or
more of the drinking water of an area.
Artesian (Well): A well made by drilling into
the earth until water is reached, which, due to
internal pressure, flows up like a fountain.
Asbestos: A mineral fiber that can pollute air
or water and is known to cause cancer or
asbestosis when inhaled.
Attenuation: The naturally occurring process
by which a compound is reduced in concentra-
tion over time through adsorption, degradation,
dilution, or transformation.
Background Level: The amount of a sub-
stance typically found in the air, water, or soil
from natural, as opposed to human, sources.
Baghouse Dust: Dust accumulated in
removing particulates from the air by passing it
through cloth bags in an enclosure.
Bases: Substances characterized by high pH
(greater than 7.0), which tend to be corrosive in
chemical reactions. When bases are mixed with
acids, they neutralize each other, forming salts.
Berm: A ledge, wall, or a mound of earth used
to prevent the migration of contaminants.
Bioaccumulate: The process by which some
contaminants or toxic chemicals gradually
collect and increase in concentration in living
tissue, such as in plants, fish, or people, as they
breathe contaminated air, drink contaminated
water, or eat contaminated food.
Biological Treatment: The use of bacteria
or other microbial organisms to break down
toxic organic materials into carbon dioxide and
water.
Bioremediation: A cleanup process using
naturally occurring or specially cultivated
microorganisms to digest contaminants and
break them down into non-hazardous compo-
nents.
Bog: A type of wetland that is covered with
peat moss deposits. Bogs depend primarily on
moisture from the air for their water source, are
usually acidic, and are rich in plant residue [see
Wetland].
Boom: A floating device used to contain oil
floating on a body of water or to restrict the
potential overflow of waste liquids from
containment structures.
Borehole: A hole that is drilled into the
ground and used to sample soil or ground-water.
Borrow Pit: An excavated area where soil,
sand, or gravel has been dug up for use else-
where.
Cap: A layer of material, such as clay or a
synthetic material, used to prevent rainwater
from penetrating and spreading contaminated
materials. The surface of the cap generally is
mounded or sloped so water will drain off.
Carbon Adsorption: A treatment system in
which contaminants are removed from ground-
water and surface water by forcing water
through tanks containing activated carbon, a
specially treated material that attracts and holds
or retains contaminants.
Carbon Disulfide: A degreasing agent
formerly used extensively for parts washing.
This compound has both inorganic and organic
G-2
-------
GLOSSARY
properties, which increase cleaning efficiency.
However, these properties also cause chemical
reactions that increase the hazard to human
health and the environment.
Carbon Treatment: [see Carbon Adsorp-
tion].
Cell: In solid waste disposal, one of a series of
holes in a landfill where waste is dumped,
compacted, and covered with layers of dirt.
CERCLA: [see Comprehensive Environmen-
tal Response, Compensation, and Liability Act].
Characterization: The sampling, monitoring,
and analysis of a site to determine the extent and
nature of toxic releases. Characterization
provides the basis for acquiring the necessary
technical information to develop, screen, ana-
lyze, and select appropriate cleanup techniques.
Chemical Fixation: The use of chemicals to
bind contaminants, thereby reducing the poten-
tial for leaching or other movement.
Chromated Copper Arsenate: An insecti-
cide/herbicide formed from salts of three toxic
metals: copper, chromium, and arsenic. This
salt is used extensively as a wood preservative
in pressure-treating operations. It is highly toxic
and water-soluble, making it a relatively mobile
contaminant in the environment.
Cleanup: Actions taken to eliminate a release
or threat of release of a hazardous substance.
The term "cleanup" sometimes is used inter-
changeably with the terms remedial action,
removal action, response action, or corrective
action.
Closure: The process by which a landfill stops
accepting wastes and is shut down under Federal
guidelines that ensure the protection of the
public and the environment.
Comment Period: A specific interval during
which the public can review and comment on
various documents and EPA actions related to
site cleanup. For example, a comment period is
provided when the EPA proposes to add sites to
the NPL. Also, there is minimum 3-week
comment period for community members to
review and comment on the remedy proposed to
clean up a site.
Community Relations: The EPA effort to
establish and maintain two-way communication
with the public. The goals of community
relations programs include creating an under-
standing of EPA programs and related actions,
assuring public input into decision-making
processes related to affected communities, and
making certain that the Agency is aware of, and
responsive to, public concerns. Specific com-
munity relations activities are required in
relation to Superfund cleanup actions [see
Comment Period].
Comprehensive Environmental Re-
sponse, Compensation, and Liability
Act (CERCLA): Congress enacted the
CERCLA, known as Superfund, in 1980 to
respond directly to hazardous waste problems
that may pose a threat to the public health and
the environment. The EPA administers the
Superfund program.
Confluence: The place where two bodies of
water, such as streams or rivers, come together.
Confined Aquifer: An aquifer in which
groundwater is confined under pressure that is
significantly greater than atmospheric pressuie.
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GLOSSARY
Consent Decree: A legal document, ap-
proved and issued by a judge, formalizing an
agreement between the EPA and the parties
potentially responsible for site contamination.
The decree describes cleanup actions that the
potentially responsible parties are required to
perform, or the costs incurred by the govern-
ment that the parties will reimburse, and the
roles, responsibilities, and enforcement options
that the government may exercise in the event of
non-compliance by potentially responsible
parties. If a settlement between the EPA and a
potentially responsible party includes cleanup
actions, it must be in the form of a Consent
Decree. A Consent Decree is subject to a public
comment period.
Consent Order: [see Administrative Order
on Consent].
Containment: The process of enclosing or
containing hazardous substances in a structure,
typically in a pond or a lagoon, to prevent the
migration of contaminants into the environment.
Contaminant: Any physical, chemical,
biological, or radiological material or substance
whose quantity, location, or nature produces
undesirable health or environmental effects.
Contingency Plan: A document setting
out an organized, planned, and coordinated
course of action to be followed in case of a
fire, explosion, or other accident that releases
toxic chemicals, hazardous wastes, or radioac-
tive materials into the environment.
Cooperative Agreement: A contract
between the EPA and the States, wherein a State
agrees to manage or monitor certain site cleanup
responsibilities and other activities on a cost-
sharing basis.
Cost Recovery: A legal process by which
potentially responsible parties can be required
to pay back the Superfund program for money
it spends on any cleanup actions [see Poten-
tially Responsible Parties].
Cover: Vegetation or other material placed
over a landfill or other waste material. It can
be designed to reduce movement of water into
the waste and to prevent erosion that could
cause the movement of contaminants.
Creosotes: Chemicals used in wood pre-
serving operations and produced by distilla-
tion of tar, including polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons and polynuclear aromatic
hydrocarbons [see PAHs and PNAs]. Con-
taminating sediments, soils, and surface
water, creosotes may cause skin ulcerations
and cancer through prolonged exposure.
Culvert: A pipe used for drainage under a
road, railroad track, path, or through an embank-
ment.
Decommission: To revoke a license to
operate and take out of service.
Degradation: The process by which a chemi-
cal is reduced to a less complex form.
Degrease: To remove grease from wastes,
soils, or chemicals, usually using solvents.
Deletion: A site is eligible for deletion from
the NPL when Superfund response actions at the
site are complete. A site is deleted from the
NPL when a notice is published in the Federal
Register.
De minimis: This legal phrase pertains to
settlements with parties who contributed small
amounts of hazardous waste to a site. This
process allows the EPA to settle with small, or
de minimis contributors, as a single group rather
than as individuals, saving time, money, and
effort.
Dewater: To remove water from wastes, soils,
or chemicals.
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GLOSSARY
Dike: A low wall that can act as a barrier to
prevent a spill from spreading.
Dioxin: An organic chemical by-product of
pesticide manufacture which is known to be one
of the most toxic man-made chemicals.
Disposal: Final placement or destruction of
toxic, radioactive, or other wastes; surplus or
banned pesticides or other chemicals; polluted
soils; and drums containing hazardous materials.
Disposal may be accomplished through the use
of approved secure landfills, surface impound-
ments, land farming, deep well injection, or
incineration.
Downgradient: A downward hydrologic
slope that causes groundwater to move toward
lower elevations. Therefore, wells downgradi-
ent of a contaminated groundwater source are
prone to receiving pollutants.
Ecological Assessment: A study of the
impact of man-made or natural activity on living
creatures and their environment
Effluent: Wastewater, treated or untreated,
that flows out of a treatment plant, sewer, or
industrial outfall. Generally refers to wastes
discharged into surface waters.
Emission: Pollution discharged into the
atmosphere from smokestacks, other vents, and
surface areas of commercial or industrial facili-
ties.
Emulsifiers: Substances that help in mixing
materials that do not normally mix; e.g., oil and
water.
Endangerment Assessment: A study
conducted to determine the risks posed to public
health or the environment by contamination at
NPL sites. The EPA or the State conducts the
study when a legal action is to be taken to direct
the potentially responsible parties to clean up a
site or pay for the cleanup. An endangerment
assessment supplements an investigation of the
site hazards.
Enforcement: EPA, State, or local legal
actions taken against parties to facilitate
settlements; to compel compliance with laws,
rules, regulations, or agreements; or to obtain
penalties or criminal sanctions for violations.
Enforcement procedures may vary, depending
on the specific requirements of different
environmental laws and related regulatory
requirements. Under CERCLA, for example,
the EPA will seek to require potentially
responsible parties to clean up a Superfund
site or pay for the cleanup [see Cost Recov-
ery].
Erosion: The wearing away of land surface
by wind or water. Erosion occurs naturally
from weather or surface runoff, but can be
intensified by such land-related practices as
farming, residential or industrial develop-
ment, road building, or timber-cutting. Ero-
sion may spread surface contamination to off-
site locations.
Estuary (estuarine): Areas where fresh
water from rivers and salt water from
nearshore ocean waters are mixed. These
areas may include bays, mouths of rivers, salt
marshes, and lagoons. These water ecosys-
tems shelter and feed marine life, birds, and
wildlife.
Evaporation Ponds: Areas where sewage
sludge or other watery wastes are dumped and
allowed to dry out.
Feasibility Study: The analysis of the
potential cleanup alternatives for a site. The
feasibility study usually starts as soon as the
remedial investigation is underway. In this
volume, the feasibility study is referred to as a
site study [see also Remedial Investigation].
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GLOSSARY
Filtration: A treatment process for remov-
ing solid (participate) matter from water by
passing the water through sand, activated
carbon, or a man-made filter. The process is
often used to remove particles that contain
contaminants.
Flood Plain: An area along a river, formed
from sediment deposited by floods. Flood
plains periodically are innundated by natural
floods, which can spread contamination.
Flue Gas: The air that is emitted from a
chimney after combustion in the burner
occurs. The gas can include nitrogen oxides,
carbon oxides, water vapor, sulfur oxides,
particles, and many chemical pollutants.
Fly Ash: Non-combustible residue that results
from the combustion of flue gases. It can
include nitrogen oxides, carbon oxides, water
vapor, sulfur oxides, as well as many other
chemical pollutants.
French Drain System: A crushed rock drain
system constructed of perforated pipes, which is
used to drain and disperse wastewater.
Gasification (coal): The conversion of soft
coal into gas for use as a fuel.
General Notice Letter: [See Notice Letter].
Generator: A facility that emits pollutants
into the air or releases hazardous wastes into
water or soil.
Good Faith Offer: A voluntary offer, gener-
ally in response to a Special Notice letter, made
by a potentially responsible party, consisting of
a written proposal demonstrating a potentially
responsible party's qualifications and willing-
ness to perform a site study or cleanup.
Groundwater: Water that fills pores in soils
or openings in rocks to the point of saturation.
In aquifers, groundwater occurs in sufficient
quantities for use as drinking and irrigation
water and other purposes.
Groundwater Quality Assessment: The
process of analyzing the chemical characteris-
tics of groundwater to determine whether any
hazardous materials exist.
Halogens: Reactive non-metals, such as
chlorine and bromine. Halogens are very
good oxidizing agents and, therefore, have
many industrial uses. They are rarely found
by themselves; however, many chemicals
such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs),
some volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
and dioxin are reactive because of the pres-
ence of halogens.
Hazard Ranking System (HRS): The
principal screening tool used by the EPA to
evaluate relative risks to public health and the
environment associated with abandoned or
uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. The HRS
calculates a score based on the potential of
hazardous substances spreading from the site
through the air, surface water, or groundwater
and on other factors such as nearby popula-
tion. The HRS score is the primary factor in
deciding if the site should be on the NPL.
Hazardous Waste: By-products of society
that can pose a substantial present or potential
hazard to human health and the environment
when improperly managed. Hazardous waste
possesses at least one of four characteristics
(ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxic-
ity), or appears on special EPA lists.
Heavy Metals: Metallic elements with high
atomic weights, such as arsenic, lead, mercury,
and cadmium. Heavy metals are very hazardous
even at low concentrations and tend to accumu-
late in the food chain.
Herbicide: A chemical pesticide designed to
control or destroy plants, weeds, or grasses.
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GLOSSARY
Hot Spot: An area or vicinity of a site contain-
ing exceptionally high levels of contamination.
Hydrocarbons: Chemical compounds that
consist entirely of hydrogen and carbon.
Hydrology: The properties, distribution, and
circulation of water.
Hydrogeology: The geology of groundwater,
with particular emphasis on the chemistry and
movement of water.
Impoundment: A body of water or sludge
confined by a dam, dike, floodgate, or other
barrier.
Incineration: A group of treatment technolo-
gies involving destruction of waste by controlled
burning at high temperatures, e.g., burning
sludge to reduce the remaining residues to a
non-burnable ash that can be disposed of safely
on land, in some waters, or in underground
locations.
Infiltration: The movement of water or
other liquid down through soil from precipita-
tion (rain or snow) or from application of
wastewater to the land surface.
Influent: Water, wastewater, or other liquid
flowing into a reservoir, basin, or treatment
plant.
Injection Well: A well into which waste
fluids are placed, under pressure, for purposes
of disposal.
Inorganic Chemicals: Chemical sub-
stances of mineral origin, not of basic carbon
structure.
Installation Restoration Program: The
specially funded program established in 1978
under which the Department of Defense has
been identifying and evaluating its hazardous
waste sites and controlling the migration of
hazardous contaminants from those sites.
Intake: The source from where a water supply
is drawn, such as from a river or water body.
Interagency Agreement: A written agree-
ment between the EPA and a Federal agency
that has the lead for site cleanup activities,
setting forth the roles and responsibilities of the
agencies for performing and overseeing the
activities. States often are parties to interagency
agreements.
Interim (Permit) Status: Conditions under
which hazardous waste treatment, storage,
and disposal facilities, that were operating
when regulations under the RCRA became
final in 1980, are temporarily allowed by the
EPA to continue to operate while awaiting
denial or issuance of a permanent permit. The
facility must comply with certain regulations
to maintain interim status.
Lagoon: A shallow pond or liquid waste
containment structure. Lagoons typically are
used for the storage of wastewaters, sludges,
liquid wastes, or spent nuclear fuel.
Landfarm: To apply waste to land or incor-
porate waste into the surface soil, such as
fertilizer or soil conditioner. This practice
commonly is used for disposal of composted
wastes and sludges.
Landfill: A disposal facility where waste is
placed in or on land. Sanitary landfills are
disposal sites for non-hazardous solid wastes.
The waste is spread in layers, compacted to the
smallest practical volume, and covered with soil
at the end of each operating day. Secure chemi-
cal landfills are disposal sites for hazardous
waste. They are designed to minimize the
chance of release of hazardous substances into
the environment [see Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act].
Leach, Leaching [v.t.J: The process by
which soluble chemical components are dis-
solved and carried through soil by water or
some other percolating liquid.
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GLOSSARY
Leachate [n]: The liquid that trickles through
or drains from waste, carrying soluble compo-
nents from the waste.
Leachate Collection System: A system
that gathers liquid that has leaked into a landfill
or other waste disposal area and pumps it to the
surface for treatment.
Liner: A relatively impermeable barrier
designed to prevent leachate (waste residue)
from leaking from a landfill. Liner materials
include plastic and dense clay.
Long-term Remedial Phase: Distinct,
often incremental, steps that are taken to solve
site pollution problems. Depending on the
complexity, site cleanup activities can be
separated into several of these phases.
Long-term Response Action: An action
which requires a continuous period of on-site
activity before cleanup goals are achieved.
These actions typically include the extraction
and treatment of groundwater and monitoring
actions.
Marsh: A type of wetland that does not
contain peat moss deposits and is dominated by
vegetation. Marshes may be either fresh or
saltwater and tidal or non-tidal [see Wetland].
Migration: The movement of oil, gas, con-
taminants, water, or other liquids through porous
and permeable soils or rock.
Mill Tailings: [See Mine Tailings].
Mine Tailings: A fine, sandy residue left from
mining operations. Tailings often contain high
concentrations of lead, uranium, and arsenic or
other heavy metals.
Mitigation: Actions taken to improve site
conditions by limiting, reducing, or controlling
toxicity and contamination sources.
Modeling: A technique using a mathematical
or physical representation of a system or theory
that tests the effects that changes on system
components have on the overall performance of
the system.
Monitoring Wells: Special wells drilled at
specific locations within, or surrounding, a
hazardous waste site where groundwater can be
sampled at selected depths and studied to obtain
such information as the direction in which
groundwater flows and the types and amounts of
contaminates present.
National Priorities List (NPL): The
EPA's list of the most serious uncontrolled or
abandoned hazardous waste sites identified
for possible long-term cleanup under Super-
fund. The EPA is required to update the NPL
at least once a year.
Natural Attenuation: [See Attenuation].
Neutrals: Organic compounds that have a
relatively neutral pH, complex structure and,
due to their organic bases, are easily absorbed
into the environment. Water is the most
commonly known neutral, however, naphtha-
lene, pyrene, and trichlorobenzene also are
examples of neutrals.
Nitroaromatics: Common components of
explosive materials, which will explode if
activated by very high temperatures or pres-
sures; 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) is a
nitroaromatic.
Notice Letter: A General Notice Letter
notifies the parties potentially responsible for
site contamination of their possible liability. A
Special Notice Letter begins a 60-day formal
period of negotiation during which the EPA is
not allowed to start work at a site or initiate
enforcement actions against potentially respon-
sible parties, although the EPA may undertake
certain investigatory and planning activities.
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GLOSSARY
The 60-day period may be extended if the EPA
receives a good faith offer from the PRPs
within that period. [See also Good Faith Offer].
On-Scene Coordinator (OSC): The
predesignated EPA, Coast Guard, or Depart-
ment of Defense official who coordinates and
directs Superfund removal actions or Clean
Water Act oil- or hazardous-spill corrective
actions.
Operation and Maintenance: Activities
conducted at a site after a cleanup action is
completed to ensure that the cleanup or
containment system is functioning properly.
Organic Chemicals/Compounds:
Chemical substances containing mainly
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
Outfall: The place where wastewater is
discharged into receiving waters.
Over packing: Process used for isolating
large volumes of waste by jacketing or encap-
sulating waste to prevent further spread or
leakage of contaminating materials. Leaking
drums may be contained within oversized
barrels as an interim measure prior to removal
and final disposal.
Pentachlorophenol (PCP): A synthetic,
modified petrochemical that may be used as a
wood preservative because of its toxicity to
termites and fungi. It is a common component
of creosotes and can cause cancer.
Perched (groundwater): Groundwater
separated from another underlying body of
groundwater by a confining layer, often clay or
rock.
Percolation: The downward flow or filtering
of water or other liquids through subsurface
rock or soil layers, usually continuing down-
ward to groundwater.
Pesticide: A substance or mixture of sub-
stances intended to prevent, destroy, or repel any
pest. If misused, pesticides can accumulate in
the foodchain and contaminate the environment.
Petrochemicals: Chemical substances
produced from petroleum in refinery operations
and as fuel oil residues. These include
fluoranthene, chrysene, mineral spirits, and
refined oils. Petrochemicals are the bases from
which volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
plastics, and many pesticides are made. These
chemical substances often are toxic to humans
and the environment.
Phenols: Organic compounds that are used in
plastics manufacturing and are by-products of
petroleum refining, tanning, textile, dye, and
resin manufacturing. Phenols are highly poison-
ous.
Physical Chemical Separation: The
treatment process of adding a chemical to a
substance to separate the compounds for further
treatment or disposal.
Pilot Testing: A small-scale test of a pro-
posed treatment system in the field to determine
its ability to clean up specific contaminants.
Plugging: The process of stopping the flow of
water, oil, or gas into or out of the ground
through a borehole or well penetrating the
ground.
Plume: A body of contaminated groundwater
flowing from a specific source. The movement
of the groundwater is influenced by such factors
as local groundwater flow patterns, the character
of the aquifer in which groundwater is con-
tained, and the density of contaminants [see
Migration].
Pollution: Generally, the presence of matter
or energy whose nature, location, or quantity
produces undesired health or environmental
effects.
G-9
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GLOSSARY
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons or
Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs):
PAHs, such as pyrene, are a group of highly
reactive organic compounds found in motor oil.
They are a common component of creosotes and
can cause cancer.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs): A
group of toxic chemicals used for a variety of
purposes including electrical applications,
carbonless copy paper, adhesives, hydraulic
fluids, microscope immersion oils, and caulking
compounds. PCBs also are produced in certain
combustion processes. PCBs are extremely
persistent in the environment because they are
very stable, non-reactive, and highly heat
resistant. Chronic exposure to PCBs is believed
to cause liver damage. It also is known to
bioaccumulate in fatty tissues. PCB use and
sale was banned in 1979 with the passage of the
Toxic Substances Control Act.
Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons
(PNAs): PNAs, such as naphthalene, and
biphenyls, are a group of highly reactive organic-
compounds that are a common component of
creosotes, which can be carcinogenic.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): A plastic made
from the gaseous substance vinyl chloride. PVC
is used to make pipes, records, raincoats, and
floor tiles. Health risks from high concentra-
tions of vinyl chloride include liver cancer and
lung cancer, as well as cancer of the lymphatic
and nervous systems.
Potable Water: Water that is safe for drink-
ing and cooking.
Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs):
Parties associated with a Superfund site who
may be liable for the cost of remedying the
release of hazardous substances. This may
include owners or operators of the site or trans-
porters who disposed of materials at the site.
PRPs may admit liability, or liability may be
determined by a court of law. PRPs may sign a
Consent Decree or Administrative Order on
Consent to participate in the site cleanup without
admitting liability.
Precipitation: The removal of solids from
liquid waste so that the solid and liquid portions
can be disposed of safely; the removal of
particles from airborne emissions. Electro-
chemical precipitation is the use of an anode or
cathode to remove the hazardous chemicals.
Chemical precipitation involves the addition of
some substance to cause the solid portion to
separate.
Preliminary Assessment: The process of
collecting and reviewing available information
about a known or suspected waste site or release
to determine if a threat or potential threat exists.
Pump and Treat: A groundwater cleanup
technique involving the extracting of contami-
nated groundwater from the subsurface and the
removal of contaminants, using one of several
treatment technologies.
Radionuclides: Elements, including radium
and uranium-235 and -23X, which break down
and produce radioactive substances due to their
unstable atomic structure. Some are man-made,
and others are naturally occurring in the envi-
ronment. Radon, the gaseous form of radium,
decays to form alpha particle radiation, which
cannot be absorbed through skin. However, it
can be inhaled, which allows alpha particles to
affect unprotected tissues directly and thus cause
cancer. Radiation also occurs naturally through
the breakdown of granite.
RCRA: [See Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act].
Recharge Area: A land area where rainwater
saturates the ground and soaks through the earth
to reach an aquifer.
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GLOSSARY
Record of Decision (ROD): A public
document that explains which cleanup
alternative(s) will be used to clean up sites
listed on the NPL. It is based on information
generated during the remedial investigation
and feasibility study and consideration of
public comments and community concerns.
Recovery Wells: Wells used to withdraw
contaminants or contaminated groundwater.
Recycle: The process of minimizing waste
generation by recovering usable products that
might otherwise become waste.
Remedial Action (RA): The actual con-
struction or implementation phase of a
Superfund site cleanup following the remedial
design [see Cleanup].
Remedial Design: A phase of site cleanup
where engineers design the technical specifi-
cations for cleanup remedies and technolo-
gies.
Remedial Investigation: An in-depth
study designed to gather the data necessary to
determine the nature and extent of contamina-
tion at a Superfund site, establish the criteria
for cleaning up the site, identify the prelimi-
nary alternatives for cleanup actions, and
support the technical and cost analyses of the
alternatives. The remedial investigation is
usually done with the feasibility study. In this
volume, the remedial investigation is referred
to as a site study [see also Feasibility Study].
Remedial Project Manager (RPM): The
EPA or State official responsible for oversee-
ing cleanup actions at the site.
Remedy Selection: The selection of the
final cleanup strategy for the site. At the few
sites where the EPA has determined that
initial response actions have eliminated site
contamination, or that any remaining con-
tamination will be naturally dispersed without
further cleanup activities, a "No Action"
remedy is selected [see Record of Decision].
Removal Action: Short-term immediate
actions taken to address releases of hazardous
substances [see Cleanup].
Residual: The amount of a pollutant re-
maining in the environment after a natural or
technological process has taken place, e.g.,
the sludge remaining after initial wastewater
treatment, or the particulates remaining in air
after the air passes through a scrubber.
Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (RCRA): A Federal law that established
a regulatory system to track hazardous sub-
stances from the time of generation to dis-
posal. The law requires safe and secure
procedures to be used in treating, transport-
ing, storing, and disposing of hazardous
substances. RCRA is designed to prevent
new, uncontrolled hazardous waste sites.
Retention Pond: A small body of liquid
used for disposing of wastes and containing
overflow from production facilities. Some-
times retention ponds are used to expand the
capacity of such structures as lagoons the
store waste.
Runoff: The discharge of water over land
into surface water. It can carry pollutants
from the air and land and spread contaminants
from its source.
Scrubber: An air pollution control device
that uses a spray of water or reactant or a dry
process to trap pollutants in emissions.
Sediment: The layer of soil, sand, and
minerals at the bottom of surface waters such
as streams, lakes, and rivers, that absorbs
contaminants.
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GLOSSARY
Seeps: Specific points where releases of
liquid, usually leachate, form from waste
disposal areas, particularly along the lower
edges of landfills.
Seepage Pits: A hole, shaft, or cavity in
the ground used for the storage of liquids,
usually in the form of leachate, from waste
disposal areas. The liquid gradually leaves
the pit by moving through the surrounding
soil.
Septage: Residue remaining in a septic tank
after the treatment process.
Sinkhole: A hollow depression in the land
surface in which drainage collects; associated
with underground caves and passages that
facilitate the movement of liquids.
Site Characterization: The technical pro-
cess used to evaluate the nature and extent of
environmental contamination, which is neces-
sary for choosing and designing cleanup mea-
sures and monitoring their effectiveness.
Site Inspection: The collection of informa-
tion from a hazardous waste site to determine
the extent and severity of hazards posed by the
site. It follows, and is more extensive than, a
preliminary assessment. The purpose is to
gather information necessary to score the site,
using the Hazard Ranking System, and to
determine if the site presents an immediate
threat that requires a prompt removal action.
Slag: The fused refuse or dross separated
from a metal in the process of smelting.
Sludge: Semi-solid residues from industrial
or water treatment processes that may be
contaminated with hazardous materials.
Slurry Wall: Barriers used to contain the flow
of contaminated groundwater or subsurface
liquids. Slurry walls are constructed by digging
a trench around a contaminated area and filling
the trench with an impermeable material that
prevents water from passing through it. The
groundwater or contaminated liquids trapped
within the area surrounded by the slurry wall
can be extracted and treated.
Smelter: A facility that melts or fuses ore,
often with an accompanying chemical change,
to separate the metal. Emissions from smelters
are known to cause pollution.
Soil Gas: Gaseous elements and compounds
that occur in the small spaces between par-
ticles of soil. Such gases can move through
or leave the soil or rock, depending on
changes in pressure.
Soil Vapor Extraction: A treatment
process that uses vacuum wells to remove
hazardous gases from soil.
Soil Washing: A water-based process for
mechanically scrubbing soils in-place to remove
undesirable materials. There are two ap-
proaches: dissolving or suspending them in the
wash solution for later treatment by conven-
tional methods, and concentrating them into a
smaller volume of soil through simple particle
size separation techniques [see Solvent Extrac-
tion].
Stabilization: The process of changing an
active substance into inert, harmless material,
or physical activities at a site that act to limit
the further spread of contamination without
actual reduction of toxicity.
Solidification/Stabilization: A chemical
or physical reduction of the mobility of
hazardous constituents. Mobility is reduced
through the binding of hazardous constituents
into a solid mass with low permeability and
resistance to leaching.
G-12
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GLOSSARY
Solvent: A substance capable of dissolving
another substance to form a solution. The
primary uses of industrial solvents are as
cleaners for degreasing, in paints, and in
Pharmaceuticals. Many solvents are flam-
mable and toxic to varying degrees.
Solvent Extraction: A means of separating
hazardous contaminants from soils, sludges,
and sediment, thereby reducing the volume of
the hazardous waste that must be treated. It
generally is used as one in a series of unit
operations. An organic chemical is used to
dissolve contaminants as opposed to water-
based compounds, which usually are used in
soil washing.
Sorption: The action of soaking up or
attracting substances. It is used in many
pollution control systems.
Special Notice Letter: [See Notice Let-
ter].
Stillbottom: Residues left over from the
process of recovering spent solvents.
Stripping: A process used to remove volatile
contaminants from a substance [see Air Strip-
ping].
Sumps: A pit or tank that catches liquid
runoff for drainage or disposal.
Superf und: The program operated under the
legislative authority of the CERCLA and
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization
Act (SARA) to update and improve environ-
mental laws. The program has the authority to
respond directly to releases or threatened re-
leases of hazardous substances that may endan-
ger public health, welfare, or the environment
The "Superfund" is a trust fund that finances
cleanup actions at hazardous waste sites.
Surge Tanks: A holding structure used to
absorb irregularities in flow of liquids, including
liquid waste materials.
Swamp: A type of wetland that is dominated
by woody vegetation and does not accumulate
peat moss deposits. Swamps may be fresh or
saltwater and tidal or non-tidal [see Wetlands].
Thermal Treatment: The use of heat to
remove or destroy contaminants from soil.
Treatabillty Studies: Testing a treatment
method on contaminated groundwater, soil, etc.,
to determine whether and how well the method
will work.
Trichloroethylene (TCE): A stable, color-
less liquid with a low boiling point. TCE has
many industrial applications, including use as
a solvent and as a metal degreasing agent.
TCE may be toxic to people when inhaled,
ingested, or through skin contact and can
damage vital organs, especially the liver [see
Volatile Organic Compounds].
Unilateral [Administrative] Order: [see
Administrative Order].
Upgradient: An upward hydrologic slope;
demarks areas that are higher than contaminated
areas and, therefore, are not prone to contamina-
tion by the movement of polluted groundwater.
Vacuum Extraction: A technology used to
remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
from soils. Vacuum pumps are connected to a
series of wells drilled to just above the water
table. The wells are sealed tightly at the soil
surface, and the vacuum established in the soil
draws VOC-contaminated air from the soil
pores into the well, as fresh air is drawn down
from the surface of the soil.
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GLOSSARY
Vegetated Soil Cap: A cap constructed with
graded soils and seed for vegetative growth, to
prevent erosion [see Cap].
Vitrification: The process of electrically
melting wastes and soils or sludges to bind the
waste in a glassy, solid material more durable
than granite or marble and resistant to leaching.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs):
VOCs are manufactured as secondary petro-
chemicals. They include light alcohols, acetone,
trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene,
dichloroethylene, benzene, vinyl chloride,
toluene, and methylene chloride. These poten-
tially toxic chemicals are used as solvents,
degreasers, paints, thinners, and fuels. Because
of their volatile nature, they readily evaporate
into the air, increasing the potential exposure to
humans. Due to their low water solubility,
environmental persistence, and widespread
industrial use, they are commonly found in soil
and groundwater.
Waste Treatment Plant: A facility that
uses a series of tanks, screens, filters, and
other treatment processes to remove pollut-
ants from water.
Wastewater: The spent or used water from
individual homes or industries.
Watershed: The land area that drains into a
stream or other water body.
Water Table: The upper surface of the
groundwater.
Weir: A barrier to divert water or other liquids.
Wetland: An area that is regularly saturated
by surface or groundwater and, under normal
circumstances, is capable of supporting
vegetation typically adapted for life in satu-
rated soil conditions. Wetlands are critical to
sustaining many species offish and wildlife.
Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes,
and bogs. Wetlands may be either coastal or
inland. Coastal wetlands have salt or brackish
(a mixture of salt and fresh) water, and most
have tides, while inland wetlands are non-
tidal and freshwater. Coastal wetlands are an
integral component of estuaries.
Wildlife Refuge: An area designated for
the protection of wild animals, within which
hunting and fishing are either prohibited or
strictly controlled.
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GLOSSARY
Some Common Contaminants at NPL Sites
Contaminant
Category
Example
Chemical Types
Sources
Potential Health
! Threats*
Heavy Metafs
Volatile Organic
Compounds
(VOCs)
Pesticides/
Herbicides
Poiychforinated
btpheflyls (PCBs}
Creosotes
Radiation
(Radionudides)
Arsenic, Barium, Beryllium,
Cadmium, Cobalt, Copper,
Chromium, Lead, Manga-
nese, Mercury, Nickel,
Silver, Selenium, Zinc
Trichloroethylene (TCE),
Perchloroethylene (PCE),
Acetone, Benzene,
Ketone, Methyl chloride,
Toluene, Vinyl Chloride,
Dichlorethylene
Chlordane, DDT 4-4, DDE,
Heptachlor, Aldrin, Endrin,
Atrazine, Dieldrin, Toxa-
phene
Polyaromatic hydrocar-
bons (PAHs), Polynuclear
aromatics (PNAs),
Phenolic Tars, Pentachlo-
rophenol (PCP)
Radium-226, Radon,
Uranium-235, Uranium-
238
Electroplating, batteries,
paint pigments, photogra-
phy, smelting, thermom-
eters, fluorescent lights,
solvent recovery
Solvents and degreasers,
gasoline octane enhanc-
ers, oils and paints, dry
cleaning fluids, chemical
manufacturing.
Agricultural applications,
pesticide and herbicide
production
Electric transformers and
capacitors, insulators and
coolants, adhesives,
caulking compounds,
carbonless copy paper,
hydraulic fluids.
Wood preserving, fossil
fuel combustion
Mine tailings, radium
products, natural decay of
granites
Tumors, cancers, and kidney,
brain, neurological, bone and
liver damage
Cancers, kidney and liver
damage, impairment of the
nervous system resulting in
sleepiness and headaches,
leukemia
Various effects ranging from
nauseate nervous disorders.
Dioxin is a common by-product
of the manufacture of pesti-
cides and is both highly toxic
and a suspected carcinogen.
Cancer and liver damage.
Cancers and skin ulcerations
with prolonged exposure
Cancer
Sources' Toxic Chemicals—What They Are, How They Affect You (EPA, Region 5)
Glossary of Environmental Terms (EPA, 1988)
'The potential for risk due to these contaminants is linked to a number of factors; for example, the length and level of exposure
and environmental and health factors such as age.
*U.S. G.P.O.: 1993-341-835:81026
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