&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste And
Emergency Response
(5102 G)
SUPERFUND:
EPA/540/R-93/018
December 1992
PB93-963219
Progress at
National
Priority
List Sites
MAINE
1992 UPDATE
ll'nnli'J on Ri>
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Publication #9200.5-7206
December 1992
NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST SITES:
Maine
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Office of Emergency & Remedial Response
Office of Program Management
Washington, DC 20460
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region 5, Library (PL-12J)
77 West Jackson Boulevard, 12th Floor
Chicago, IL 60604 3590
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If you wish to purchase copies of any additional State volumes, contact:
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
U.S. Department of Commerce
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
(703) 486-4650
The complete set of the 49 State reports may be ordered as PB93-963250.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
A Brief Overview of Superfund v
Streamlining Superfund: The Superfund Accelerated Cleanup Model ix
How Superfund Works x
THE VOLUME
How to Use the State Book xi
A SUMMARY OF THE STATE PROGRAM
.XV
THE NPL REPORT
Progress to Date xix
THE NPL FACT SHEETS i
THE GLOSSARY
Terms used in the NPL Book G-l
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INTRODUCTION
A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF SUPERFUND
During the second half of the Twentieth
Century, the environmental conse-
quences of more than 100 years of industrial-
ization in the United States became increas-
ingly clear. Authors such as Rachel Carson
wrote passionately about the often-hidden en-
vironmental effects of our modern society's
widespread use of chemicals and other haz-
ardous materials. Their audience was small at
first, but gradually their message spread.
Growing concern turned to action, as people
learned more about the environment and be-
gan to act on their knowledge
The 1970s saw environmental issues burst
onto the national scene and take hold in the
national consciousness. The first Earth Day
was observed in 1970, the year that the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was
founded. By the end of the 1970s, Love Canal
in New York and the Valley of the Drums in
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 groundwaler
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
Superfund employee removing drums from a Superfund site.
Program had logged more than 2,300 removal
completions since Superfund was established.
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.
A Commitment to
Communication
The Superfund program is very serious about
public outreach and communication. Com-
munity relations coordinators are assigned to
each NPL site to help the public understand
the potential hazards present, as well as the
cleanup alternatives. Local information re-
positories, such as libraries or other public
buildings, have been established near each
NPL site to ensure that the public has an op-
portunity to review all relevant information
and the proposed cleanup plans.
The individual State volumes contain sum-
mary fact sheets on NPL sites in each State
and territory. Together, the fact sheets provide
a concise report on site conditions and the
progress made toward site cleanups as of
March 1992. The EPA revises these volumes
periodically to provide an up-to-date record of
program activities. A glossary of key terms
relating to hazardous waste management and
Superfund site cleanup is provided at the back
of this book.
VII
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INTRODUCTION
Superfund is, of course, a public program, and
as such it belongs to everyone of us. This vol-
ume, along with other State volumes, com-
prises the EPA's report on Superfund
progress to the program's owners for the year
1992.
VIII
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INTRODUCTION
STREAMLINING SUPERFUND: THE SUPERFUND
ACCELERATED CLEANUP MODEL
Historically, critics and supporters alike
have measured Superfund's progress
by the number of hazardous waste sites de-
leted from the NPL. Although easy enough to
tally, this approach is too narrow. It misses
the major gains Superfund makes by reducing
major risks at the nation's worst hazardous
sites long before all clean-up work is done
and the site deleted. It also ignores the Re-
moval Program's contributions to meeting
Superfund's twin mandates of maximizing
public health and environmental protection.
Renewing Superfund's commitment to rapid
protection from hazardous materials, the EPA
is streamlining the program. The Superfund
Accelerated Cleanup Model, or SACM, will
take Early Actions, such as removing hazard-
ous wastes or contaminated materials, while
experts study the site. SACM also will com-
bine similar site studies to reduce the time re-
quired to evaluate a site and its threats to
people and the environment. This way, imme-
diate public health and environmental threats
will be addressed while long-term cleanups
are being planned.
Emergencies such as train derailments and
motor vehicle accidents will continue to be
handled expeditiously. Teams of highly
trained technicians will swing into action
right away, coordinating the cleanup and re-
moval of hazardous substances to ensure pub-
lic safety as quickly as possible.
Breaking With Tradition
The traditional Superfund process begins with
a lengthy phase of study and site assessment,
but SACM will save time by combining sepa-
rate, yet similar, activities. Each EPA Region
will form a Decision Team of site managers,
risk assessors, community relations coordina-
tors, lawyers, and other experts to monitor the
studies and quickly determine whether a site
requires Early Action (taking less than five
years), Long-term Action, or both.
While the site studies continue, the Decision
Team will begin the short-term work required
to correct immediate public health or environ-
mental threats from the site. Besides remov-
ing hazardous materials, Early Actions in-
clude taking precautions to keep contaminants
from moving off the site and restricting access
to the site. Early Actions could eliminate most
human risk from these sites, and Superfund
will further focus its public participation and
public information activities on site assess-
ment and Early Action.
Long-Term Solutions
While Early Actions can correct many hazard-
ous waste problems—and provide the bulk of
public health and environmental protection—
some contamination will take longer to cor-
rect. Cleanups of mining sites, wetlands, estu-
aries, and projects involving incineration of
contaminants or restoration of groundwater
can take far longer than the three to five years
envisioned for Early Actions. Under SACM,
these sites will be handled much as they are
now.
Also under SACM, the EPA will continue its
pursuit of potentially responsible parties who
may have caused or contributed to site con-
tamination. Expedited enforcement and
procedures for negotiating potentially respon-
sible party settlements will secure their par-
ticipation. Superfund personnel will continue
to oversee clean-up work performed by poten-
tially responsible parties.
IX
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INTRODUCTION
HOW SUPERFUND WORKS
Each Superfund site presents a different
set of complex problems. The same haz-
ardous materials and chemicals often con-
taminate many sites, but the details of each
site are different. Almost always, soil is con-
taminated with one or more chemicals. Their
vapors may taint the air over and around the
site. Contaminants may travel through the soil
and reach underground aquifers which may be
used for drinking water, or they may spread
over the site to contaminate streams, ponds,
and wetlands. The contaminating chemicals
may interact with each other, presenting even
more complicated cleanup problems.
Superfund's cleanup process is arduous and
exacting. It requires the best efforts of hun-
dreds of experts in science and engineering,
public health, administration and manage-
ment, law, and many other fields.
The average NPL site takes from seven to ten
years to work its way through the system,
from discovery to the start of long-term
cleanup. Actual cleanup work can take years,
decades if contaminated groundwater must
be treated. Of course, imminent threats to
public health or the environment are cor-
rected right away.
The diagram to the right presents a simplified
view of the cleanup process. The major steps
in the Superfund process are:
• Site discovery and investigation to iden-
tify contaminants and determine whether
emergency action is required;
• Emergency site work such as removing
contaminants for proper treatment or dis-
posal, and securing the site to keep people
and animals away, if warranted by condi-
tions at the site;
• Site evaluation to determine how people
living and working nearby, and the envi-
ronment, may be exposed to site contami-
nants;
Detailed studies to determine whether con-
ditions are serious enough to add the site to
the National Priorities List of sites eligible
for federally funded cleanup under Super-
fund;
1 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
I he site fact sheets presented in this book
A 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 actioas to
reduce the threats to nearby
residents and the surrounding
environment and the progress
towards cleaning up the site.
SITE NAME
EPA REGION XX
COUNTY NAME
LOCATION
STATE
EPA I0# ABCOOOOOOO
Site Description
Site Responsibility:
NPL Listing History
Threats and Contaminants
Cleanup Approach
Response Action Status
Environmental Progress
Site Repository
:xxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx:
SITE REPOSITORY
Lists the location of the primary site repository. The site
repository may include community relations plans, public
meeting announcements and minutes, fact sheets, press
releases, and other site-related documents.
XII
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THE VOLUME
SITE DESCRIPTION
This section describes the location and history of the site. It includes descrip-
tions of the most recent activities and past actions at the site that have con-
tributed to the contamination. Population estimates, land usages, and nearby
resources give readers background on the local setting surrounding the site.
®
THREATS AND CONTAMINANTS
The major chemical categories of site contamination are noted, as well as
which environmental resources are affected. Icons representing each of the
affected resources (may include air, groundwater, surface water, soil, and
contamination to environmentally sensitive areas) are included in the margins
of this section. Potential threats to residents and the surrounding environ-
ments arising from the site contamination also are described.
CLEANUP APPROACH
This section contains a brief overview of how the site is being cleaned up.
RESPONSE ACTION STATUS
Specific actions that have been accomplished or will be undertaken to clean
up the site are described here. Cleanup activities at NPL sites are divided
into separate phases, depending on the complexity and required actions at the
site. Two major types of cleanup activities often are described: initial,
immediate, or emergency actions to quickly remove or reduce imminent
threats to the community and surrounding areas; and long-term remedial
phases directed at final cleanup at the site. Each stage of the cleanup strategy
is presented in this section of the summary. Icons representing the stage of
the cleanup process (initial actions, site investigations, EPA selection of the
cleanup remedy, engineering design phase, cleanup activities underway, and
completed cleanup) are located in the margin next to each activity descrip-
tion.
SITE FACTS
Additional information on activities and events at the site are included in this
section. Often details on legal or administrative actions taken by the EPA to
achieve site cleanup or other facts pertaining to community involvement with
the site cleanup process are reported here.
XIII
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THE VOLUME
The "icons," or symbols, accompanying the text allow the reader to see at a glance which envi-
ronmental resources are affected and the status of cleanup activities at the site.
Icons in the Threats
and Contaminants
Section
Contaminated Groundwater resources
in the vicinity or underlying the site.
(Groundwater is often used as a drink-
ing water source.)
Contaminated Surface Water and
Sediments on or near the site. (These
include lakes, ponds, streams, and
rivers.)
Contaminated Air in the vicinity of
the site. (Air pollution usually is
periodic and involves contaminated
dust particles or hazardous gas emis-
sions.)
Contaminated Soil and Sludges on or
near the site. (This contamination
category may include bulk or other
surface hazardous wastes found on the
site.)
Threatened or contaminated Environ-
mentally Sensitive Areas in the vicinity
of the site. (Examples include wet-
lands and coastal areas or critical
habitats.)
Icons in the Response
Action Status Section
Initial, Immediate, or Emergency
Actions have been taken or are
underway to eliminate immediate
threats at the site.
Site Studies at the site to determine
the nature and extent of contamination
are planned or underway.
Remedy Selected indicates that site
investigations have been concluded,
and the EPA has selected a final
cleanup remedy for the site or part of
the site.
Remedy Design means that engineers
are preparing specifications and
drawings for the selected cleanup
technologies.
Cleanup Ongoing indicates that the
selected cleanup remedies for the
contaminated site, or part of the site,
currently are underway.
Cleanup Complete shows that all
cleanup goals have been achieved for
the contaminated site or part of the
site.
XIV
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A SUMMARY OF THE STATE PROGRAM
xv
-------
Superfund Activities
in Maine
The State of Maine is located within EPA Region 1, which
includes the six States of New England. The State covers
33,215 square miles. According to the 1990 Census, Maine
experienced a 9 percent increase in population between
1980 and 1990, and is ranked thirty-eighth in U.S.
population with approximately 1,228,000 residents.
The Uncontrolled Hazardous Substance Sites Act of
1983, amended most recently in 1990, grants the State the
authority to make polluters liable for cleanup activities at hazard-
ous waste sites regardless of fault or actual contribution to the hazardous
conditions of the site. While the State prefers to negotiate agreements with
polluters, it does have the authority to conduct cleanup activities itself and recover the
cost of cleanup at a later time if the polluters are unable or unwilling to comply. State
activities are funded by four accounts: the Uncontrolled Sites Fund, the Uncontrolled
Substances Sites Bond Account, the Landfill Closure/Remediation Bond Account; and the Solid
Waste Fund. In addition to the 10 percent contribution required from the State under the Federal
Superfund program, these funds are used to finance site investigations, emergency response
actions, design activities, long-term cleanup actions, and operation and maintenance activities at
Superfund sites. Currently, nine sites in the State of Maine have been listed as final on the NPL.
No new sites have been proposed for listing in 1992.
The Department of Environmental Protection
implements the Superfund Program in the State of Maine
Activities responsible for hazardous
waste contamination in the State of
Maine include:
Waste
Processing Landfills
Facilities
Chemical
Production
Facilities
Salvage
Yards
Federal Facilities
Facts about the nine NPL sites
in Maine:
Immediate Actions (such as removing
hazardous substances or restricting
site access) were performed at eight
sites.
Four sites endanger sensitive environ-
ments.
Seven sites are located near residen-
tial areas.
XVII
March 1992
-------
MAINE
Most Sites Have Multiple Contaminants and
Contaminated Media:
Media Contaminated at Sites
Air
Surface
Water
Sediments
Soil
Ground-
water
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Percentage of Sites
Contaminants Found at Sites
Percentage of Sites
VOCs
Heavy Metals
PCBs
Dioxin
Creosotes
Acids
Petrochemicals/Explosives
Asbestos
100%
78%
22%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
The Potentially Responsible
Party Pays...
In the State of Maine, potentially responsible
parties are paying for or conducting cleanup
activities at four sites.
For Further Information on NFL Sites and Hazardous
Waste Programs in the State of Maine Please Contact:
EPA Region 1 Superfund Community
Relations Section
National Response Center
The Department of Environmental
Protection: Bureau of Oil and
Hazardous Material Control, Division
of Site Investigation and Remediation
EPA Region 1 Superfund Waste
Management Division
EPA Superfund Hotline
For information concerning
community involvement
To report a hazardous
waste emergency
For information about the
State's responsibility in the
Superfund Program
For information about the
Regional Superfund Program
For information about the
Federal Superfund Program
(617)565-2713
(800) 424-8802
(207) 287-2651
(617)573-5707
(800) 424-9068
March 1992
XVIII
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THE NPL REPORT
PROGRESS TO DATE
The following Progress Report lists all
sites currently on, or deleted from, the
NPL and briefly summarizes the status of ac-
tivities for each site at the time this report was
prepared. The steps in the Superfund cleanup
process are arrayed across the top of the chart,
and each site's progress through these steps is
represented by an arrow (^>) indicating the
current stage of cleanup.
Large and complex sites often are organized
into several cleanup stages. For example,
separate cleanup efforts may be required to
address the source of the contamination,
hazardous substances in the groundwater, and
surface water pollution, or to clean up differ-
ent areas of a large site. In such cases, the
chart portrays cleanup progress at the site's
most advanced stage, reflecting the status of
site activities rather than administrative ac-
complishments.
O An arrow in the "Initial Response" cate-
gory indicates that an emergency
cleanup, immediate action, or initial ac-
tion has been completed or currently is
underway. Emergency or initial actions
are taken as an interim measure to pro-
vide immediate relief from exposure to
hazardous site conditions or to stabilize
a site to prevent further contamination.
O A final arrow in the "Site Studies" cat-
egory indicates that an investigation to
determine the nature and extent of the
contamination at the site currently is on-
going or planned.
^> A final arrow in the "Remedy Selection"
category means that the EPA has se-
lected the final cleanup strategy for the
site. At the few sites where the EPA has
determined that initial response actions
have eliminated site contamination, or
that any remaining contamination will
be naturally dispersed without further
cleanup activities, a "No Action" rem-
edy has been selected. In these cases,
the arrows are discontinued at the
"Remedy Selection" step and resume in
the "Construction Complete" category.
^> A final arrow at the "Remedial Design"
stage indicates that engineers currently
are designing the technical specifica-
tions for the selected cleanup remedies
and technologies.
O A final arrow in the "Cleanup Ongoing"
column means that final cleanup actions
have been started at the site and cur-
rently are underway.
^> A final arrow in the "Construction Com-
plete" category is used only when all
phases of the site cleanup plan have
been performed, and the EPA has deter-
mined that no additional construction
actions are required at the site. Some
sites in this category currently may be
undergoing long-term operation and
maintenance or monitoring to ensure
that the cleanup actions continue to pro-
tect human health and the environment.
/ A check in the "Deleted" category indi-
cates that the site cleanup has met all
human health and environmental goals
and that the EPA has deleted the site
from the NPL.
Further information on the activities and
progress at each site is given in the site "Fact
Sheets" published in this volume.
XIX
-------
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March 1992
XX
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BRUNSWICK NAV
AIR STATION
MAINE
EPA ID#ME8170022018
Site Description
EPA REGION 1
Cumberland County
At Routes 24 & 123 in Brunswick
Other Names:
U.S. Navy NAS
The Brunswick Naval Air Station is located in the town of Brunswick. Of the 3,092-acre
Naval Air Station, 14 areas totalling at least 15 acres have been identified as having been
used in the past for the disposal of hazardous wastes. Among the identified site areas, three
were used primarily for the landfilling of the station's household, office, and other wastes.
Three areas were used for the disposal of various acids, caustics, solvents, and building
materials, including asbestos. Three additional areas, including a fire training area, an
ammunition dump, and the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO) facility
have been added to the investigation. Two areas also were identified as containing asbestos.
The various landfills at the site were used from 1945 to 1979. Pesticides, solvents, and waste
oils present on the sites could threaten surface water and nearby wetlands. Approximately
3,000 people live on the base within 1/2 mile of the contaminated areas of the site, and nearly
18,000 people served by the groundwater are potentially threatened. The nearest residence is
within 1,000 feet of the sites. Area surface water is used for recreation, irrigation, and
commercial fishing.
Site Responsibility: The site is being addressed through
Federal actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 10/01/84
Final Date: 07/02/87
Threats and Contaminants
The groundwater is contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and
heavy metals. Soils are contaminated with VOCs, semi-volatile organics, and heavy
metals. The on-site surface water is polluted with heavy metals. Accidental
ingestion of or direct contact with groundwater, surface water, or soil could pose
health hazards to people. The area is restricted to the general public, but base
personnel may come in contact with contamination. Harpswell Cove, a wetland
adjacent to the site, also is subject to potential contamination.
March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
This site is being addressed in four long-term remedial phases focusing on cleanup of discrete
areas of contamination: the Orion Street landfills north and hazardous waste burial area; the
eastern plume; sites 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, and 13; and the Perimeter Road landfill.
Response Action Status
Orion Street Landfills North and Hazardous Waste Burial Area: With
assistance from the EPA, the extent and nature of contamination has been
examined. These studies will be used to help recommend cleanup technologies,
which are scheduled to be selected in 1992. The Navy will take the lead on cleanup.
Eastern Plume: A study of the eastern groundwater contamination plume
currently is underway to recommend cleanup technologies. Interim cleanup actions
are expected to be selected in 1992.
Sites 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, and 13: Investigations are underway to determine the
extent of contamination and to pinpoint cleanup approaches for these areas. The
studies are expected to be completed in 1993.
Perimeter Road Landfill: A study for this area currently is underway to
formulate recommended cleanup technologies, which are scheduled to be selected
in 1993.
Site Facts: The Navy and the EPA have agreed on their cleanup responsibilities under an
Interagency Agreement (IAG). The LAG later was amended to include the State of Maine as
a party to the cleanup. Brunswick Naval Air Station is participating in the Installation
Restoration Program, a specially funded program established by the Department of Defense
(DOD) in 1978 to identify, investigate and control the migration of hazardous contaminants
at military and other DOD facilities.
Environmental Progress
After adding this site to the NPL, the EPA assessed conditions at Brunswick Naval Air
Station and determined that no immediate actions are necessary to protect the public health
or the environment while studies leading to cleanup activities are underway.
Site Repository
Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant Street, Brunswick, ME 04011
March 1992 2 BRUNSWICK NAVAL AIR STATION
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LORING AIR
FORCE BASE
MAINE
EPA ID# ME9570024522
EPA REGION 1
Aroostook County
Northeastern Maine
Other Names:
Fire Training Area
US Air Force Loring AFB
Fllghtline Area
Site Description
The 9,000-acre Loring Air Force Base has operated as an active military installation since
1952. Hazardous wastes generated on the base include waste oils, fuels cleaned from aircraft
and vehicles, spent solvents (many of them chlorinated organic chemicals), polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides. Historically, wastes have been burned or buried in landfills.
There are on-site landfills, some of which are old gravel pits. Landfills #2 and #3 were used
for disposal of hazardous wastes from 1956 to the early 1980s. In the Fire Department
Training Area, large quantities of hazardous materials were landfilled until 1968 and burned
until 1974. The 600-acre Flightline and Nose Dock Areas, with their industrial shops and
maintenance hangars, were primary generators of hazardous waste on the base; most wastes
were disposed of off site, although some probably were disposed of on the ground, on
concrete, or in the storm and sewer drains. The site is located in a rural area. The population
on the Air Force base within 1 mile of the site is 8,500. A 3,500-foot channelized portion of a
tributary to the east Branch of Greenlaw Brook receives storm water runoff from the
Flightline Area and the Nose Dock Area, where fuels were handled. An estimated 1,200
people obtain drinking water from wells within 3 miles of hazardous substances on the base;
the nearest well is less than 500 feet from where transformers were buried. Surface water
within 3 miles downstream of the site is used for recreational activities.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through
Federal actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 07/14/89
Final Date: 02/21/90
March 1992
-------
Threats and Contaminants
m
Monitoring well tests indicated that the groundwater on the base is contaminated
with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as methylene chloride,
trichloroethylene (TCE), and carbon tetrachloride and heavy metals including
barium. Soils in the Flightline and Nose Dock Areas contain significant amounts of
fuel, oil, and various VOCs. Surface water and sediment in the Flightline Drainage
Ditch are contaminated with VOCs and heavy metals such as iron. People on the
base are potentially threatened by direct contact with hazardous substances at the
landfills and burn pit because the pit is inadequately fenced. Other potential
threats to the public include accidental ingestion of and direct contact with
contaminated soils and water. A freshwater wetland is threatened by
contamination.
Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in six stages: initial actions and five long-term remedial phases
focusing on cleanup of the most critical areas, including the nose dock area, the fire training
area, the landfills, the flightline drainage ditch, and the remainder of the site.
Response Action Status
Initial Actions: The Air Force removed contaminated soils from the Flightline
Drainage Ditch area, as well as tanks near the power plant to reduce the spread
of contamination.
Nose Dock Area: The Air Force currently is investigating the nature and extent
of contamination in the Nose Dock Area. A decision on cleanup activities is
expected in 1994.
Fire Training Area: An additional investigation into the contamination of the fire
training area began in 1988. The investigation will define the contaminants and will
recommend alternatives for the final cleanup of the area.
Landfills: The Air Force began conducting an investigation of the contamination
associated with Landfills #1, #2, and #3 in 1988. The investigation will define the
contaminants and will recommend alternatives for the final cleanup scheduled for
Flightline Drainage Ditch: An investigation into the contamination in the
flightline drainage ditch area began in the late 1980s. The investigation will
determine the various contaminants and will recommend alternatives for cleaning
up this area.
March 1992 4 LORING AIR FORCE BASE
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Remainder of the Site: An investigation into the contamination at 15 additional
areas within the site began in 1989. At the conclusion of these studies, the Air
Force, in conjunction with the EPA and the State, will recommend the best
remedies for the final cleanup of the sites. These areas will be broken into separate cleanup
phases as the site studies proceed.
Site Facts: An Interagency agreement was signed in 1991 between the EPA, the Air Force,
and the State of Maine. Loring Air Force Base is participating in the Installation Restoration
Program, a specially funded program established by the Department of Defense (DOD) in
1978 to identify, investigate, and control the migration of hazardous contaminants at military
and other DOD facilities. Loring Air Force Base has been selected for closure in 1994 by the
DOD, but the Air Force will continue its program to clean up the hazardous wastes found on
the Base.
Environmental Progress
Following the listing of this site on the NPL, the EPA completed a site assessment and
determined that it presently poses no immediate threat to public health or the environment.
Soil and tank removals have been conducted to limit further contamination and maintain site
safety while the Air Force is continuing investigations to identify final cleanup actions.
Site Repository
Robert A. Frost Memorial Library, 238 Main Street, Limestone, ME 04750
LORING AIR FORCE BASE
March 1992
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MCKIN COMPAN
MAINE
EPA ID# MED980524078
EPA REGION 1
Cumberland County
Mayall Road, 1 mile east of the
Town of Gray
Site Description
The McKin Company operated a waste collection, transfer, and disposal facility on a portion
of this 7-acre site between 1965 and 1978. The facility is located in a rural residential area
about 1 mile east of the center of the Town of Gray. The site formerly was operated as a
sand and gravel pit that had been excavated to depths of 6 to 20 feet below the land surface.
The operation was constructed for waste generated when a Norwegian tanker ran aground on
a ledge in Hussey Sound, spilling 100,000 gallons of industrial fuel. In addition, the plant
handled and disposed of a mixture of solvents, oils, and other chemicals. Approximately
100,000 to 200,000 gallons of waste are thought to have been processed annually. Operating
facilities included an incinerator, a concrete block building, an asphalt-lined lagoon, and
storage and fuel tanks. Wastes also may have been disposed by spreading them over the
ground surface. As early as 1973, residents of East Gray reported odors in well water and
discoloration of laundry. In 1977, the EPA confirmed that contaminated groundwater had
reached many of the local private wells. These water supplies were capped, and the Farmers
Home Administration trucked in water supplies. The public water system was extended to the
affected area in 1978, and all residents were connected to it. Approximately 300 people live
within a 1/2-mile radius of the site. The nearest residence is 300 feet northeast of the
property.
Site Responsibility:
The site is being addressed through a
combination of Federal, State, and
potentially responsible parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 12/01/82
Final Date: 09/01/83
Threats and Contaminants
The groundwater is contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
including trichloroethane and trichloroethylene (TCE). The soil was contaminated
with VOCs, petrochemicals, and heavy metals including arsenic, lead, and mercury.
Off-site surface water and groundwater also are contaminated with VOCs. There
is no known current exposure of residents to the groundwater, since all residents
are connected to the public water supply. Potential threats exist from contaminated
groundwater discharges to the surface springs (Boiling Springs) located nearby;
however, the ongoing groundwater treatment at the site is addressing this potential
threat to Boiling Springs.
March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in three stages: initial actions and two long-term remedial phases
focusing on soil cleanup and groundwater treatment.
Response Action Status
Initial Actions: In 1979, the State removed 33,500 gallons of wastes and 165 drums
of oils and chemicals. From 1985 to 1987, the parties potentially responsible for the
site contamination removed 55-gallon drums from the site. A fence surrounding the
process area facilities was repaired, and a similar fence was installed across the front of the
facility to prevent unauthorized access. Monitoring wells also were installed. Other actions
included cleaning the tanks, transporting the empty tanks off site for salvage, and transporting
liquids and sludges off site for disposal. The State cleaned and removed all of the remaining
aboveground tanks in 1985.
Soil: The remedies selected by the EPA for soil contamination included aeration of
the soil and disposal off site of 16 drums. All of the selected cleanup remedies were
performed by the potentially responsible parties and were completed in 1987. Thermal
soil aeration reduced contaminant levels in 12,000 cubic yards of soils to safe levels.
Groundwater: The remedies selected by the EPA for the cleanup of the
groundwater included: (1) installing a groundwater extraction, treatment, and
discharge system; (2) groundwater and surface water monitoring to evaluate the
effectiveness of the contamination source control and off-site groundwater programs; and (3)
closing down the site by demolishing buildings, clearing debris, draining and filling in the lagoon,
removing drums and other contaminated materials, fencing the site, and covering the site with
soil and vegetation. The cleanup began in 1990 by the potentially responsible parties under EPA
oversight. The site closure activities and construction of the treatment system have been
completed. Currently, groundwater is being extracted and treated to remove contaminants.
Treatment will continue for at least five years, at which time contaminant levels will be
reevaluated to determine if established goals have been met. The potentially responsible parties
have completed additional studies of an area east of the lagoon, where groundwater
contamination was discovered, to determine if the groundwater treatment system needs to be
expanded in this area. The studies included geophysical surveys and monitoring well installation.
The evaluation of data from these studies is scheduled to be completed in mid-1993.
Site Facts: In 1988, the EPA and the State finalized an agreement with over 320 potentially
responsible parties to carry out the cleanup plan.
MCKIN COMPANY 7 March 1992
-------
Environmental Progress
All construction activities at the McKin Company site have been completed. Groundwater
treatment will continue until established cleanup goals have been met. Soil contamination levels
have been reduced to established cleanup standards.
Site Repository
Gray Public Library, 5 Skilling Street, Gray, ME 04039
March 1992
MCKIN COMPANY
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O'CONNOR
COMPANY
MAINE
EPAID#MED980731475
EPA REGION 1
Kennebec County
Along U.S. Route 17 in Augusta
Site Description
The O'Connor Company site occupies approximately 9 acres within a 65-acre area. The site
includes a large barn that formerly housed scrap operations, an upland marsh, two lagoons,
three former transformer work areas, and a former scrap area where the company stored and
discarded rubbish. The site is bordered by private properties and residences, woodlands, a
small poultry farm, the west branch of Riggs Brook, and its associated wetlands. In the 1950s,
the company began operating a salvage and electrical transformer recycling business at the
site. Operations included stripping and recycling transformers containing polychlorinated
biphenyl (PCB)-laden oil. In 1972, an oil spill at the site was found to have migrated towards
Riggs Brook. Later that year, at the request of the State, the company began containing all
transformer fluids found on the site in an aboveground storage tank to prevent future spills.
When high levels of PCBs were found in the soils during sampling by the State in 1976, the
company was instructed to construct two lagoons to control further migration of oils from the
site. The upper lagoon, constructed with a concrete retaining wall and a discharge system, and
a lower lagoon, constructed with a horizontal pipe discharge system and an earthen berm,
were installed. To reclaim the lagoon areas, the company pumped water from the lagoons
into several on-site storage tanks and excavated the lagoon sediments. These sediments were
deposited into a low area and were covered by approximately 1 foot of clay soil. This created
a barrier for natural surface water drainage from the site to Riggs Brook and resulted in the
formation of a marsh behind the on-site barn. Approximately 50 people live within a 1/4-mile
radius of the site. The distance from the site to the nearest residence is less than 500 feet.
Site Responsibility:
This site is being addressed through
Federal and potentially responsible
parties' actions.
NPL USTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 12/30/82
Final Date: 09/08/83
March 1992
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Threats and Contaminants
The groundwater on site is contaminated with PCBs and the volatile organic
compound, dichlorobenzene. The soil on site is contaminated with PCBs, lead, and
various carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Standing surface
water on the site has been shown to be contaminated with PCBs, aluminum, and
lead. People who trespass on the site would be threatened by coming in direct
contact with or accidentally ingesting contaminants in soils, sediments,
groundwater, or surface water. In addition, eating fish, waterfowl, livestock, or
plants that may have become contaminated would pose a threat to people. The
site currently is surrounded by a chain-link fence and is posted with appropriate
warning signs.
Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in two stages: immediate actions and a long-term remedial phase
focusing on cleanup of the entire site.
Response Action Status
Immediate Actions: The O'Connor Company constructed a fence around the
property and posted warning signs along approximately 5 acres of the site in 1984.
The owner also sampled and analyzed the contents of all drums and storage tanks
on the site and removed them. In 1987, Central Maine Power extended the fence to areas
where additional contamination was found and removed additional contaminated material
from the site.
Entire Site: The remedies selected by the EPA to be performed by the parties
potentially responsible for the site contamination include pumping 150,000 to
195,000 gallons of surface water from the upper and lower lagoons and marsh and
removing it to an EPA-approved off-site treatment facility, and treating 23,500 cubic yards of
contaminated soils and sediments using solvents to extract contaminants. The contaminated
liquid from this process will be incinerated off site. The residues that contain high levels of
lead will be treated by solidifying the material and removing it. The site will be restored by
backfilling, and the potentially responsible parties will establish wetlands to replace those lost.
Groundwater will be collected, filtered, and treated to contain or remove the contaminants.
The potentially responsible parties are conducting the design activities, which involve
treatability studies and aquifer testing. The actual cleanup is will begin when the design
activities are completed, expected in late 1994.
March 1992 10 O'CONNOR COMPANY
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Site Facts: In 1984, the EPA issued an Administrative Order to the O'Connor Company,
requiring construction of a fence, posting of warning signs, and analysis of the contents of all
drums and storage tanks found on the site. In 1986, the EPA issued an Administrative Order
to the company and Central Maine Power to conduct an investigation into the type and
extent of contamination at the site and to identify alternatives for site cleanup. In 1986, the
State also issued Orders to the potentially responsible parties, requiring the removal of the
hazardous substances present in tanks and containers at the site. In 1987, the EPA and the
State issued a joint Administrative Order to O'Connor and Central Maine Power to
investigate the nature and extent of contamination and to identify alternatives for cleanup,
also to extend the existing 5-acre fence to cover an additional 4 acres. In 1990, the EPA and
Central Maine Power signed a Consent Decree for the design of the cleanup and the cleanup
itself.
Environmental Progress
The construction of a fence that limits access to the contaminated areas of the site and the
removal of drums and storage tanks have reduced the exposure potential at the O'Connor
Company site. The implementation of the cleanup remedies selected by the EPA will further
reduce site contamination, making the site safer as cleanup actions progress.
Site Repository
Lithgow Public Library, Winthrop Street, Augusta, ME 04330
O'CONNOR COMPANY
11
March 1992
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PINETTE'S
SALVAGE YARD
MAINE
EPA ID# MED980732291
Site Description
EPA REGION 1
Aroostook County
1 mile southwest of Washburn
Pinette's Salvage Yard covers 12 acres and consists of a vehicle repair and salvage yard. In
1979, three electrical transformers were removed from Loring Air Force Base by a private
electrical contractor and brought to the site, where they ruptured while being moved from the
delivery vehicle. Approximately 900 to 1,000 gallons of dielectrical fluids containing
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) spilled directly onto the ground. The oil migrated through
the soil and may have contaminated groundwater and surface water. Land surrounding the
yard is used for residential, general industrial, and agricultural purposes. The nearest
population center is located approximately 1 mile northeast of the site. There are
approximately 15 people living within a 1/2-mile radius of the site. The distance to the nearest
residence is about 250 feet from the spill area. An undeveloped forest and wetlands area also
is adjacent to the site. The Aroostook River, a major waterway in Northern Maine, is located
approximately 1,500 feet from the site. The water supply for the eight to ten residences
located within a 1/2-mile radius is obtained from private wells located in the deep bedrock
aquifer below the site. Municipal wells, used to supply the drinking water to local residents,
are located a mile from the site.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through
Federal actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 12/01/82
Final Date: 09/01/83
Threats and Contaminants
The on-site groundwater and soil are contaminated with PCBs and volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) including benzene and chloromethane. People who
accidentally ingest or come in direct contact with the soil may be exposed to
contaminants. Inhalation of contaminated dusts released from the site also is a
threat. Current use of groundwater does not pose a threat because the wells are
located upgradient of the site.
12
March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in three stages: emergency actions and two long-term remedial
phases focusing on the source control and groundwater cleanup.
Response Action Status
Emergency Actions: In 1983, the EPA excavated 800 cubic yards of
PCB-contaminated soil and transported it to an approved disposal facility.
Source Control: The remedy selected by the EPA to control the source of
contamination at the site includes off-site incineration of PCB-contaminated soil
and on-site solvent extraction of an additional 1,700 to 1,900 cubic yards of
contaminated soil. During the first year of cleanup activities in 1991, 410 cubic yards of highly
contaminated soil were excavated and incinerated off-site. The cleanup is underway and is
expected to be completed in late 1992.
Qroundwater: The remedy selected by the EPA to clean up groundwater
includes installation of a groundwater collection system, and treatment of the
groundwater by first pumping it through a granular filter to remove the
contaminants, followed by carbon adsorption to remove the organic contaminants. The EPA
is preparing the technical specifications and design for the cleanup. Preparations included
residential well sampling, which was conducted in 1990 and 1991. Cleanup activities are
expected to begin in early 1993 once the design activities and source control cleanup are
completed.
Environmental Progress
Removal and treatment of PCB-contaminated soil has reduced the potential of exposure to
hazardous substances at the site, making the Pinette's Salvage Yard area safer while
additional cleanup activities are underway.
Site Repository
Washburn Town Office, Main Street, Washburn, ME 04286
PINETTE'S SALVAGE YARD 13 March 1992
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Site Description
SACO MUNICIPAL -A, EPAYREGION 1
\- :-^\t CH York County
LANDFILL l^vn
MAINE
EPA ID# MED980504393
The Saco Municipal Landfill covers approximately 90 acres and has been owned and operated
by the City of Saco since 1960. The site consists of four distinct disposal areas. Area 1 is a
closed and capped municipal dump that was used for open burning of household and
industrial waste; Area 2 is an inactive industrial dump that accepted bulk and demolition
debris; Area 3 is a relatively small area of about 1 acre in which wastes such as tires and
leather and rubber scraps from local industries were dumped. This uncovered area is located
on the outside of the service road that circles Area 4. Area 4 is a recently closed landfill that
accepted household waste and tannery sludge containing chromium and other heavy metals,
as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The sludge was placed in unlined trenches,
often directly in contact with groundwater. Area 2 has a leachate collection system, but there
is no evidence of liners or leachate systems in other disposal areas. The population within a
3-mile radius is 32,000. Approximately 130 people live within a mile of the site. Water and
sediment in Sandy Brook, which flows through the site, and groundwater beneath the site
have shown elevated levels of various metals and organics. Approximately 700 people obtain
drinking water from wells within 3 miles of the landfill. In 1975, the Biddeford and Saco
Water Company extended water lines along Jenkins Road and Route 112.
Site Responsibility: The site is being addressed through NPL LISTING HISTORY
Federal, State, and municipal actions.
Proposed Date: 06/15/88
Final Date: 02/21/90
Threats and Contaminants
Wastes produced by local industries may be the source of contaminants in the
groundwater, surface water, and sediments in the Saco Landfill site. Industries in
the area produce leather goods, plastics, vinyl stripping, machine parts, textiles,
foam products, and finishes. Typical wastes from these industries include heavy
metals, chromium, solvents, dyes, polymers, and phthalates. The groundwater
contains elevated levels of heavy metals including iron, manganese, and toluene.
Sandy Brook has been shown to be contaminated with elevated levels of heavy
metals and VOCs. The site is only partially fenced, making it possible for people
and animals to come into direct contact with hazardous substances. People who
come in direct contact with or accidentally ingest contaminated groundwater,
surface water, or sediments may be at risk. Surface waters in Sandy Brook also can
transport contamination off site.
14 March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in two stages: initial actions and a long-term remedial phase
focusing on cleanup of the entire site.
Response Action Status
Initial Actions: The City of Saco, in conjunction with the Maine Department of
Environmental Protection (MEDEP) and the EPA, began procedures to remove
and dispose of the wastes from Area 3 in mid-1991. These wastes are not
hazardous and include leather and rubber scraps from local industry. MEDEP is overseeing
removal to ensure that no hazardous substances are discovered or disposed of.
Entire Site: The parties potentially responsible for contamination at the site will
conduct an investigation into the nature and extent of the contamination. The
investigation will also recommend alternatives for the final cleanup. The
investigation is planned to start in 1994.
Environmental Progress
The EPA assessed conditions at the Saco Municipal Landfill and determined that the actions
currently being taken are sufficient to ensure that immediate threats to human health and the
environment are controlled. Some intermediate actions may be deemed necessary while
awaiting the results of the investigation for the final cleanup alternatives.
Site Repository
City Hall, 300 Main Street, Saco, ME 04072
SACO MUNICIPAL LANDFILL
15
March 1992
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SACO TANNERY
WASTE PITS
MAINE
EPA ID# MED980520241
Site Description
EPA REGION 1
York County
Saco
The Saco Tannery Waste Pits site covers 233 acres and was operated from 1959 until 1981,
when the Saco Tannery Corporation filed for bankruptcy and stopped site operations. The
site was used as a disposal area for process wastes such as chromium sludges, acid wastes,
methylene chloride, and caustic substances. More than 23 million gallons of wastes were
deposited in two lagoons and 53 disposal pits. Several types of wastes were deposited in
Chromium Lagoon 1 until 1968. Waste streams were separated, and Chromium Lagoon 2 was
constructed in 1969 only for chromium and solid wastes. Smaller pits were constructed for
acid wastes from the grease-rendering fleshing process and for caustic wastes from the patent
leather process. The site is bordered by the Maine Turnpike, Flag Pond Road, residential
property on Hearn Road, and the Scarborough town line. Access to the site is controlled by a
fence along the Maine Turnpike and Flag Pond Road, with a locking gate at the entrance on
Flag Pond Road. Groundwater is the source of drinking water for residents located south and
west of the site. Approximately 20 residences are located within 1,000 feet of the site and
2,600 people live within a 3-mile radius of the site. Because the area is heavily wooded and is
inhabited by a variety of wildlife, it is frequently used by hunters. The site is also used by
snowmobilers in the winter.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through
Federal and State actions.
Threats and Contaminants
NPL USTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 12/01/82
Final Date: 09/01/83
Groundwater is contaminated with heavy metals including chromium, arsenic and
lead. Sediments are contaminated with antimony and heavy metals. The soil is
contaminated with antimony, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and heavy
metals. Trespassers who come in direct contact with or accidentally ingest
contaminated groundwater, soil, or sediment may be at risk. The surrounding
wildlife may be at risk from the contamination, as well as the wetlands, which
cover a large portion of the site.
16
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, the EPA removed corrosive liquid from three acid
pits and disposed of it at an approved facility. The EPA also neutralized the
remaining sludge in the three pits with lime, covered them with caps, and erected
a fence across the access road to the property.
Entire Site: The EPA and the State of Maine conducted studies into the
contamination at the site. The preferred remedy for site cleanup includes:
covering waste in disposal pits and lagoons with geotextile fabrics and 4 to 6 feet
of soil; monitoring the groundwater to detect any continued contamination; and designating
the area as a permanent conservation zone to be protected by the State of Maine. Treatment
alternatives for the waste materials will be used should contamination continue to affect
groundwater. Institutional controls to limit the use of land and groundwater were put into
effect in late 1991. Treatment alternatives for the waste materials were not considered
necessary at that point in time. The cleanup design is scheduled to be completed in late 1992.
Environmental Progress
The removal of liquid wastes, the neutralization of sludges, the capping of three pits, and
institutional controls have greatly reduced the potential of exposure to hazardous substances
surrounding the acid pit areas, and protected the public health and the environment. The
Saco Tannery site does not pose an immediate threat while further cleanup activities are
planned.
Site Repository
Dyer Library, 371 Main Street, Saco, ME 04072
SACO TANNERY WASTE PITS 17 March 1992
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UNION CHEMIC
COMPANY, IN
MAINE
EPA ID# MED042143883
Site Description
EPA REGION 1
Knox County
Along the south side of
Route 17, west of South Hope
The Union Chemical Company, Inc. site is located on approximately 12 acres and began
operations in 1967 as a formulator of paint and coating strippers. In 1969, the company
expanded its operations and began handling and recovering petrochemical-based solvents. In
1979, as part of the recovery process, the company added a fluidized bed incinerator to burn
contaminated sludges, still bottoms, and other undetermined hazardous wastes. Some of these
types of waste were burned in an on-site boiler that provided heat and operating power to
the facility. Between 1979 and 1984, the plant was cited by the State for deficiencies or
violations of several operating licenses. The State closed the waste treatment operations in
1984, at which time approximately 2,000 drums and 30 liquid storage tanks containing
hazardous waste were stored on the site. The on-site soil and groundwater contamination
resulted from improper handling and operating practices such as leaking stored drums, spills,
use of a septic tank and a leachfield for disposal of process wastewater, and could also be
attributed to past disposal methods. There are approximately 200 people living within a
1/2-mile radius of the site. These residents depend on groundwater for domestic use. The site
is bounded by Quiggle Brook and is partially in the 100-year flood plain. Grassy Pond is less
than a mile east of the site and is an alternate drinking water source serving approximately
22,800 people in the towns of Camden, Rockport, Rockland, and Thomaston.
Site Responsibility: The site is being addressed through
Federal, State, and potentially
responsible parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 04/01/85
Final Date: 10/04/89
Threats and Contaminants
Buildings and other plant facilities contain heavy metals, dioxins, and asbestos.
Approximately 2 1/2 acres of the site are fenced and contain the former processing
buildings, two aboveground storage tanks, a former drum storage area, and
incinerator facilities. The on-site groundwater and soils are contaminated with
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including toluene, xylenes and others. Off-site
surface water contamination has occurred through discharges of contaminated
process wastewater into the adjacent Quiggle Brook and possibly through natural
discharge of contaminated groundwater into the brook. People who come into
direct contact with or accidentally ingest contaminated groundwater could be at
risk.
18
March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in two stages: immediate actions and a long-term remedial phase
focusing on cleanup of the entire site.
Response Action Status
Immediate Actions: In 1984, the State and the EPA collectively removed all
surface drums, over 100,000 gallons of liquid wastes and sludges from
aboveground storage tanks, and some contaminated soil from the site.
Entire Site: Based on investigations of the site, the EPA selected the following
remedies in 1990: soil excavation and on-site low-temperature soil aeration
treatment; vacuum-enhanced groundwater extraction, on-site groundwater
treatment, and on-site discharge of treated groundwater into Quiggle Brook; facilities
decontamination and demolition, and off-site disposal of debris; and further monitoring and
analysis of off-site soils to determine whether contamination is present as a result of past
Union Chemical Company, Inc. operations. Throughout all phases of the data collection and
analysis effort, the EPA will determine if additional cleanup actions are required. The design
for these remedies began in late 1991 and is scheduled to be completed in early 1994.
Site Facts: In 1987 and 1988, the EPA, the State, and 288 parties potentially responsible for
contamination at the site entered into two Administrative Orders. In these Orders, the parties
agreed to conduct an investigation to examine the possible cleanup alternatives and have
reimbursed the EPA and the State for approximately 80 percent of past cleanup costs. In
1989, the EPA entered into a Consent Decree with nine additional potentially responsible
parties where the parties agreed to reimburse the EPA for additional incurred past costs and
certain litigation costs. In 1991, the EPA entered into a Consent Decree with the past
owner/operator for reimbursement of additional EPA past costs and for a Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Administrative Order violation from 1987. Also in
1991, the EPA filed three separate Consent Decrees with three potentially responsible parties
for violations. A Consent Decree between EPA, the State and 60 potentially responsible
parties was issued in 1991 formalizing an agreement for the parties to support site cleanup. In
January 1992, EPA, the State and 270 potentially responsible parties formalized a settlement
agreement.
Environmental Progress
The removal of contaminated drums, tanks, and soil has reduced the potential for exposure
to contamination at the Union Chemical Company, Inc. site while it awaits implementation of
the final cleanup remedies selected by the EPA.
UNION CHEMICAL COMPANY, INC. 19 March 1992
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Site Repository
Hope Town Office, Route 105, Hope, ME 04847
March 1992 20 UNION CHEMICAL COMPANY, INC.
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WINTHROP
LANDFILL
MAINE
EPA ID# MED980504435
EPA REGION 1
Kennebec County
Winthrop
Site Description
The Winthrop Landfill is a 13-acre site located along the western shore of Lake
Annabessacook and consists of two adjacent properties, the Winthrop Town Landfill and the
privately owned Savage Landfill. The site initially was used in the 1920s as a sand and gravel
pit. In the 1930s, parts of the site received municipal, commercial, and industrial wastes. The
site accepted hazardous substances between the early 1950s and mid-1970s. It is estimated
that over 3 million gallons of chemical wastes, mostly complex organic compounds including
resins, plasticizers, solvents, and other process chemicals, were disposed of at the site. Late in
1979, the town attempted to expand the landfill, but this revealed numerous rusting and
leaking barrels. The town decided to close the landfill and construct a transfer station on the
site. The Savage Landfill contracted to accept municipal solid waste and debris from two
small neighboring towns and also accepted wastes from Winthrop to extend the life of the
town landfill. Wastes were openly burned until 1972, and landfilling occurred from 1972 until
1982. There are 63 residences within 1/2 mile of the site. Wetlands are located near the site,
and Lake Annabessacook is used for recreational purposes.
Site Responsibility:
The site is being addressed through
Federal, municipal, and potentially
responsible parties' actions.
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 10/01/81
Final Date: 09/01/83
Threats and Contaminants
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the landfill were found to be migrating
off site in the groundwater. The soil has been contaminated from drums containing
inorganic and organic chemicals and municipal wastes. Potential risks exist if
contaminated soil or groundwater is accidentally ingested. The area is fenced to
protect against direct contact with contamination. Wetlands located near the site
are potentially at risk from site contamination.
21
March 1992
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Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in three stages: immediate actions and two long-term remedial
phases focusing on cleanup of the entire site and groundwater treatment.
Response Action Status
Immediate Actions: The potentially responsible parties and the Town of
Winthrop have extended the town water supply to residents previously on well
water drawn from a contaminated aquifer below the landfill.
Entire Site: An impermeable clay cover has been constructed over the landfill to
contain the landfilled wastes, thereby reducing the quantity of contaminated
leachate entering the groundwater. A fence has been placed around the landfill to
protect against direct contact with the site, and deed restrictions have been imposed
prohibiting use of the landfill for activities other than the cleanup actions and prohibiting
excavation in the area of the landfill. Cleanup activities are scheduled for completion in 1992.
Long-term monitoring of groundwater, surface water, and sediments is ongoing on a quarterly
basis.
Groundwater and Surface Water Treatment: Engineering design work
consisting of geologic, hydrogeologic, and treatment alternatives studies was
conducted by the potentially responsible parties. The studies provided data
supporting the need to construct a treatment system. The studies were completed in early
1992. The parties potentially responsible for the contamination will install an extraction
system to treat and eliminate groundwater and surface water contamination if cleanup criteria
are exceeded. The EPA and the state of Maine will make a decision regarding the necessity
of such an extraction system by late 1992.
Site Facts: A Consent Decree ordering the above actions was signed by the EPA and the
potentially responsible parties and filed with the U.S. District Court in 1986.
Environmental Progress
The provision of an alternative water supply to affected residences in the area of the
Winthrop Landfill and the installation of a fence to restrict site access have eliminated the
threat of direct contact with contaminants at the site while it awaits further cleanup activities.
March 1992 22 WINTHROP LANDFILL
-------
Site Repository
Charles M. Baily Public Library, Bowdin Street, Winthrop, ME 04364
WINTHROP LANDFILL
23
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
-------
GLOSSARY
Dike: A low wall that can act as a barrier to
prevent a spill from spreading.
Dioxin: An organic chemical by-product of
pesticide manufacture which is known to be one
of the most toxic man-made chemicals.
Disposal: Final placement or destruction of
toxic, radioactive, or other wastes; surplus or
banned pesticides or other chemicals; polluted
soils; and drums containing hazardous materials.
Disposal may be accomplished through the use
of approved secure landfills, surface impound-
ments, land farming, deep well injection, or
incineration.
Downgradient: A downward hydrologic
slope that causes groundwater to move toward
lower elevations. Therefore, wells downgradi-
ent of a contaminated groundwater source are
prone to receiving pollutants.
Ecological Assessment: A study of the
impact of man-made or natural activity on living
creatures and their environment
Effluent: Wastewater, treated or untreated,
that flows out of a treatment plant, sewer, or
industrial outfall. Generally refers to wastes
discharged into surface waters.
Emission: Pollution discharged into the
atmosphere from smokestacks, other vents, and
surface areas of commercial or industrial facili-
ties.
Emulsifiers: Substances that help in mixing
materials that do not normally mix; e.g., oil and
water.
Endangerment Assessment: A study
conducted to determine the risks posed to public
health or the environment by contamination at
NPL sites. The EPA or the State conducts the
study when a legal action is to be taken to direct
the potentially responsible parties to clean up a
site or pay for the cleanup. An endangerment
assessment supplements an investigation of the
site hazards.
Enforcement: EPA, State, or local legal
actions taken against parties to facilitate
settlements; to compel compliance with laws,
rules, regulations, or agreements; or to obtain
penalties or criminal sanctions for violations.
Enforcement procedures may vary, depending
on the specific requirements of different
environmental laws and related regulatory
requirements. Under CERCLA, for example,
the EPA will seek to require potentially
responsible parties to clean up a Superfund
site or pay for the cleanup [see Cost Recov-
ery].
Erosion: The wearing away of land surface
by wind or water. Erosion occurs naturally
from weather or surface runoff, but can be
intensified by such land-related practices as
farming, residential or industrial develop-
ment, road building, or timber-cutting. Ero-
sion may spread surface contamination to off-
site locations.
Estuary (estuarine): Areas where fresh
water from rivers and salt water from
nearshore ocean waters are mixed. These
areas may include bays, mouths of rivers, salt
marshes, and lagoons. These water ecosys-
tems shelter and feed marine life, birds, and
wildlife.
Evaporation Ponds: Areas where sewage
sludge or other watery wastes are dumped and
allowed to dry out.
Feasibility Study: The analysis of the
potential cleanup alternatives for a site. The
feasibility study usually starts as soon as the
remedial investigation is underway. In this
volume, the feasibility study is referred to as a
site study [see also Remedial Investigation].
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, watei vapoi, 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.
Over packing: Process used for isolating
large volumes of waste by jacketing or encap-
sulating waste to prevent further spread or
leakage of contaminating materials. Leaking
drums may be contained within oversized
barrels as an interim measure prior to removal
and final disposal.
Pentachlorophenol (PCP): A synthetic,
modified petrochemical that may be used as a
wood preservative because of its toxicity to
termites and fungi. It is a common component
of creosotes and can cause cancer.
Perched (groundwater): Groundwater
separated from another underlying body of
groundwater by a confining layer, often clay or
rock.
Percolation: The downward flow or filtering
of water or other liquids through subsurface
rock or soil layers, usually continuing down-
ward to groundwater.
Pesticide: A substance or mixture of sub-
stances intended to prevent, destroy, or repel any
pest. If misused, pesticides can accumulate in
the foodchain and contaminate the environment.
Petrochemicals: Chemical substances
produced from petroleum in refinery operations
and as fuel oil residues. These include
fluoranthene, chrysene, mineral spirits, and
refined oils. Petrochemicals are the bases from
which volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
plastics, and many pesticides are made. These
chemical substances often are toxic to humans
and the environment.
Phenols: Organic compounds that are used in
plastics manufacturing and are by-products of
petroleum refining, tanning, textile, dye, and
resin manufacturing. Phenols are highly poison-
ous.
Physical Chemical Separation: The
treatment process of adding a chemical to a
substance to separate the compounds for further
treatment or disposal.
Pilot Testing: A small-scale test of a pro-
posed treatment system in the field to determine
its ability to clean up specific contaminants.
Plugging: The process of stopping the flow of
water, oil, or gas into or out of the ground
through a borehole or well penetrating the
ground.
Plume: A body of contaminated groundwater
flowing from a specific source. The movement
of the groundwater is influenced by such factors
as local groundwater flow patterns, the character
of the aquifer in which groundwater is con-
tained, and the density of contaminants [see
Migration].
Pollution: Generally, the presence of matter
or energy whose nature, location, or quantity
produces undesired health or environmental
effects.
G-9
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GLOSSARY
Poly cyclic 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.
G-10
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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 Melafs
Volatile
Compounds
Creosotes
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.O.:1993-341-835:81016
G-15
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