&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste And
Emergency Response
(5102G)
SUPERFUND:
EPA/540/R-93/017
December 1992
PB93-963218
Progress at
National
Priority
List Sites
LOUISIANA
1992 UPDATE
Printed on Recycled Paper
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Publication #9200.5-7196
December 1992
NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST SITES:
Louisiana
»,.
—» »«»«•"'
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Office of Emergency & Remedial Response
Office of Program Management
Washington, DC 20460
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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
Kentucky had entered the popular lexicon as
synonyms for pollution and environmental
degradation.
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.
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, r
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 Responsibility:
XXXXXX XXX XXXXX :
xxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx
XXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX
Threats and Contaminants
XXXXXX XXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXX XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX XX XXXXXX XXXX X
XXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXX XXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXX XXX
XXXX XXXX XXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXX XXXX XXXX:
Cleanup Approach
xxxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx:
xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xxxx xx xxxxxxxxx xx xxxxxx xxxxxxx:
XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXX XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX XX XXXXXX XXXX XXXXX XXXX X XXX XXXXXXXX
Response Action Status
xxxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx;
XXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XX XXXXXXXXX XX XX:
XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXX XXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX XX XXXXXX XXXX XXXXX XXXX
XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXX X XXX XX XXXXXXXXX XXXXX
Site Facts:
Environmental Progress
Site Repository
XXXXXX XXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX
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
-------
A SUMMARY OF THE STATE PROGRAM
xv
-------
Superfund Activities
in Louisiana
The State of Louisiana is located within EPA Region 6, which
includes the five south central States. The State covers 47,752
square miles. According to the 1990 Census, Louisiana
i, experienced a slight increase in population between 1980
' and 1990, and is ranked twenty-first in U.S. population
with approximately 4,220,000 residents.
Several chapters of the Louisiana Environmental
Quality Law, enacted in 1979, provide the State with the
authority to implement the Superfund program at the State level. The Hazardous Waste Control Law,
the Inactive and Abandoned Hazardous Waste Site Law, and the chapter entitled Liability for Hazard-
ous Substance Remedial Action together create several funds to finance cleanup activities at
Superfund sites. These statutes also authorize the State to make polluters liable for cleanup costs,
regardless of fault or actual contribution to the hazardous conditions of the site. In practice, the State
either attempts to negotiate a settlement with the polluters or orders them to clean up the site. If the
polluters are unable or unwilling to participate, the State may clean up the site itself and then recover
up to triple the cost of cleanup from the polluters at a later time. The State also has the option to
impose civil and criminal penalties. The primary cleanup fund is the Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup
Fund, which provides for emergency response, removals and other cleanup activities, study and
design actions, operations and maintenance activities, and the 10 percent contribution from the State
required by the Federal Superfund program. A public comment period is required for closure plans
when the State proposes to treat, store, or dispose of hazardous wastes at abandoned sites. At com-
plex sites the State is required to institute community relations programs, including regular public
meetings. Currently, 11 sites in the State of Louisiana have been listed as final on the NPL. One new
site has been proposed for listing in 1992.
The Department of Environmental Quality
implements the Superfund Program in the State of Louisiana
Activities responsible for hazardous
waste contamination in the State of
Louisiana include:
Recycling
Facilities
Federal
Facilities
Petroleum
and Refining
Operations
Wood
Production
and
Treatment
Facilities
Landfills
Facts about the 12 NPL sites
in Louisiana:
Immediate Actions (such as removing
hazardous substances or restricting
site access) were performed at eight
sites.
Five sites endanger sensitive environ-
ments.
Eight sites are located near residential
areas.
XVII
March 1992
-------
LOUISIANA
Most Sites Have Multiple Contaminants and
Contaminated Media:
Media Contaminated at Sites
Air
Surface
Water
Sediments
Soil
Ground-
water
Contaminants Found at Sites
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Percentage of Sites
Percentage of Sites
VOCs
Heavy Metals
Creosotes
Petrochemicals/Explosives
PCBs
Pesticides/Herbicides
Sulfide
58%
42%
42%
25%
8%
8%
8%
The Potentially Responsible
Party Pays...
In the State of Louisiana, potentially responsible
parties are paying for or conducting cleanup
activities at seven sites.
For Further Information on NPL Sites and Hazardous
Waste Programs in the State of Louisiana Please Contact:
"& EPA Region 6 Office of External
Affairs, Community Relations
& National Response Center
^ The Department of Environmental
Quality: Office of Legal Affairs
and Enforcement, Inactive and
Abandoned Sites Division
^ EPA Region 6 Hazardous 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
(214) 655-2200
(800) 424-8802
. (504) 765-0487
(214) 655-6740
(800) 424-9068
March 1992
XVIII
-------
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.
O 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.
O 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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March 1992
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-------
AMERICAN
CREOSOTE WOR
INC. (WINNFIELD
PLANT)
LOUISIANA
EPA ID# LAD000239814
Site Description
EPA REGION 6
Winn Parish
Winnfield
The American Creosote Works, Inc. (Winnfield Plant) site is approximately 34 acres in size
and is located in a primarily residential area. The activities conducted at this site were
primarily wood-treating operations. This property has had numerous owners, the first of which
was the Bodeau Lumber Co., which began operations in 1901. Louisiana Creosoting Co.
acquired 22 acres of the property in 1922 and then resold the parcel of land to American
Creosote Works of Louisiana, Inc. in 1938. In 1950, the entire property, along with 12
additional acres, was sold to American Creosote, which was later bought out by Dickson
Lumber Co. in 1977. The property was seized by the city for taxes after Dickson declared
bankruptcy. Wood treatment operations were taken over by Stallworth Timber in 1980 which
then abandoned the site in 1985. The sources of contamination at the site include: five
unlined pits used for the disposal of wastes generated by the wood-treating process, storage
areas containing creosote and treated and untreated wood, and the plant at which the
wood-treating operations took place. These buildings and equipment were found in a
deteriorating and unstable state. Contamination also was caused by on-site drainage ditches
which received surface water run-off from the facility. Creosote in these ditches, which are
lined with a tar-like substance, was observed leaching into the ground. The contents of these
ditches are discharged to freshwater wetlands in the area. Area surface water, including
Creosote Branch and Port de Luce Creek, are used for recreational fishing. Local residents,
including school children, frequently crossed the site before a fence was constructed. An
estimated 5,700 people live within a mile of the site.
Site Responsibility:
This site is being addressed through
Federal and State actions.
NPL Listing History
Proposed Date: 02/07/92
March 1992
-------
Threats and Contaminants
ZGJ
On-site and off-site surface water and sediments contain various organics, including
polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Soil in the pit area, the on-site
drainage pathway, and the residential areas is also contaminated with creosote
constituents.
Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in two stages: an immediate action and a long-term remedial
phase focusing on the cleanup of the entire site.
Response Action Status
Immediate Actions: Stallworth constructed a fence around the site and posted a
warning sign in 1988. In 1988, EPA intervention prevented oils and sludges that
were seeping out of the on-site storage tanks from flowing through the drainage
ditches to Creosote Branch, 3,000 feet downstream from the site.
Entire Site: In 1991, an investigation was begun to determine the nature and
extent of contamination at the entire site. The investigation as well as the
selection of alternative cleanup options and the design phase of the chosen
remedies are all expected to be completed by early 1993. This site is being addressed as a
pilot project to demonstrate ways to accelerate the final cleanup process.
Site Facts: In response to hazardous conditions on site such as creosote spills and
abandoned pits and containers, the State issued a letter of warning and later a Compliance
Order to Stallworth in 1985. Stallworth failed to comply with the order, instead abandoning
the site. In 1988, EPA issued an Administrative Order to Stallworth requiring them to
construct a fence around the site and post a warning sign. These actions were completed by
Stallworth.
Environmental Progress
Immediate actions such as the construction of a fence and the prevention of contaminants
from migrating have reduced the risks posed to the health and safety of the nearby
population while additional investigations are underway and activities are being planned for
permanent cleanup of the site.
March 1992 2 AMERICAN CREOSOTE WORKS, INC.
(WINNFIELD PLANT)
-------
Site Repository
Not established.
AMERICAN CREOSOTE WORKS, INC.
(WINNFIELD PLANT)
March 1992
-------
BAYOU BONF
LOUISIANA
EPA ID# LAD980745632
EPA REGION 6
St. Tammany Parish
Near Slidell
Site Description
Bayou Bonfouca is a flat, overgrown, 52-acre site at the location of the former American
Creosote Works Plant. Wood pilings were treated with creosote here for nearly 80 years
before the plant burned down in 1970. The fire contributed to more creosote spills that
polluted sediments in Bayou Bonfouca, which forms the southern boundary of the site. The
site was abandoned afterwards. The site lies within 100-year flood plain of the Mississippi.
The shallow artesian aquifer is contaminated. Approximately 750 residents live within a mile
of the site. The nearest drinking water well is approximately 1/4 mile northeast of the site.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through
Federal and potentially responsible
parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 12/30/82
Final Date: 09/08/83
Threats and Contaminants
IT
The groundwater and surface water at Bayou Bonfouca are contaminated with
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from previous wood treating activities at
the site. Sediments and soil also are contaminated with PAHs and creosote
compounds. People may be exposed by drinking contaminated groundwater or
coming into contact with contaminated soil or polluted sediments. Another
potential threat is eating contaminated fish and shellfish from the Bayou.
Cleanup Approach
This site is being addressed in two stages: an immediate action and a long-term remedial
phase focusing on the entire site.
March 1992
-------
Response Action Status
Immediate Action: The potentially responsible parties hired a rental fence
company to install and maintain a fence at the site and to put up warning signs
around the fence.
Entire Site: Site cleanup plans chosen in 1985 were revised in 1987 to comply
with new legislative requirements. Site remedies now are planned for groundwater
extraction and treatment, followed by reinjection; excavation of 150,000 cubic
yards of contaminated bayou and channel bottom sediments; incineration of excavated
sediments and waste piles in an on-site facility; and placement of a cap over the incinerator
residue and surface soils with high PAH concentrations. The construction contract for
groundwater pumping and treatment was signed in 1989. The remaining cleanup began in
1991 and is scheduled for completion in 1997.
Environmental Progress
Initial fencing around the area has reduced the potential of exposure to hazardous substances
at Bayou Bonfouca while cleanup activities are underway.
Site Repository
St. Tammany Parish Library, 555 Robert Boulevard, Slidell, La 70458
BAYOU BONFOUCA
March 1992
-------
BAYOU
SORREL
SITE
LOUISIANA
EPA ID# LAD980745541
Site Description -
EPA REGION 6
Iberville Parish
miles northwest of Bayou Sorrel
Other Names:
Environmental Purification
Advancement
Halliburton Services (CLAW)
Grand River Pits (local name)
Early in 1977, Environmental Purification Advancement, Inc. Corporation (EPAI) began
accepting wastes at the Bayou Sorrel Site from petrochemical industries in Louisiana, Texas,
Arkansas, and Mississippi. Operations included landfarming, open liquid impoundments, drum
burial, and land filling of chemically fixed wastes. EPAI also may have received wastes from a
nearby injection well. Forty to 50 acres of the 265-acre site have been used for waste
disposal. In 1978, a truck driver died when waste mixing produced a poisonous gas. State and
Federal regulators inspected the site and found unknown materials in large, open, unlicensed
ponds. When a State District Court ordered the site closed in 1978, about 36,400 cubic yards
of wastes remained on site. Four landfills contain contaminants: a spent lime cell, a crushed
drum cell, four covered liquid waste ponds, and a landfarm. The rest of the marshy site is
overgrown with brush and trees. The site is prone to flooding and poor drainage. The site lies
in a rural area; only three homes are within 2 miles. Bayou Sorrel gets its drinking water from
the City of Plaquemine. The nearest well is 1/2 mile away, but it is used only for washing and
not for drinking. The population swells seasonally as people come to fishing camps. The site is
on the East Atchafalya Basin Floodway Protection Levee, adjacent to the Upper Grand
River and Pat Bayou.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through
Federal and potentially responsible
parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 07/23/82
Final Date: 09/08/83
Threats and Contaminants
7J3
One million cubic feet of soils and sediments were contaminated with wastes from
pesticide and herbicide manufacturing, sulfide-containing wastes from hydrocarbon
processing and exploration, and spent wash solutions used in equipment cleanup.
Wetlands were also threatened. The site is home to three endangered species: bald
eagles, peregrine falcons, and ivory-billed woodpeckers. Workers or others at the
site could have been exposed to chemicals by direct contact with soils or sediments,
inhalation of vapors, or accidental ingestion of contaminated materials. The site is
now capped and fenced to restrict access to contaminated materials.
March 1992
-------
Cleanup Approach
This site is being addressed in two stages: initial actions and a long-term remedial phase
focusing on the entire site.
Response Action Status
Initial Actions: In 1979, all exposed disposal areas were dewatered, filled, and
covered with soil. In late 1989, a fence was installed at the entrance to the site.
Entire Site: The engineering design for the following selected site remedies was
remedies was approved in 1989: regrading to control runoff, limit erosion and
surface water ponding, and divert stormwater from waste areas; capping former
disposal areas with materials to keep water from reaching the contaminants within the
coverings, safely draining the area, and venting any gases formed; placing all wastes now
exposed to weather under the new caps or disposing of them off site in approved facilities;
installing slurry walls underground around the old landfill and pond areas to keep
contaminants from moving into the soils and groundwater; fencing all capped areas to restrict
access and building access roads around them to allow continued use of recreational areas;
and installing a groundwater monitoring system. These activities were completed in 1990 and
a 30-year operation and maintenance period has begun. The EPA is scheduled to delete the
site from the NPL in 1995.
Site Facts: The EPA signed a 1987 Consent Decree with the potentially responsible parties
to conduct cleanup activities at the site.
Environmental Progress
With the completion of the above mentioned activities, all contaminants have been contained
and exposure potential has been eliminated. The EPA continues to monitor the site to ensure
that the site is safe and no longer poses a threat to public health or the environment.
Site Repository
Iberville Parish Library, 1501 J. Gerald Berret Boulevard, Plaquemine, LA 70765
BAYOU SORREL SITE 7 March 1992
-------
CLEVE REBE
LOUISIANA
EPA ID# LAD980501456
EPA REGION 6
Ascension Parish
iiles southeast of Baton Rouge near
Sorrento
Other Names:
Reber Landfill
Site Description
The 25-acre Cleve Reber site, originally a burrow pit for the construction of a local highway,
was used between 1970 and 1972 as a landfill for both municipal and industrial wastes. Waste
handling was causing employees to become ill, and the site was abandoned in 1974. When the
site was listed on the NPL, approximately 550 exploded and corroding drums were visible on the
surface. They contained sulfur, asphalt, tars, plastics, and oily wastes. An estimated 6,400 drums
were still buried on site after the EPA removed the surface drums in an emergency response
action. One large pond approximately 12 acres in size and three small ponds totaling about 1 acre
in size are located on the site. There are 11 residences close to the site. The nearest home and
drinking water well are 100 feet away. Sparsely populated residential and agricultural areas lie to
the north and west; the land to the east and south is covered by dense vegetation and swamp.
Site Responsibility:
This site is being addressed through a
combination of Federal, State, and
potentially responsible parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 12/30/82
Final Date: 09/08/83
Threats and Contaminants
On-site soil has been shown to contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy
metals. Four ponds on the site contain contaminants similar to those in the soil. Risks
involve coming into direct contact with contaminated surface soils and with the
contaminated water in the small ponds. The groundwater located directly beneath the
site is contaminated, but further migration to areas outside the site boundary is not
expected to occur.
Cleanup Approach
The site will be addressed in two stages: immediate actions limiting the spread of contamination
and a long-term remedial phase focusing on source control and groundwater monitoring.
March 1992
-------
Response Action Status
Immediate Actions: In 1983, the State fenced the site, and the EPA conducted an
emergency removal of 1,100 surface drums and waste piles. Workers placed a thin
clay cap over the areas thought to contain buried drums and wastes. The EPA
conducted two comprehensive field investigations in 1984 and 1986 that indicated all significant
contamination was restricted to the site.
Source Control and Groundwater Monitoring: Remedies selected for the site
include: (1) excavating and on-site incineration of buried drums and sludges; (2)
draining and backfilling on-site ponds; (3) stabilizing the non-burnable wastes with a
cementing agent; (4) capping remaining contamination with an impermeable cap that keeps out
runoff; and (5) monitoring groundwater. The potentially responsible parties began cleanup
activities at the site in early 1992. The cleanup of the site is scheduled for completion in late
1996. Additional studies are underway to determine and plan the final and most cost-effective
cleanup activities.
Site Facts: In September 1988, the EPA issued a Unilateral Administrative Order to five
potentially responsible parties for completion of cleanup activities. An amended order was issued
in February 1990, requiring the potentially responsible parties to implement the cleanup actions
chosen by the EPA.
Environmental Progress
The EPA has determined that fencing of the site and the removal of contaminated drums and
waste piles have significantly reduced the potential of exposure to contaminants at the Cleve
Reber facility while final cleanup activities are underway.
Site Repository
Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales Branch, 708 South Irma Boulevard, Gonzales, LA 70737
CLEVE REBER 9 March 1992
-------
COMBUSTIO
LOUISIANA
EPA ID# LAD072606627
EPA REGION 6
Livingston Parish
Denham Springs
Site Description
The owners of the 6-acre Combustion, Inc. site piped wastes to Denham Springs from their
petroleum hydrocarbon recycling plant located about 1/4 mile to the southwest. Wastes
included non-reclaimable tars, paraffins, waste oil, sediments, and wastewater. During the
facility's life, workers built 11 irregularly shaped earthen pits to contain oily wastes and
wastewater. These pits contain about 3 million gallons of material. Although the pits were
constructed to isolate the wastes, they are connected by a series of trenches or pipes that
allow mixing. Three buried tanks and two aboveground tanks were used to store wastes
before they were processed to recover oil and still exist on the site. The owners also may
have treated other potentially hazardous chemicals at the facility. Combustion, Inc. began
closing the facility late in 1980 and had completely shut down operations by 1982.
Approximately 500 people live within 1 mile; the nearest residence is 600 feet from the site.
Groundwater within 3 miles of the site is used for irrigation and drinking water.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through a
combination of Federal, State, and
potentially responsible parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 06/24/88
Final Date: 08/30/90
Threats and Contaminants
IV
Toluene has been detected in the air. Specific contaminants found in the
groundwater include toluene and xylenes. The soil was found to contain lead. The
on-site liquids and sludges are contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs),
mercury, and lead. Exposure risks include inhaling the air, as well as direct contact
with soil, groundwater, or runoff. A low level of contamination has been detected
in the shallow aquifer; however, residential wells remain uncontaminated at
present.
10
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: After the site was originally proposed for the NPL in 1986, new
technical information about the site became available. The EPA re-proposed the
site in 1988 to allow an additional 60-day comment period. In 1988, the potentially
responsible parties began conducting a study, with the State of Louisiana leading the
oversight, to evaluate the extent of contamination and to determine possible remedies for the
site. The potentially responsible parties have proposed several cleanup actions involving the
removal of contaminated wastes and soils from the pond and process areas. The study is
planned for completion in 1994.
Site Facts: An agreement between the EPA and the Louisiana Department of
Environmental Quality (LDEQ) for the State to oversee cleanup of the site was signed in
early 1987. Also in 1987, an interim settlement agreement was reached between the LDEQ
and the potentially responsible parties for technical studies of the site and an evaluation of
alternative cleanup actions.
Environmental Progress
After proposing the Combustion, Inc. site to the NPL, the EPA assessed conditions at the
site and determined that there were no immediate actions required to make it safer while
awaiting the results of the studies and the final long-term cleanup activities.
Site Repository
Livingston Parish Library, Denham Springs/Walker Branch, 10095 Florida Boulevard,
Denham Springs, LA 70726
COMBUSTION, INC. 11 March 1992
-------
D.L. MUD, I
LOUISIANA
EPAID# LAD981058019
EPA REGION 6
Vermilion Parish
21/2 miles southwest of Abbeville
Other Names:
Galveston-Houston Yard
Site Description
The 12 1/2-acre D.L. Mud, Inc. site is an inactive drilling mud facility and vacant lot. The
facility went out of business in 1986, but while it was operating, oil drilling muds, salt water,
and other drilling fluids were placed in 16 on-site tanks. Soils are contaminated to a depth of
2 feet, threatening groundwater. Within 3 miles of the site, approximately 2,600 people draw
their drinking supplies from private wells. Approximately 1,000 acres of cropland are irrigated
with these private wells, and 9,000 acres are irrigated with surface water supplies. The site lies
in a rural area 1 1/2 miles west of the Vermilion River, which flows to the Gulf of Mexico.
Next to the northwestern portion of the site is the Gulf Coast Vacuum Services Site, which is
also on the NPL.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through a
combination of Federal, State, and
potentially responsible parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 06/24/88
Final Date: 10/26/89
Threats and Contaminants
The soil is contaminated with organic materials including alkanes and related
compounds and heavy metals including lead, mercury, chromium, arsenic, and zinc.
The groundwater also may be contaminated with these substances. People who
come into direct contact with or accidentally ingest contaminated soil or
groundwater may be at risk.
Cleanup Approach
This site is being addressed in two stages: immediate actions and a single long-term remedial
phase focusing on the cleanup of the entire site.
12
March 1992
-------
Response Action Status
Immediate Actions: In 1987, the Louisiana Department of Environmental
Quality (LDEQ) negotiated an agreement for cleanup of the site with the
potentially responsible parties, who then removed drilling muds from the tanks
and sent them to be properly incinerated. The tanks and piping were dismantled, cleaned, and
hauled to a metal salvage facility. Contaminated soil under and around the tanks was
removed to the depth of uncontaminated clay and was taken to a facility for incineration.
Excavated areas were backfilled with clean soil. Used drilling muds also were removed from
portions of the site where they had been dumped. The LDEQ supervised the cleanup
activities.
Entire Site: A site investigation began in 1990. This investigation will determine
the effectiveness of past cleanup activities and will determine if any further threat
is posed by the site to public health or the environment. The investigation is
scheduled for completion in 1992.
Site Facts: Special Notice Letters were issued to the potentially responsible parties in
December 1989. An Administrative Order on Consent, requiring one of these potentially
responsible parties to conduct the site investigation, was signed in June 1990.
Environmental Progress
The removal of soils, muds, and solid waste by the potentially responsible parties and the
LDEQ eliminated the sources of contamination and reduced the potential of exposure to
contamination at the D.L. Mud site while an investigation leading to the selection of final
cleanup activities is underway.
Site Repository
Vermilion Parish Library, 200 North Street, Abbeville, LA 70511
D.L MUD, INC.
13
March 1992
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DUTCHTOW
TREATMENT
LOUISIANA
EPA ID# LAD980879449
EPA REGION 6
Ascension Parish
Near the intersection of
Interstate 10 and Hwy. 74
Site Description
From 1965 to 1982, the 5-acre Dutchtown Treatment Plant oil refinery and reclamation
facility generated waste oil, wastewater, and oily sludges. Found on the site are a rail car
tanker, 10 aboveground storage tanks, an oil pit, and a holding pond containing oily wastes,
sludge, and contaminated soil. About 130 people live within 1/4 mile of the site. About 4,000
people live within 3 miles of the site, and approximately 1,500 obtain drinking water from
wells within 3 miles of the site. The plant is within the watershed of the Mississippi River,
within 1 mile of coastal wetlands, and Grand Goudin Bayou lies approximately 1,900 feet
downslope of the site.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through a
combination of Federal, State, and
potentially responsible parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 01/22/87
Final Date: 07/22/87
Threats and Contaminants
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including chloroform and benzene contribute
to groundwater, air, surface water, and soil contamination. Sludges are
contaminated with ethyl benzene, carbon tetrachloride, and dichloroethane. The
main threat of this site is from tainted drinking water. The upper aquifer (7 to 12
feet below the surface) is contaminated, although a lower aquifer 30 feet below
the surface appears not to be contaminated at this time. Inhalation of fumes poses
a threat, as does direct contact with the waste pits and storage tank contents.
Although the site is fenced, it is not guarded, and vandalism is a possibility.
March 1992
-------
Cleanup Approach
This site is being addressed in two stages: emergency actions and a long-term remedial phase
focusing on the entire site.
Response Action Status
Emergency Actions: The State took action in 1984 to prevent an overflow of
the on-site lagoon. In 1987, the EPA cleaned up a diesel fuel spill that ran off site
as a result of vandalism. In 1991, the EPA removed source contaminants from the
soil and placed a cap over the area. Pumping of the french drain on site is ongoing.
Entire Site: Under EPA monitoring, the parties potentially responsible for site
contamination are conducting an investigation into the contamination at the site.
The investigation will determine the extent of surface and sub-surface
contamination remaining after the emergency actions. An evaluation will then analyze the
possible alternatives for future cleanup of the site. The potentially responsible parties will
excavate the waste pit contents and storage tank contents. These materials will be thermally
destroyed off site. The excavated areas will be backfilled. Any further remedy necessary will
be assessed during the investigation to determine the nature and extent of contamination and
to identify alternatives for cleanup. The investigation is scheduled for completion in 1994.
Site Facts: In 1989, 20 potentially responsible parties agreed to all terms of a Consent
Decree to perform a removal action to thermally destroy off site the contents of the tanks
and waste pits. They have also agreed to the terms of an Administrative Order to perform
the comprehensive study of site contamination.
Environmental Progress
The emergency actions taken to prevent overflow of a contaminated lagoon, cleanup of a
diesel fuel spill and capping over a contaminated area at the Dutchtown Treatment Plant site
have limited the spread of contaminated wastes and have lessened the potential for exposure
to contaminants at the site. Thus, the site is safer while it awaits further long-term cleanup
actions.
Site Repository
Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales Branch, 708 South Irma Boulevard, Gonzales, LA 70737
DUTCHTOWN TREATMENT PLANT 15 March 1992
-------
GULF COASm^k^, EPARBQIOM6
VAC U U M S E P^H f^fffsA - •" ** '*1/2 miles southwest of Abbeville
LOUISIANA
EPAID#LAD980750137
Site Description
The 12-acre Gulf Coast Vacuum Services site is an inactive vacuum truck terminal facility.
The D.L. Mud, Inc. NPL site is adjacent to the northwestern portion of this site. While the
site was active, oil drilling muds, salt water, and other drilling fluids were placed in three
earthen pits. Alluvial terrace deposits overlie the shallow sand aquifer that is used for
drinking water and irrigation. When the operators of the site filed for bankruptcy in 1984, the
site was left abandoned, unsecured, and inappropriately closed. The site is 1 1/2 miles west of
the Vermilion River, which flows to the Gulf of Mexico. Although this is a rural area, 2,600
people in the area obtain drinking water from private wells within 3 miles of the site. About
1,000 acres of farmland are irrigated by these wells.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through
Federal actions. Final Date: 03/31/89
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 06/24/88
Threats and Contaminants
The soil is contaminated with volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) including benzene
and toluene and heavy metals including cadmium and chromium. The drilling muds,
salt water, and other drilling fluids in the pits contain VOCs including benzene and
toluene. The water supply is threatened by the potential for the pit contaminants
to travel into the groundwater, which would contaminate wells and the 1,000 acres
irrigated by the groundwater.
Cleanup Approach
This site will be addressed in three stages: immediate actions and two long-term remedial
phases focusing on the sources of contamination.
16 March 1992
-------
Response Action Status
Immediate Actions: Fences and a containment levee were erected and pit
water was pumped down, treated and discharged in 1990. In early 1991, additional
pit water was pumped down, treated and discharged. Site security also was
Source Control: The EPA currently is conducting a study into the sources of
contamination at the site. The study, which is scheduled to be completed in late
1992, will define the contaminants and will recommend alternatives for the final
cleanup. Once completed, the EPA will review the study's findings and select the final
cleanup methods for the site.
Interim Source Control: The EPA is conducting another study into the sources
of contamination at the site due to the continued potential for pit overflows. The
waste pits will be addressed on an interim/temporary basis until the final cleanup
actions at the site begin. Cleanup actions are scheduled to begin in 1995.
Environmental Progress
The immediate actions taken have slowed the spread of contaminants into the soil and
shallow aquifer, thereby reducing the threat to the local area drinking water supplies while
investigations leading to the selection of long-term cleanup remedies continue.
Site Repository
Vermilion Parish Library, 200 North Street, Abbeville, LA 70511
GULF COAST VACUUM SERVICES
17
March 1992
-------
LOUISIANA ARM
AMMUNITION
PLANT
LOUISIANA
EPA ID# LA0213820533
EPA REGION 6
Webster Parish
22 miles east of Shreveport
Site Description
This U.S. Army installation is situated on rolling forest land near the towns of Minden and
Doyline. The Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant covers 15,000 acres, but the hazardous areas
drawing Superfund attention are 16 unlined, 1-acre pits that received wastes from munitions
manufacturing and include a burning ground, a landfill, lagoons, and an oily waste landfarm.
Several contractors have operated the facility since it began producing explosives in 1942.
Operations include loading, assembling, and packing ammunition, as well as manufacturing
metal parts and providing associated support functions for ammunition production. About
10,250 people live in this predominantly agricultural area within 2 miles of the site. The
nearest home is next to the site's southern boundary. The water table aquifer is about 20 feet
deep and reportedly is used for drinking water. The nearest drinking water well is located
approximately 2,000 feet from the site.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through
Federal actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 10/15/84
Final Date: 03/31/89
Threats and Contaminants
The groundwater, soil, and sediments are contaminated with various explosives:
Trinitrotoluene (TNT), cyclonite (RDX), trinitrobenzene (TNB), and
homocyclonite (HMX). TNT and TNB also have been found in the surface water.
Potential exposure could occur if contaminants migrate off site, through direct
contact, inhalation, and accidental ingestion of contaminated groundwater, soil,
sediments, or surface water and by accumulation of contaminants in the food
chain. The shallow contaminated aquifer is connected with the deep Wilcox aquifer
used by the facility, and possibly by some area residents, as a potable water supply.
18
March 1992
-------
Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in two long-term remedial phases designed to eliminate soil
contamination and cleanup of the soil and groundwater at the entire site.
Response Action Status
Soil Decontamination: Initial studies into the nature of site contamination and
potential solutions were completed in 1987. A performance burn to test the
technology was conducted in late 1988. The Army began incinerating wastes from
Area P as an interim action early in 1989, and by October had burned 63,000 tons of soil.
Following incineration, the area was capped. This work was completed in 1990.
Soil and Groundwater Cleanup: The Army currently is conducting a study into
the nature and extent of soil and groundwater contamination at the site. The
investigation will better define the nature of contaminants and will recommend
cleanup options for groundwater. This study is scheduled for completion in 1993.
Site Facts: In 1989, the EPA, the Army, and the Louisiana Department of Environmental
Quality entered into a Federal Facility Agreement. Actions covered by the agreement include
the cleanup of the hazardous waste site and contaminated groundwater. The plant also is
participating in the Installation Restoration Program, a specially funded program established
by the Department of Defense (DOD) to identify, investigate, and control the migration of
hazardous wastes at military and other DOD facilities.
Environmental Progress
The incineration of wastes and contaminated soils at the Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant
site has been completed and has reduced the potential for exposure to hazardous substances.
The Army is conducting investigations, which will lead to further reductions in contaminants,
thereby protecting the public health and the environment.
Site Repository
Webster Parish Library, 521 East and West, Minden, LA 71058
LOUISIANA ARMY AMMUNITION PLANT 19 March 1992
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OLD INGER
REFINERY
LOUISIANA
EPA ID# LAD9807
EPA REGION 6
Ascension Parish
Between Hwy. 75 and the Mississippi
River, 4 1/2 miles north of Darrow
Other Names:
Darrow OH
Site Description
The 14-acre Old Inger Oil Refinery site, midway between Baton Rouge and New Orleans,
was used as an oil refinery and waste oil reclamation plant from 1967 to 1978. On site are
two lagoons, two cracking towers, nine storage tanks, a buried waste oil pit, and 8 1/2 acres
of swamp. A large spill occurred on the property in 1978, and the site was sold shortly
thereafter; it was abandoned in 1980. Groundwater and soil are contaminated with organic
chemicals to depths of 40 to 60 feet. Pollution is extensive on site: 41,600 cubic yards of
waste oils and heavily contaminated soils, sludges, and sediments; 2 1/2 million gallons of
highly contaminated surface water; and 7 1/2 million gallons of slightly contaminated swamp
water were deposited at the site. The waste materials include oil contaminated with
hazardous petrochemicals, various oil additives, and oil combustion products. In addition, 10
million gallons of slightly contaminated groundwater containing hazardous chemicals are
present in the shallow aquifer. Approximately 170 people live within a 1-mile radius of this
rural site, although 19,500 live within 10 miles. The nearest residence and drinking water well
are 1/2 mile to the south. Limited farming and oil and gas drilling occur nearby. The site is
classified as wetlands, a sensitive environment.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through
Federal actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 07/23/82
Final Date: 09/08/83
Threats and Contaminants
The groundwater, sediments, sludges, and soil are contaminated with volatile
organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and
benzoaromatic hydrocarbons. Water samples from the wells of nearby residents in
1989 showed no contamination from the site. Direct contact with site wastes poses
the biggest public health threat. Wetlands are also threatened by site
contamination.
20
March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
This 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: In 1983, water levels in the lagoon were lowered, dikes and
fences were built, and liquid levels in pits were drawn down and disposed of. In
1984, contaminated water was removed from the lagoon and two tanks. In 1985,
further fencing was erected and another pit draw-down and disposal were completed.
Entire Site: Groundwater treatment includes the closing and sealing of a well on
site, and pumping and treating the shallow groundwater aquifer by carbon
adsorption. Treatment of the contaminated soil and sludges which began in mid-
1992, includes the containment and capping of slightly contaminated soils where they lie and
on-site land treatment of heavily contaminated soil and sludges. Contaminated surface water
on site is being treated by carbon adsorption and discharged off site. All treatment activities
are currently underway. An additional investigation into the nature and extent of
groundwater contamination at the site began in 1990. This study is being conducted by the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under an Interagency Agreement with the EPA.
Environmental Progress
The immediate actions taken to reduce the contamination in the pits and lagoons and to limit
site access have reduced the potential for contact with site contamination and the further
spread of contaminated materials. These initial cleanup actions have made the Old Inger Oil
Refinery site safer while long-term cleanup activities proceed.
Site Repository
Ascension Parish Library, Gonzales Branch, 708 South Irma Boulevard, Gonzales, LA 70737
OLD INGER OIL REFINERY 21 March 1992
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PAB OIL &
SERVICE, I
LOUISIANA
EPA ID# LAD980749139
EPA REGION 6
Vermilion Parish
Hwy. 167, 3 miles north of Abbeville
Site Description
The 9-acre PAB Oil & Chemical Service, Inc. site is an abandoned oil field waste disposal
area. Under a lease agreement, the firm began operations in the late 1970s. During 1980 to
1982, it operated under a temporary license from the Louisiana Department of Natural
Resources. Citizens' complaints regarding site operations in 1980 led to EPA investigations of
the site. The company claims to have stopped receiving wastes in 1982. An abandoned
irrigation canal runs along the eastern side of the site. Three on-site pits were used to
separate oil, water, and solids. Site pits cover an area of approximately 300 feet by 360 feet.
An estimated 39,000 cubic yards of oily sludge are held within a levee rising 6 to 7 feet above
grade. Four steel tanks, which are believed to hold liquid "slop" oil, also are located on the
site. Waste material was reportedly placed in one tank by unknown parties after the site
closed in 1982. Over 20,000 people live within 3 miles of the site. The site is located over the
Chicot Aquifer, which is a major source of drinking water. Three Abbeville city wells located
within 3 miles of the site provide water for 18,000 people. Private wells within 3 miles of the
site serve an additional 2,100 people. Primary land use in the vicinity of the site is agricultural
and residential.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through
Federal actions.
Threats and Contaminants
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 06/24/88
Final Date: 03/31/89
Sludges deposited in the on-site pits are contaminated with heavy metals including
chromium and lead and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including toluene and
xylene. The site is unfenced, allowing site trespassers potentially to come in contact
with the contaminated sludges. High rainfall and the relatively short distance to
surface water create the potential for contaminants to wash off site to Coulee
Kenny Irrigation Canal, which drains into the Vermilion River. About 1,100 acres
of crop lands are irrigated by surface water within 3 miles of the site. Uncontained
wastes are located over relatively shallow groundwater, creating a potential for
contaminants to move into groundwater; however, nearby shallow residential wells
have shown no contamination to date.
22
March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
This site is being addressed in two stages: immediate actions and a single long-term remedial
phase focusing on cleanup of the entire site.
Response Action Status
Immediate Actions: In 1991, the potentially responsible parties, under EPA
oversight, pumped out all the wastes contained in the four on-site storage tanks,
dismantled the empty tanks, and removed all the wastes and scrap metals to a
final off-site disposal area.
Entire Site: The EPA began an investigation in 1990 into the nature and extent
of contamination at the site. The investigation will define the contaminants for
groundwater, surface water, soil, and remaining sludges and will recommend
alternatives for all contaminated areas. Once completed, the EPA will evaluate the study
recommendations and will select a final cleanup remedy. The investigation and remedy
selection are scheduled for completion in early 1993.
Site Facts: In 1980, new State regulations governed off-site disposal of drilling mud and
saltwater generated from oil and gas production activities. The site operators failed to comply
with these regulations, resulting in notices of violation and referral to the Louisiana Attorney
General. In 1982, the State ordered the site closed but the company claimed it had no money
for proper closure. In 1989, the EPA issued Special Notice letters to the potentially
responsible parties, but no agreement was reached for conducting long-term site studies. In
1991, the EPA identified the need to conduct an emergency removal of the materials
contained in the four on-site storage tanks. An Administrative Order on Consent was signed
in October, 1991, requiring the potentially responsible parties to conduct this removal with
EPA oversight.
Environmental Progress
The off-site treatment and disposal of all wastes contained in the four on-site disposal storage
tanks reduced the threat to off-site drainage systems and residents while site studies are
underway.
Site Repository
Vermilion Parish Library, 200 North Street, Abbeville, LA 70511
PAB OIL & CHEMICAL SERVICE, INC. 23 March 1992
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PETRO-
OF LOUISIAN
LOUISIANA
EPA ID# LAD057482713
REGION 6
East Baton Rouge Parish
10 miles north of Baton Rouge
Site Description
The Petro-Processors of Louisiana, Inc. site actually contains two site areas: the 7-acre
"Scenic Highway" parcel and the 55-acre "Brooklawn" tract. The areas were operated
concurrently between 1961 and 1974 by the same managers. Workers trucked locally
generated hazardous wastes to the more convenient of the two spots. Both sites threaten the
same surface waters and aquifer systems. Scenic Highway began as a 20-foot deep borrow pit
dug out for highway construction. The pit was filled with hazardous chemical wastes from
1964 to 1968, when it became full. Left full and uncovered for five years, it was finally closed
with plastic sheeting and soil in 1973. The Brooklawn tract bears five distinct areas of waste
disposal and contamination: the Bluff Area; the Cypress Swamp; the Bayou Area, including
contaminated sediments and soils in Bayou Baton Rouge; two diked lagoons; and various
covered areas, in which most of the wastes reside. All materials seem to have been placed at
Brooklawn between 1967 and 1981. An old channel of the Bayou runs through a portion of
this area and may be the cause of waste migration. There are several houses located about
800 to 1,000 feet from the border of Scenic Highway. The nearest drinking water well is
about 3,000 feet upgradient of the site. The community is predominantly rural with some
industrialized areas.
Site Responsibility:
This site is being addressed through a
combination of Federal, State, and
potentially responsible parties' actions.
NPL USTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 09/08/83
Final Date: 09/24/84
Threats and Contaminants
ZEl
Chlorinated hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals,
and oils contaminate the groundwater, soil, and surface water. In 1969, a spill from
the lagoons killed 30 cattle and contaminated part of a nearby ranch. The site is
located over the "400-foot sands," a major drinking water aquifer. The lagoons are
in the Mississippi River flood plain. In 1983, Brooklawn's Cypress Pond was
inundated by the river, and the floodwaters came within 4 inches of over-flowing
the lower pond. Spontaneous ignition of the waste resulted in fires in the upper
lagoon on several occasions. Bayou Baton Rouge flows by both sites.
24
March 1992
-------
Cleanup Approach
This site is being addressed in a long-term remedial phase focusing on the entire site.
Response Action Status
Entire Site: The cleanup program includes a year of cleanup activity planning;
design and construction of a conceptual closure plan for the site; groundwater
monitoring, modeling, and recovery; waste excavation from both sites and
placement into an EPA-approved vault prepared on site or on adjacent property; and
perpetual operation and maintenance of the remedy. The potentially responsible parties also
were given permission to burn liquid organic wastes from beneath the surface at the Dow
Chemical Company Plaquemine incinerator. The potentially responsible parties completed site
studies in 1987, and the EPA-approved cleanup began that same year. Roads, bridges, levees,
and stormwater treatment facilities were built in 1987, but waste excavation and stabilization
activities at the site halted abruptly when they led to air emission problems. The EPA and the
other parties involved studied the problem and modified the cleanup remedy. The new
remedies selected include: a pump and treat system for groundwater and liquid waste and the
construction of clay caps over both parts of the site to prevent rainwater and erosion from
moving contaminants. So far, 27 wells have been installed and contaminated groundwater and
liquid waste are currently being removed and treated. The liquid wastes are being shipped off
site for treatment via incineration, and the contaminated groundwater is being treated on site
with activated carbon. Engineering specifications for this work were presented to the EPA in
1989, and work on the clay caps ensued. The cleanup is underway and installation of the well-
field is scheduled for completion in 1994.
Site Facts: In 1984, the Federal Court ruled that the parties potentially responsible for the
contamination were to clean up the site under the supervision of the EPA, the State, and the
Court.
Environmental Progress
The surface drainage control measures have reduced the spread of contaminants, making the
Petro-Processors of Louisiana, Inc. site safer while it awaits final completion of the clay caps
and treatment activities.
Site Repository
Alsen Community Library, 303 Old Rafe Meyer Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70801
PETRO-PROCESSORS OF LOUISIANA, INC. 25 March 1992
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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 pressure.
G-3
-------
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.
G-4
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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 inking
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].
G-5
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GLOSSARY
Filtration: A treatment process for remov-
ing solid (particulate) 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.
G-6
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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.]: The process by
which soluble chemical components are dis-
solved and carried through soil by water or
some other percolating liquid.
G-7
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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.
G-8
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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.
Overpacking: 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 -238, 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.
G-11
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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.
Superfund: 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.
Treatability 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 of fish 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.
G-14
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GLOSSARY
Some Common Contaminants at NPL Sites
Contaminant
Example
Chemical Types
Sources
Potential Health
Threats*
Heavy Metals
Volatile Organic
Compounds
(VOGs)
He&iefdes
Polycrttarinated
(PC8&)
Creosotes
RacJiatfon
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
nausea to 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.D.: 1993-341-835:81034
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