United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of
Emergency and
Remedial Response
EPA/ROD/R05-84/028
February 1984
SEPA
Superfund
Record of Decision
Forest Waste, Ml (IBM)
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TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
(Pletlse fetid Instructions on the revene before com"leting)
1. REPORT NO. \2. 3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSION NO.
'?A/ROD/R05- 84/02 8
'LE AND SUBTITLE 5. REPORT DATE
~UPERFUND RECORD OF DECISION Februarv 29 1984
FOREST WASTE, MI (IRM) - ACTION MEMORANDUM 6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
7. AUTHORCSI 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO.
9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS 10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO.
11. CONTRACTfGRANT NO.
12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS 13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Final ROD Report
401 M Street, S.W. 1.. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE
Washington, D.C. 20460 800/00
15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
US. ABSTRACT
Forest Waste Disposal is located on a 112-acre tract of land, in a rural, residential
area in the southeast quarter of Forest Township, Genesee County, Michigan. This loca-
tion is approximately 12 miles northeast of Flint, and approximately 2 miles northwest Of
fohe city of Otisville. Forest Waste Disposal is a closed, IS-acre landfill which was
-:ensed from 1972 to 1978 to accept general refuse and industrial wastes. During the
lrse of operations, the facility accepted a variety of industrial wastes, including
,to'.1.ating wastes, paint sludges, and waste oils. The facility also accepted PBB and PCB-
contaminated wastes, refuse from a chemical warehouse fire, and unidentified barrels
from Berlin and Farro hazardous waste site in Swartz Creek, Michigan. Although the
. landfill was permitted by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to accept most of
these wastes, the facility was run in a haphazard manner. County Health Department
"ecords on the site state that trenches were dug randomly, industrial wastes were buried
with general refuse, and liquid wastes were discharged into the landfill and onto the
ground throughout the landfill's operation.
The initial remedial measure for this site will consist of a fence surrounding the
portions of the site which present an imminent hazard to public health from direct
contact with hazardous materials. Approximately 100 acres will be fenced. An RI/FS
~ill be conducted to characterize and to determine the extent of onsite and off site
17. KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
a. DESCRIPTORS b.IDENTIFIERSfOPEN ENDED TERMS C. COSA TI field/Group
Record of Decision
F'orest \'laste, MI (IRM)
~ontaminated media: soil
Key contaminants: oils, PCBs, sludge
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT 18. SECURITY CLASS /TilisRepo,,) 21. NO. OF PAGES
NONE 3
20. SECURITY CLASS (Tllis pagel 22. PRICE
~ NONE
e'A ,.,... 2220-1 (R..,. 4-77)
P"KYIOUI EDITION II 0810LlETIE
.
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RECORD OF DECISION
FOREST WASTE, MI (IRM)
ABSTRACT Continued
contamination, and develop cost-effective alternatives for source control and/or
offsite remedial action. Total capital cost for this initial remedial measure
is estimated to be $100,000.
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UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION V
DATE:
FEB 2 9 1984
TO:
ACTION MEMORANDUM: Authorization to Proceed with an'Initial Remedial
(IRM) at the Forest Waste Disposal Site, Genesee County, Michigan
Basil G. Constante1os, Dif~ ~
Waste Management Divisio~ ~
Valdas V. Adamkus
Regional Administrator
Purpose
Measu re
SUBJECT:
-"
FROM:
.
The purpose of this Action Memorandum is to request authorization to
conduct an-initial 'remedial measure at the Forest Waste Disposal site in
Forest Township, Michigan. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources
/(MDNR) "supports the proposed act i vi ti es, and has agreed to provi de the
ten percent matc" as required for the cost of this project. The United
States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) will be the lead agency
. for this project.
Background
This site is on the National Priorities List dated August 1983. Forest
Waste Disposal is located in a rural, residential area in the southeast
quarter of Forest Township, Genesee County, Michigan. This location is
~pproximately 12 miles northeast of Flint, ,nd approximately 2 miles
northwest of the city. of Otisvi1le.
Forest Waste Disposal is a closed, 15-acre landfill which was licensed
from 1972 to 1978 to accept general refuse and industrial wastes,
although a total of 112 acres belong to the owner. The landfill is
fairly'well covered, although refuse and about 200 rusty drums are
exposed in some places. There are also nine surface impoundments on
site, three still holding liquid. In addition to waste disposal, the
site was al so used as an ai rport named IIRi x'port. N Structural features
on the site include an office building, airport hanger, an empty trailer,
~s well as a concrete runway and a grass runway.
During the course of operation of the landfill, the facility accepted a
variety of industrial wast~s, including plating wastes, paint sludges,
and waste oils. The facility also accepted PBB and PCB-contaminated
wastes, refuse from a chemical warehouse fire, and unidentified barrels
from Berlin and Farro hazardous waste site in Swartz Creek, Michigan.
Although the landfill was permitted' by DNR to accept most of these wastes,
the facility was run in a haphazard manner and was charged with several
violations by the Genesee County Health Department during its operation.
County Health Department records on the site state that trenches were 'dug
randomly, industrial wastes were buried with general refuse, and liquid
wastes were dischirged into the landfill and onto the ground throughout
the landfill's operation.
'Ita MQU t't"W\. ,.....~~
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P >d Project
Tht .iiltlal remedial measure will consist of a-fence surrounding the portions
of the site which present an Imminent hazard to public health from direct
contact with hazardous materials. Approximately 100 acres will be fenced.
The currently approved Region V Remedial Accomplishments Plan (RAP) provides
for $100,000 for IRM activities at this site.
The attached Scope of Work describes the specific components of the initial
remedial measure.
Estimated Project Cost and Schedule
Fence Construction
Estimated Cost
$100,000
Duration
1 month
The State of Michigan supports this project and is aware of Us ten percent
cost share obligation for construction activities at the site. A letter from
the Michigan Department of Natural Resources 1s attached.
Project Officer
To oversee this effort, I have designated Francine Pollack, On-Scene Coordinator,
«< the Regional Site Project Officer for this effort. She can be reached at
886-6337.
rvecommendation
This request has been coordinated with the appropriate Headquarters and
Regional offices. I recommend that you authorize the initial remedial measure
for the Forest Waste Disposal site. Following your approval, this package
will be submitted to Headquarters with a request that appropriate funds be
obligated.
I am available to discuss this request in more detail at yfur/convenience.
fimrrj/v. ii ifi tu n. ~~*~
APPROVE /\
DISAPPROVE
DATE
ttachments
Valdas V. Ada
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~.S. EPA Region V has requested" that Headquarters authorize $500,000 to
conduct a remedial investigation and feasibility study at this site. This
study will characterize and determine the extent of on-site and off-site
contamination, and develop cost-effective alternatives for source control
and/or 6ff-site remedial action in accordance with Section 300.68 of the
National Contingency Plan. Regl0n V expects the remedial investigation to
begin in March 1984. - .
Region yls Emergency Response Section recently investigated the site to
determine if immediate removal action was necessary as a result of the
potential for people to come in direct contact with hazardous materials
on the sitels surface. The Emergency Response Section recommended that
warning signs and a gate across the access road be put up immediately to
.restri~t access to the site. and that the Remedial Response Section I consider
. fencing the site as part of the planned RI/FS activities. In December 1983.
U.S. EPA negotiated voluntary implementation of these emergency measures.
:-'
Region yls Remedia1 Response Branch and the State of Michigan believe that
fencing a portion of the site.is necessary to fully secure the site and
prevent direct contact with the nine surface impoundments. an estimated 200
partially exposed drums,. and areas of suspected soil contamination. .
-,
Community Relations
Around 1974 -1978. the Genesee County Health Department received several
complaints about odors at the site. In 1978, citizens became concerned
about PBBs that were buried at the site and several articles appeared in
the Flint Journal on this issue. Citizen concern appears to have diminished
afte~ial wells tested for PBBs showed no contamination.
A Community Relations Plan is being prepared by U.S. EPA. The objectives
of this plan are to establish effective two-way communication among citizens,
. local ,officials, state officials, and EPA remedial action teaml during the'
course of the initial remedial measure. .
The State of Michigan has set up a citizen information committee for this
site. U.S. EPA Region Y will be working with this committee to disseminate
information to the community on U.S. EPAls activities at the site, and to
receive citizen's comments and questions on these 'activities.
In January 1984, U.S. EPA Region Y placed a notice in a local newspaper to
describe the IRM proposal and to announce a 2-week public comment period
on the proposal. Region yls response to the public comments is described
in the attached Responsiveness S~mmary. Three of the four comments received
supported EPA's proposal. One commentor suggested that EPA remove the
wastes immediately instead of spending resources on a fence at this time.
Enforcement
See attachment
..
. .,..".
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