DAMAGES AND THREATS CAUSED BY HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SITES
         U.S.  ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY




 OIL AND SPECIAL MATERIALS CONTROL DIVISION (WH-543)



               WASHINGTON, D.C.   20460








                    FEBRUARY 1980

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                 DAMAGES AND THREATS FROM HAZARDOUS  WASTE SITES
INTRODUCTION:
     This document is a partial  compilation  of  damages  and threats from
hazardous waste sites in the United States.   Although  incomplete,  in that it
was compiled only from data readily available to EPA during the two week period
from February 1 to February 15,  1980,  the  document  clearly establishes that the
tragedy at Love Canal is not an  isolated  example but,  rather,  is part of a
pervasive national problem.  Hazardous  waste sites  are  causing widespread damage
to the environment and pose a substantial  threat to public health.

     The damages covered in the  more than  250 site  descriptions contained in
this report include groundwater  contamination,  drinking water  well closures,
fish kills, property damage from fires  and explosions,  and kidney  disorders,
cancer and"death.

     Morever, as the report indicates,  the pathways through which  the hazardous
materials cause these damages encompass all  environmental  media -- land, surface
waters, grounciwaters and air.

     The hazardous materials which  migrate from sites  to cause these damages
include the full range of organic and  inorganic chemicals  as well  as waste oils
and grease.  They can be loosely divided  into six main  groups:

     o  solvents and related organics  such as trichloroethylene,
        chloroform and toluene

     o  ?C3's and PSB's

     o  pesticides

     o  inorganic chemicals such as ammonia,  cyanide,  acids and bases

     o  heavy metals such as mercury,  chromium,  lead,  and  cadmium

     o  waste oils and grease

Each group of wastes, and often  individual pollutants,  exhibits different
rates of migration,  different effects  on biota  and  public  health,  and requires
different site containment, remedy  and  restoration  procedures.

     The report is divided into  two sections.   The  first provides  detailed
descriptions of 24 sites where there has been significant  public health and
environmental  damage.  Many of these sites have been assessed  in order to
determine necessary cleanup and  remedy  action, but currently are only being
contained due to the lack of funding and legal  authority.

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     The second section is a compilation of abstracts  of  approximately  250
hazardous waste sites where damages have occured  or  threaten  to  do  so.   The
abstracts briefly describe the site, the toxic  pollutants  involved,  the media
or resource affected and the damages.   Where information was  readily available,
the status of the site and possible remedial actions are  included.   Sites  are
summarized in the right hand margin by two identifiers.  The  first  names the
pollutant(s) involved, while the second is the  damaged  resource.

     In addition, the sites in this report are  organized according  to which EPA
region they are located in and, within each region,  by  State.  Table I  of  this
introduction summarizes the number of  sites in  each  state.

     In summary, it is important to reiterate that this report is only  an
initial and incomplete listing of environmental and  public health damages
resulting from inadequate handling and disposal of hazardous  materials.  The
report will be revised and expanded as time and resources  permit.   Moreover,  a
great deal of additional information concerning actual  and threatened damages
from hazardous materials sites will be available  shortly from a  variety of
sources and activities.  These include State and  EPA assessments of  hazardous
materials sites, surface impoundment assessments  conducted by the States under
the Safe Drinking Water Act, drinking  water analyses surveys, and the prospective
inventory of hazardous waste sites required by  the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act.

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                                    TABLE  I

               DAMAGES  AND  THREATS  FROM  HAZARDOUS  MATERIAL  SITES


£?A        •                                             Number of
Region                    State                            Sites

 I                        Connecticut                       9
                          Maine                              3
                          Massachusetts                      3
                          New Hampshire                      1
                         "Rhode  Island                      7
                          Vermont                           0

II                        New Jersey                       13
                          New York                          26

:T:T                       Delaware         '                  1
                          Maryland                           2
                          Pennsylvania                     34
                          Virginia                           2

"V                  '      Alabama             ••              6
                          Florida   •                        4-
                          Georgia -                          1
                          Kentucky                           4
                          North  Carolina                    7
                          South  Carolina                    2
                          Tennessee                         9

 V                        Illinois                           7
                          Indiana                           4
                          Michigan                           5
                          Mi nnesota                         3
                          Ohio                              9
                          Wisconsin                         3

VI                      '  Arkansas                           4
                          Louisiana                          5
                          Texas                              6
                          New Mexico                        -1

VII                       Iowa                               2
                          Kansas                             3
                          Missouri                            5
                          Nebraska                           0

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                                 TABLE  I CON'T

,.3.                                                      Number  of
Region                     State                            Sites
                           Colorado
                                                             •>
                           Montana                            0
                           North  Dakota                       0
                           South  Dakota                       0
                           Utah                              0
                           Wyoming                            0

                           Arizona                            3
                           California                        9
                           Guam                              1
                           Hawaii                            0
                           Nevada                            1
                           Trust  Territories                 1

                           Alaska                            1
                           Idaho                             1
                           Oregon                            1
                           Washington                       10

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             UNITED STATES
 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
If
Regional Offices
r\

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                               TABLE OF  CONTENTS


INTRODUCTION:

SECTION 1.

     Examoles of Hazardous Waste Sites Causing  Adverse Public Health  and
     Environmental  Consequences

SECTION 2.

     Abstracts of Hazardous Waste Site releases and  potential releases


              REGIONS                        STATES             PAGE

                 I                            Connecticut         41
                                             Maine               46
                                             Massachusetts       47
                                             New Hampshi re       52
                                             Rhode  Island        53

                 II                           New York            53
                                             New Jersey          63

             '    III      .  ~""             •  Pennsylvania        75
         :                                  .Delaware   '     -    90
                                           •  Maryland            91
                                             Virginia            92

                 IV                           Alabama             94 .
                                             Florida             99
                                             Georgia            -102
                                             Kentucky           103
                                             North Carolina     105
                                             South Carolina     109
                                             Tennessee          110

                 V                            Illinois           115
                                             Indiana            120
                                             Michigan           123
                                             Minnesota          127
                                             Ohio               129
                                             Wisconsin          135

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            TABLE  OF  CONTEXTS C






REGIONS



  VI
  VII








  VIII




  IX
STATES
Arkansas
Louisiana
Texas
New Mexico
Missouri
Kansas
Iowa
Col orado
Cal ifornia
Ari zona
Nevada
Guam '
Trust Territory
Oregon .
Washington
Idaho
Alaska
PAGE
137
139
142
H5
146
149
152
154
157
162
154
155
166
157
163
172
173

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           SECTION 1
Examples of Hazardous Waste Sites
causing adverse Public Health and
Environmental  consequences.

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   Wells Closed as  a Result, of Chemical  Contamination in Gray, Maine






      In September  of 1977 the McXin Ccnpany was ordered to close  by




 town officials  of  Gray,  Maine,  due to drinking water well contamina-




 tion associated, with the site.    The facility was built in 1972 to




 handle waste oil from the "Tamanc" oil  spill in Casco Bay.  From  1972




 until 1977, the primary operation was as a transfer station for fuel




 still bottoirs.  Materials stored in existing tanks were mixed together




 for final shipment to rerefiners.   Approximately 100,000 to 200, COO




 gallons were annually processed by McKin at the Gray site.



      Ihere was  evidence that  wastes were spilled at the processing




 facility and leached into the crouncwater acuifer.  An unsleasant




 taste and offensive odors in  the drinking water were rsccrted in 1974.




 Sanples of drinking water were  submitted to the state laboratory for




.testing,  but.the contaminants were not  •identified.  The well water




 discolored laundry,  and  so the  residents started faming to alternate




 sources for their  water  sirrolv.




      In 1977, trichlcroethane,  trichlcroethylene,  freon,  acetone,




 xylene, cii^ethyl sulfice,  trirnethylsilanol,  and alcohols  were




 identified.  Toxic orcanics !-«^r3 detected in eicht ccrriestic wells




 within 2,OOO feet  of the  McKin  Go^peny.   As  a resxilt,  the town health



 o^f"' cer ordered sixteen  r^T^'r?T*"j*^^T~^_ wells in the  PT-OJS oaooed.  T^^ac^s




 of thesa  same chemicals were  also  discovered in the town's public




 water supply where contaminants  are thought to have leached into the




 water table from the town cure  where the company disposed of its
                                                              ..••FtB.l5-.tSoO

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              measures  rave been undertaken.  The town has  installed a




water supply to the  threatened  hcnes in the area at a cost  of



approximately  S600,000.  Half of the funding was ccrrrnitted  ty the U.S.




Cecartrrerrt of  Housing and Urban Development•  In addition,  costs were




est_iirated at  S50,COO for cleanup cf the J-fcKir. facility.

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                      rrvircrrnent.a 1 Contamination in
                         vvcburn, Massachuse-ts
     A hazardous waste disposal site in Vcbum, ?^ssachuset.ts is under

investigation,  in what, nay be ere cf the oldest chemical disposal

areas  in  the country.  The site located in the northern section of the

town covers • approximately SCO. acres.  Historically, the area  has been

inhabited by a myriad cf industries kncwn or suspected to have used

dangerous chemicals.   A portion of the site was occupied by Merrimac

Chemical  Conpany which supplied acids and other chemicals to  regional

textile,  leather,  and paper industries.  Over the years, Mcnsanto,

Stepan Chemical,  and Stauffer Chemical have operated facilities in the

town of Wdburn or in the Aberjona River drainage basin.  Recently a

portion cf  the area, was acquired by a local developer who subdivided

and sold  several  parcels for conmercial development

     A number of krcwn contaminants were disposed cf'on—site  -in

substantial  quantities.  Heavy rr.etals associated with tannery wastas-

chrcrriurn, arsenic,  lead, and zinc,  as well as volatile crganics and

chlorinated  crganics  were disposed cf in the area, and it is  now

suspecried that these wastes are contaminating the air,  soils,  and

ground'wG.ter,  and  rray be responsible for human health problems in the

region.

     The  ^Massachusetts Cepartment of Public Health has begun  to

analyze cancer  mcrtali-ry statistics for the years 1969 through 1978.

Ace adjusted death rates for these years were 13% higher than uould be

statistically expected from 1972 until the present.  Data en  cases  of

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the town, of Vobum at  least,  fourteen cases cf acute childhood leukerrda




have been identified,  where  seven  cases  <-culd be expected.  For the




census tract, which  enccrrcases  the southern portion of the town, less




than one case vould  be expected in a 15  year period - eight have beer.




observed.




     As a result of  these  statistics,  careful correlation cf health




data with environmental  sanpling is necessary.   Studies are now being




undertaken to assess this  orcblem.
                                                           FE3 1 3 1SSO

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                      Jackson Township, New Jersey



     The n^nicipal landfill was licensed by  NJDE? in 1972 to accect


sewage  sludge and sept^ic tank wa.st.es.  However,  chemical durrpir»g


allegations have been confirmed by cherracal  analysis of underlying


ground*.vatsr.   The landfill was recently closed  to gi"*  wastes.


     The Landfill abuts the Ricgeway Branch  of  Terns  River,  and cveriies


the Cohansey Aquifer, the sole source of drinking water for the


surrounding residential cor^runity.  The soil is  conpcsed of porous'


sands and no natural or mantrace liners ex:; st.  Over  100 residences used


private water wells within 1.5 miles of the  site.  Water is now trucked


to the  community.


     Approximately 100 drinking water wells  surrounding the landfill


have been closed because of organic chemical  contairdnaticn.   Analysis


of water sarrples has shewn the. presence of chloroform (33 ug/1)      .  . •


.Trethylene chloride '(3, OCX? ug/1) , benzene (330 ug/1),  toluene (6,400


ug/1),  trichlcroethylene (1,000 ug/1), ethylbenzene  (2,000  ug/1)  and


acetone (3,000 ug/1).  Residents clai^i that prerrature  deaths,  kidney


—alfunctions,  kidney retrievals,  recurrent rashes ,  infections and  other


health  related problems are cije to the contamination of their water


supplies by the landfill.   Although use of the water wells  has been


banned,  residents  are still using well water because no other


dependable source of water exists.


     The State is  talcing legal action against the  Township.   Recently,


the landfill  was closed.  Residents were drinking  the  well  water  until


.vcveribei?/1978 and had been bathine with the  'water  until Januarv  1980.
        V-_

A SI. 2  n-illicn water systsn is  planned for the affected residents.


However,  the  Township anticipates the ICO residents will repay the


state lew interest loan,  ^o actions are bei.Tg taken  to res-^ore


                lity.                                g           ''"FE3 .3 '5 '.'1S5D

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   	Ccntsrainaticn cf the Cohansey Aquifer in ^Tew Jersey


     Durping cf approximately 6, COO crvms cf liquid, chemical wastes in

the abandoned Reich chicken  farm,  Dover Township,  ifew Jersay, has

resulted in the chemical  contamination of the Cchar.sey Aquifer, which

is a heavily used aquifer in the New Jersey Ccastal Plain.

     The v^astes, which  included  a wide variety of petrochemical s with '

toxic, flarnrable, explosive,  and oxidizing properties, originated  at

the Bound Hrcok, New Jersey  plant cf the Union Carbide Corpcration.

Although Union Carbide  had contracted, with a private hauler to dispose

of the vestas at a l^nr^-i 11 ,  the drums were instead cunrped en the

abandoned farm site.

     Ihe drums were dumped between. August and December of 1971.  in

early 1974, evidence of contamination cf local wells appeared.  The

incident has resulted in  the permanent less cf 148 private supply

veils-, and contamination,  of  an .unkncwn portion of the Cchansey

Aquifer.  While no public health problems appeared to result from  this

irscicent, the possibility of chronic health effects could net be

evaluated.

     Direct costs of this incident total ever S4GO,CCO.  These COST.S

include the cost cf removal  of drums,  sanpling and analysis, arc

drillinc cf new '*ells.

     Indirect costs, such as the cost to residents in inconvenience

and devaluation cf property,  the tire spent by Federal,  State and

local authorities in dealina with the crcbletn,  and ccssible future

soreac/or the contaminated zone,  have ncrs. been calc'ulated.

     Drvrrs and conzarrina'ced  soil were excavated and hauled awav for
                                               n
                                                               rE3 1 5  1S50

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    Threat,  to Stare Grcur.cr.va.tar from Industrial Disposal ~5.ci "* \+
     An industrial landfill operated in South Brunswick, ^ew Jersey




has been linked  to grouncvatar contamination problems .   A number of




residential wells adjacent to the facility "have been contandnated, at




least one of which has significant levels of chloroform, toluene,




xylene, trichlcroethane and trichlorcethylene .   Toxic substances -ay




be moving' toward the Foresgate Water Company which supplies water for




J-fcnrce Township.   Although no immediate health effects  have been




reported yet,  these substances render the water unsuitable for




crinkinc.  The cost of extendinc the mmicical water line to affect




six residences has been estimated at 3300,000.




     After an  extensive investigation by the State Cepartrsent of




Environmental  Protection and the U.S.  Environmental Protection Acency,




the J.I.S. Industrial Service Ccrrpany '*as cited as the  source of the




underground pollution.   In 1975, . the state ordered the  facility- to




step accepting petrol eim products ,  hazardous substances and ail ether




liquid and solid wastes.   It also ordered J.I.S.  to subrr.it plans for




the removal of previously disposed rraterial and /or the  containment of

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           Improper Disposal of rr*7-*r~G.ctes Wastes Results in
                     _    Health  Hazard, at. a Public Park
                     Neville  Island,  Per»nsvlvar_ia
     The Ohio River Park  sits  was  closed indefinitely in the  spring of

1979 when public health officials  expressed concern that there may  be

public health dancers  frcra wast.es  buried at the site nearly thirty

years ago.  The essentially  completed perk, located en the western  tip

of Neville Island, Pennsylvania, was donated to Allegheny County in

1976 by the Hillman Company  via  its  foundation.  'The company  is  the

parent for the new defunct Pittsburgh Coke and Chemical Company.  Cf

the S3. 3 million originally  appropriated for site development ,

approximately SI. 8 million has been  spent; equal sums having  been

obtained frcm the County  and the U.S.  Department, of the Intaricr.   An

additional SI. 5 million was  allocated for a pleasure boat marina.

   -  Four acres of the site  were reportedly,  used as a municipal

garbage dump frcm 1935 'to 1945,  In  the early 1950 ' s Large 'quantities
ret clear exactly which companies,  both on and off the island  used  the

Pittsburgh Coke and Chemical property as a waste disposal sits.

However, due to the nature  of  their product,  the two chemical

corrpanies , Pittsburgh 'Co!
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reported an unusuaJ.lv high rate  of health problems ranging from eye




irritation to blood  in  the urine.   In a  preliminary study conducted "ay




the Allegheny County Health Department,  twenty-six percent of the




respondents citad health problsns  while  working at the park.




     A, recently conpletac  study  of remedial alternatives estimated




that continued park  closure with monitoring '^culd cost SI30,-000 to




S250,COO.  Development,  of  a limited park alone the relatively deer!




eastern secticn cf the  property  *ould cost S200,000 to 2430,000.




PamcvaJ. of contaminated wastes in  order  to rebuild the park as"




originally conceived is estimated  to cost seven to fwerrty-four rrdllicn




dollars.
                                           ID

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                        ASM Wade,  Pennsylvania-






     In Chester, Pennsylvania,  a cr.end.cal fire resulting in  the




hcspitalizaticn of  firemen  overcome by toxic fumes,  brought,  another




incident of hazardous waste management ir.to the limelight.   The  fire




occurred at the Vfede Disposal Sits, a three acre plot of land  situated




along  the Delaware  River  in southeastern Pennsylvania.  Ihis site  had




received approximately  3CO  drums per  week during its three years of




operation, a  total  of neary 50, COO 'carrels.  Examination of  the  site




revealed that only  1,000  of the 4,SCO visible barrels appear to  remain




unruptured.   Ihe remaining  3,500 are  broken and 'Crushed 'with their




contents spilled from their original  containers.  Drums found  on-site




carried the labels  of numerous  chemical companies ir.clucing  Dupcnt,




Mcnsanto, Dow, Rohm and Haas, Jordan  Chemical and Wentz Cierdcal.




     •Tank trailer disposal  operations -were also carried en at  the  site




by the ASM ccrrpany.  Documented evidence indicates that tr2_Llar  ••




tanklcads of  licuids could  "rave been  drained or. the crocartv via a




street drain  and a  concrete surrp,  25Q feet from the Delaware River.




Presently, sever, tankers, seme  of which rrsy be fall of hazardous




liquids, still remain on  the  site.  A Stats Department of




Environmental Resources sampling program revealed concentrations, of




heavy metals  which  substantially exceeded drinking water standards —




chromium, copper, nickel  and  lead.  In addition, numerous volatile




crganics were detected  at the Wade-AS*. sits including methacrylic




acid, which is lethal at  a  five percent vapor concentration  with a




thirty rr>ir.uta exposure.   A  variety of arorratir hycrocarbors  were also




identified that are fracuentlv  skin,  eve and raspirarory irritar.ts
                                          11

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with  short-term exposure.  Over the long-tarn,  these toxics cause




central nervous systsm depression,  and' depending en the co-pourd




hepatic,  renal  and bone marrow disorders.   They have also been




recognized as known and suspecrted  carcinogens.




      Minimum required costs  to clean up the Vede Site --era estimated




at 1.25 million dollars.   This total '.sould include 3650,000 for




disposal  of material located above the natural  grace and $600,000 for




disposal  of "hot spots," areas deemed highly contaminated with




hazardous v^stes,  as veil  as contaminated  soils below grade.  Further-




more, additional cleanup activities  also may need to be undertaken.




Pemedial  measures are being  taken  to prevent further runoff or

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             Contamination of  Surface water Via an Alkali
               Processir.c Plar.z  in Saltvilie,  Virginia
     From 1895 until  1972,  an  alkali processing plant 'xas operated en


the banks of the Ivorth  Fork of the Holstcn River in Saltville,


Virginia.  The facility produced  a variety of alkali products,


including hydrazir.e,  cry ice,  soda ash,  bicarbcnates,  fused ash,  lirre

soda caustic, chlorine,  electrolytic caustic, anhydrous caustic,  and


liquid, carbon dioxide.   At  the same tine,  waste disposal from the


various processes was via a series of lagoons,  'with effluent


discharged directly to  the  North  Fork.   The plant currently owned by


the Olin Corporation, has been shut down since 1972, apparently due to


a variety of economic reasons.

     Total dissolved  solid  concentrations in the river 'rave frequently


sxoeeded the SCO irc/1 stream  standard,  and chloride concentrations are


also high.  'The primary" concern,  however,  is the levels of mercury .


found in the Ssbrth Fork of  the Hoistcn from the site of the old


chlorine olant.  Three  fourths of the fish samples taken in July  1976

ax six stations along the nearly  seventy miles  of river shewed


concentrations of at  least  twice  as high as the rTA action level.


This is evidence that the conrarainaticn extends down the river  to the

7VA Cherokee Reservoir  one-hundred miles from Saltville, Virginia.


Tennessee Health Department officials irnpcsed a ban on fishing  in the


bfcrth Fork of the Holster, in  1970.  To date, no mercury related


illnesses have been reported.   Mercury continues to enter the Holston


both from the site of the old chlorine plant and from the tr«c of  six


bic "muck ccnds" '-hich  were used  for disposal of the crimarv waste
     /                                   "

stream— irctn the Clin  oomolex.'
                                                                  FE3 1 5  ;350

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The grounds  in '*hich the "cell building" once steed contain, according




to an Olin consultant,  scrre 220,000 Ibs. of mercury.




     Several corrective actions have already been taken, including




grading and  construction of erosion control structures, along North




Fork bank at a cost of S40,COO.  The State of Virginia, EPA, TVA, Cak




Ridge National Laboratory and Ohio participate in a task force to




monitor process" of cleanup.  A rough estimate of ultimata upgrading'




COSTS, rray be over S4 million to greater than S23 rrdllicn. - The Icwer




estirrata would involve measures to rrinimize surface and grounrwater




intrusion through  the pond and chlorire plant site,  and remove




significant  portions of mercury from the river system.  The higher




estirrata would remove mercury wastes from the chlorine plant site and




larcer cuantities  of mercury from the river system.
                                            14



                                                                   FEE -1-5 it-SO

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  Spilled Wastes Dan-ace  the Kemersville,  North Carolina., ?..eservoir






     On the night, of June  3,  1977,  ur-Xrcwn persons entered  the




Destructc Chenvay Corporation property and opened the valves  of six




large storage tanks, spilling approximately 30,000 gallons  of wastes




onto the ground.  Chettway  Destructo operates an incineratcr at the




site, receving  liquid wastes  from such companies as Allied  Chemical




and Proctor Chemical.  The ccrrpany cilri net "nave a Spill Prevention,




Control and Counterrsasure (SPCC)  plan as  required by Law,  and the




chemical wastes very quickly  drained frcn.  the site to a small stream




1/4 mile away.  From there the  chemicals rrcved into the Kemersville




reservoir, located 1 1/2 rriles  from the site.  .




     A local resident noted the unusual odor from the spill and called




the police, who subsequently  activated the North Carolina Deoartrr^ern.




of Natural and Zcorcrric  Resources,  the National Guard and Civil




Dsfense agercies.  Approxi^a-ely 1,OCO people were evaluated  ±rcn .the.




irroediate area of the spill.




     Cead fish were  ocser^/ed  floating on the 22-acre reservoir,  which




served as the orirrarv water susolv for Kemer^/ille.  Analvsis of the




water shewed the crssence  of  fuel oil toluene, allylether,  xvlene,




•dichioroethane, arc.  trichioroethane,  ororucrcinci the State Department of




r^ealth to declare it unsuitacie for crinkinc.  Fortunatelv, a srral^ sr




resssr*/oir was available  to serve as a oackus water s'umlv,  althcuch.




some curtaiLTients cf water use  were necessary 'until Kemersville -*as




able to obtain supplies  frcn  adjacent towns.
                                           15
                                                                   FEE 15  'iii

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     Total  impacts of the incident  are  d-J-ficult to assess.  Alrncst




one—third of the cherrd-cals wars eventually recover si for incineration.




Another  32,000 cubic feet of contaminated, soils were removed and




landfilled  at Destr-ucto Cherrway.  In  the  cleanup process three men




were hospita_Lized fcr comeal ulcers  frcm exposures to the chemical




firres.   Arcrcxirra.tely 90% of the fish in  the  reservoir were killed.




The city decided to abandon the use of  the. reservoir for drinking




water.   Ccristructicn costs for a larger water main to neighboring




supplies were tr^o million dollars.  Textile mills in the area, had to




pay fcr  tarJcer delivery of water and  fcr  process ^odificaticns to




conserve water.   Layoffs and cutbacks in  working hours also resulted




frcm the water shcrtaces.   bo known health effect froni exposure to the




cherrical fumes were observed, arena  the  Local  residents.

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           Waste Industries,  Inc.,  Mew Hanover County, 19SO






     The Flemington  landfill  is  a 70 acre tract, in. New Hanover Ccuntv,




Ncrth Carolina, which has  accepted municipal as well as industrial




wastes since  1972.   The  Fleminctcn land-fill is an active  ^it? located




in close proximity to at least thirty-three residential wells and tan




ccrrmercial wells and overlies an aquifer which serves these wells.




The lard in the vicinity of the  sits is composed of a variety of




porous sands  through which water and contaminants can easily pass .




     Waste material  disposed  of  on the Flemiretcn landfill has leached




into the grcuncwater underlying  the site and has ccr±aminated the




aquifer to such an extent  that the water in the domestic wails of




several households has been rendered hazardous for human  consumption




and other uses.  The croundwater passing beneath the site -ay




eventually contaminate the waters of the Cape New Fear and iicrtheast




Cape New Fear Rivers., which are  within one rrdie of the landfill.




     Ihe followinc chemicals  .have been detected in the residential




wells at levels sufficient to affect adversely human health and the




environment:  tetrachlcroethylsne ,  benzene,  vinyl chloride,




trichicroethylene and 1,2  - dichlcroethane ,  all carcinogens, as well




as rnethylene  chloride and  lead.   In addition,  the presence cf




chlorides, dichlcrophencl , chlorcbenzane ,  iron, manganese, phenol and




zinc, have rendered  the  water unfit for hurrian consumption d'ue to




extreme bad taste cr odor.



     The E?A has spent S 25, COO in ascertaining the nature and extant




of th<| crcundwater contamination and has filed a conplaint in U.S.




DI' strict Court in crder  to af f ecr. remedial reasures .
                                             17




                                                               FEB 1 3 1330

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                       Harderan County, Tennessee




      Velslcol Chemical Corporation cf .Verr
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              Chem-Dyne Corporation Hamilton,  Ohio,  1980






     The Chem—Dyne Corporation occupies  approximately 4- acres in




downtown Hamilton, Ohio.  It is bounced  en one sice  by an impounded




stream -which empties  into the Great Miami River.   Cn ether sices are




the residential and business districts of the  town,  as well as several



recreation areas.




     Thousands of 55-gailcns damaged, rusty and leaking drums and




seven large tanks store over 1 1/2 million gallons of hazardous




chemical wastes on the site.  Since 1976,  the  site has received




shipments of hazardous wastes where they have  beer, transferred between




containers or mixed in open pits.  Among the chemicals which have been




identified as being stored, mixed or disposed  of  at  the - site include:




1-dichloroethane and  benzene, both carcinogens, as 'well as phenol,




acetone, xylene, toluene, hexar.e, 1,1,1-trichloroethane,




dichiorcbenzene, rspthaier.e, cyanides and arsenic.




     Tne sits presents an imminent fire  hazard from  the in^proper




storage of the flanmable organic rraterials.  Runoff  has shewn the




presence of toxic chemicals which have leached into  the soil and




possibly to the grouncwater.  In addition to foul odors • from the site




there have beer, instances of periodic sickness of nearby  workers and




occasionally of people using the nearby  recreation facilities.




     The site is currently in litigation bur. the  assets of the




corporation rray ret cover the clean-up costs.   The State  of Chio cr



the United States ~ay have to furnish the necessarv  funds .
                                             19

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                    Byron Salvage - Byron,  Illinois


    . The  3yron Salvage Yard,  occupying an area cf approximately  20

acres, was  established in 1970 as a waste disposal operation.  As

early as  October,  1970, investigative field wcrk by the Illinois ISA

(IZFA) revealed that cyanide-conr? i nine plating waste was sprayed onto

the . reads in and around the salvage yard and that plating wastes,

barrels cf  waste oil,  scdiua cyanide,  paint and paint thinners were

durped, partially buried,  cr buried in the ravine en the property and

are strewn  en the ground surface.  These activities resulted in high

concentrations of cyanide and toxic metals in soils,  surface water and

grcundwater.   An estimated 10 acres cf the 20 acre site are

contaminated.

     The  salvage yard is primarily located on an upland area which is

dissected by several srrall ravines.  These ravines, 10 to 20 feet

deep, are tributaries to Scuth Branch Voccland Creek which -is an

intermittent stream.  The South Eranch Woodland Creek flows northwest,

about two miles,  to Rock River.

     Infiltration of liquid wastes cr leaching cut cf chemicals  frcrn

the wastes  by precipitation has caused an  accumilaticn of cyanide arc

heavy metals in the soils on the site in sicnificant cuantities •

Samples collected from pools  and flowing -water indicate that surface

water is  polluted in the ravines and downstream in South Branch

Woodland  Creek near the ravines.

     The  usgnitude of the pollution of groundwater seems to be less

     thai; of soils and surface water,  although percolation of the
                                              r; r\
                                              £- U

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polluted surface v^ater dees  pose  a serious threat to the two principal



aquifers in the area.



     •So remedial action has  ceer.  taker, at the Byrcr. Salvage Yard



except for covering of the 'carrels in the ravines,  which was ordered



by 3ZPA in 1972.
                                                21
                                                                         -   li-u

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                .MID-CD-Industrial Highway, Gary,  Iridiana






     In August.,  1977,  a five-acre solvent recovery facility in Gary,




Indiana was  the scene of a spectacular fire and waste  storage area.




leaving a  large amount of debris from the fire and. a small nrriber of




undamaged  drums at the site.



     The Industrial Highway facility had provided  above ground storage




in an open field since early 1975.  While no inventory has been taken




of the wastes  present at the site, they included at least plating




wastes, solvents,  acids,  and cyanide.




     The. site  covers approximately 8 acres (100 x  400  yards)  in a




heavily industrial area of the City of Gary with the nearest  residence




located approximately one half mile from the site.   The site  is strewn




with the charred retrains of perhaps 40,000-50,000  55^rallcn cnms.




There is also  at least one in-crround storage tank  (which still




contains an  unidentified pink substance), several  hundred intact crum.s




(seme containing cyanide) , and a sludge pit with surface dimensions of




accrcximately  ICO x 20 feet.  'There are also several large tanks, a




truck trailer,  dist_Lllaticn equipment and assorted ether debris strewn




around the site.




     Soil  and  wa.-c.er sairples frcm one site rave shown contamination by




phenols, chrcrniuni,  cyanides, arsenic and lead.  There  is a potential




for groundwatar contarri.^aticn.  The site also poses a fire hazard and,




due to lax security may present a potential exposure of solvent ruses




to the public.




     Estiates of the cost of cleaning the site  are approximately




            for removal and disposal of retraining on-sira wastes as




well as inonitoring, and $2,114, COO for measures which minimize fcn:-are




cciluticn  or obi ems.                   -  •

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      Hooker Chemical,  Mcntague Plant,  Muskeegon, Michicar.,  1979






     The Hooker Clerical Corrpany occupies an SSO acre sits rear




Muskeeccn, Michigan where  ever 30 types cf chemical substances,




including pesticides, were disposed.   The disposal site is located en




the shore cf White Lake and contains  barrels cf waste materials which




have been buried  as well as the residues of liquid wastes that were




dumped there.




     The leaching of these hazardous  n-aterials from the disposal  site




has contaminated  both the  soil and grouncvaters within the site.  In




addition, the  leachate  has rrigrated to Write Lal^e '-here it has harmad




acuatic life.  Leachate has also contarrinatad drinking water wells




thus exposing  nearby residents to possible health effects.




     In October of 1979, Hooker Chemical Company and the State cf




Michicar. signed a consent  decree whereby the corrpany agreed  to clean




up this disposal  site.  The cost cf remedial actions is estimated' to_




be S13, CCO, COO and is to include purge '-ells, carbon filtration,




removal of contaminated soil,  disrnanteiing of buildings and  the




construction of a vault to contain the remaining hazardous materials.
                                           9
                                                                        5  1S5G

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                     Arsenic Poisoning in Minnesota.






      Beginning in >fe.y, 1972, eleven residents of Perhani, Minnesota




developed  arsenic poisoning, shortly after a veil was drilled  to




supply drinking water for a new office and warehouse structure.




      CVer  a  ten week period, eleven enployees on the site became  ii 1 .




Two persons  required hospitalizaticn and cne parson lost the use  of




his lees for about six months due to severe neuropathy.  Pcute arsenic




poisoning  results in rrarked irritation of the stonach and intestines.




xiausea, vcmiting and diarrhea are frequently symptoms.  In  severe




cases, this  can lead to shock with weak,  rapid pulse, cold  sweats,




cuitd  and death.   Liver carnage rray occur,  and distrubances cf the




blood, kidneys,  and central nervous system are not. infrequent.




Arsenic comnounds are also a recccriizsd carcinogen of the skin, lun
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        Long-Term Pollution Prcblgrs Associated with Creosote
               Production in St. Louis Park, Minnesota
     For 50 years, Failly Tar ana Chemical Germany and Republic

Crecsoting Company operated en an 80 acre sits  in  St..  Louis Park,  a

western suburb of Minneapolis.  Pailly Tax and  Chemical refined. coal

tars to produce creosote, and Republic Crecscting  then used, the

material to treat <*cod products.  While the operation supposedly

included discharge of waste products into a ponding area en the

property, there <*era apparently numerous cases  of  spills,  leaks,

pipeline breaks, and burial of wastes ever the  year.

     The site has a long history of pollution problems.  As early as

the 1930's, some drinking water wells in the area  were closed cue to a

tarlike taste.  In 1S69, lew levels of possible carcinogens were found

in a grouncwatsr investigation for the City.  -The  Minnesota Pollution

Control Agency ultimately crouch suit against the  generators in 1970,

and in 1971 the coeraticns were closed down.

     Several vears of study have revealed the extensive contamination

that the St. Louis Park plant has caused.  Cn the  site, analyses have

ccomented the presence of phenols and three poiynuclear organics —

chenanthrene, chrvser.e, and pyrene.  Low phenol concentrations have

also been  found in wells farther than one mile  off the site.  Certain

drinking water supplies have already been closed and, cue to the

cacabilitv cf ccllutants to migrate with the grouncwater flew.

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     St.  Louis Park purchased the property  in  1973 with plans to

ccnduc- a cleanup operation, but the decision  as  to  wro will pay has

re- vet been  se~t-Lec.  In September cf 1973, the  County '*errt. to court

in an atternrrt to ob-cain payment for cleanup  from  Heilly Tar arid

Chemical.   The actual costs involved have cnly been  roughly estimated,

and are 'cased en a nurixar cf assurriptions.  To  cats,  in excess of

S300,000  has  'ceen spent by the City and State  on  investigative studies

and in addition.,  the city has incurred COSTS of more than ens rnillicn

collars for various rriticative measures  including the capping of v«lls

and excavaticn of contaminated rraterials.

     Final cleanup rray involve from S 20-200 rrollion, depending '^pcn

the extent of roitica-ticn and the remedial methcds chosen.  Remedial

.T.ea.sures  vculd include the excavation and removal of contairunated

soil, the closing of a fourth well, and the  constructicn of new wells

to service the area.
                                             r- r*
                                             CD

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     SiztTT.it. National Liquid Services, Portage County,  Ohio,  1980






     A liquid  industrial waste treatrr.srt and disposal  ccrupany is




located en an  11  acre  sits  in Pcr^ace County, Ohio  and has been in




operation since 1973.   The  site is within 200 feet  of  residential




areas arid rain water runoff carries chen-dLcals and oils rrtrr. the site




to a tributary of the  Berlin Reservoir which is used to augment a




public water supply  for the Mahcning V> 1.1 ey.  Currently,  several




thousand leaking  carrels, a 300,000-
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    Chemicals  and Mineral Reclarratlcn, Inc. Cleveland, Ohio,  1980






     Chemicals and Minerals Heclarrsticn, .Inc. occupies about  8.4 acres




in downtown Cleveland,  Ohio near the mouth cf the Cuyahcga River and




is engaged  in  treating and storing solid and hazardous \ssstes.




-Ecroxjjrately  4,000 55-gp. 11 en drums containing hazardous wastes  are




stored  in an old weatherbeaten warehouse with an additional 2,000




drums nearby.




     Numerous  inspections cf the property since March cf 1979 by the




U.S. EPA, the  Cuyahcga County Health Department and the Ohio  EPA have




found numerous violations of the Municipal Code, stronc chemical




odors,  puddles cf spill residue,  hardened rnateriai in the aisles




betv^een the drums,  and leaking czizns.   The labels in the drums and




samples of  materials  in the dznrrs ident_Lfied the following chemicals:




acetic  acid, acetone,  antimony oxides, asphalt, butyl acetate, butyl




alcohol, chromic acid,  heptane,  lubricating oils, methyl alcohol,




methylene chloride, methyl ethyl keytone, paint and miscellaneous




solvents, perchloroethy 1 ene,  resin/robber solvent,  toluene,




1-, 1, l-tr'icnloroethane,  xylene,  zinc chloride, ethancl, ethyl  acetate,




hexane,  ethyl  benzene,  3-rr.ethyl  hexane,  tetrachlcrcethyiene,




trichloroethvl ene,  3 —methvlcentane, 2 —methvl—1 —centene,




2—rnethvloentane,  2,4—dimethvioentane,  2-methvlcro'canci and 4—methyl—2—




pentanone.




     The Cherrd,cals and Mineral Seclaraticn facility is located only




1/2 mile from  the downtown area  where  thousands cf people could  be




subjected to the contaminated f_ir;es Lf a fire vere to occur.
                                                p- 0
                                                C O

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        Hexachlorobenzene Contamination cf Cattle in Louisiana






     In 1972,  a  routine sample of beef fat taken as part of the  U.S..




Department of  Agriculture' s  J*eat and Poultry Inspection Program,




revealed  a high  level of contamination by hexachlorcbenzene (HC3).




HC3, a by-product  cf the manufacture of carbon tetrachlcrice  and




perchioroethylene,  can cause liver deterioration, convulsions and




death.




     Contaminated  steer were traced to a herd in Darrcw, Louisiana.




Subsequent sampling of the entire herd' reveal ed extensive




contamination  by HI3 in the  cattle,  as well as in soils and




vegetation.




     The  source  cf the HC3 corrtaminaticn was traced to volatilization




of HC3 from  landfilled wastes  in the area,  as well as from,  direct




emissions into the ^ ~ 'from  the Vulcan Materials Corporation  and other




similar industrial plants in the area.   Settlement of HC3 en  pastures




led to bicaccvimilaticn cf HCS  in the tissues cf crazing cattle.




     Vnen evidence cf widesorssi contamination was confirmed,  the




State cf Louisiana imposed a qua ran tine en livestock produced ever the




ICO square mile  'vide affected  area.   In 1973,  the State also  forced




the Vulcan J-fetarials Corporation to stop any ?.i ~ emissions  of HC3, as




well as to bury  its wastes en-sits,  using a plastic liner and soil




cover.



     Initial estimates cf losses to be incurred bv ranchers were as




high as S3.9 million,  based  en the assumption that approximately




30,000 cattle  would have to  be destroyed.  I-TCwever, levels  cf rrC3




crccced-'' with time  as  the cat~le were rsmcved from contaminated areas




ancT~fed an uncontarrinated diet.   Cnly 27 animals proved unmarketable




bv the end of  1974,  when the Quarantine  was lifted by the State.






                                               IT' H                    --

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     The  total direct, cost, of this incident. '-as in excess  of S330,COO,




primarily due  to monitoring and enforcement costs cf S143,000 arc the




less of use of crazing land' sszinatsd at S200,COO.  Tne  loss cue to




unmarketable cattle was reduced to S38/000.




     As a result of the incident,  a timber of HC3-related  studies were




initiated• cy EPA and other agencies.   Ore of these has shown




dispropirotionately high plasrr^. HC3 levels in people. living in the area




of Louisiana where the oontaminaticn oororred.  The highest level




encountered in the general population was 23 p?b, .and a  waste disposal




facility  wcnrker was found to have  a level cf 345 cob. • The average




level was 3.6  ppb.  Mb toxic svuptcms 'were evident.




     HG3  is a  pollutant cf concern 'oecause it is persistent in the




environment and is chemically and  biologically stable.   Continued lew-




dose exposure  to KC3 by ingestion  or inhalation causes bioacc\rnulaticn




in. animal adipose issues.  This can result in chronic cairage to. the




liver arc affect anzvrriat_ic function.
                                                 30

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    Dioxin Poiscnina Caused by Irnurccer Waste Discosal in Missouri
     In August., 1971, a  six-year  old girl suffered fron an infla.Tma-



tcry reaction of the kidney arc bladder bleeding 'was admitted to  a



Missouri hospital.  A significant clue to the origin of her illness



was the fact that  she lived en a  farm where many animals had recently



died.  The animals, including horses,  cats,  cogs, and birds, developed



a mysterious fatal illness shortly after the spraying of waste oil on



the farm's horse arena as a dust  control measure.  The spraying had



take place in late May,  1971> and the  child had frequently played



around the horse arenas  over the  summer.   Birds died within three days



of the soraying arc the  first horse died four weeks later.  A total cf



63 horses ultimately died, and toxic illness cf varying degrees



affec-ed ten people, who" experienced symptoms cf diarrhea, headaches,



nausea, pclythralgias , and persistent  skin lesions.



     Soil samples  taken  -.icin the  arena revealed the cresencs cf



dioxin, one cf the rest  toxic chemicals krsown.   Dioxin is a by-



product of the manufacture of a herbicide,  which had been manufactured



locally until 1559.  Cicxin *as subsequently produced as a by-product
                                             i
cf the manufacture cf trichlorophencl  and  hexachicrcphene by ^Jcrthem



Eastern Pharmaceutical and Ch.err.ical Co., a subsidiary cf Syntex



Agribusiness Inc., at the same site.   Residues  ccnraini-Tg a high



concentation of dicxin had been held  in  a  large storage tank en the



site.



    "^ 1971, the Bliss Vaszs Oil Co.  had  contracted to remove the
      /


    £ *~
aticn cf the waste oil which Mr.  Bliss  sprayed in the horse arenas.
                                        n i
                                        ^ JL

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     The  estimated total financial loss, 'cased on  filed law suits, is




close to  S500,OCO.  'This arnour^. includes medical expenses  and clearr.jp




costs, as \*ell as the less of business and subsequent  sale of one of




the horse arenas.   Horses exposed to the contaminated  arena continued




to die as late as 1974.




     Althcuch Svntex disclaimed lecal responsibility for the inherited




residues  in  the storage tanks,  the cor-pany has volunteered to pay for




the safe  disposal of v^stes.  Several alternative  disposal methods




have been considered,  including incineration at sea.
                                           o o

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     Grouncwater ContaminatJ.cn Beneath the Rocky Mountain. Arsenal






     Pocky Mountain Arsenal, jointly operated by the  U.S. Army




.Chemical Ccrps.  and Shell Chemical Company, is  located between Denver




and Brighton,  Colorado.  Over the years, the facility has disposed of




a  complex mixture of chemical by-products from  the —manufacture of




pesticides and herbicides, along with other v^stes curing the years




1943-1957.  Originally, wastes were disposed of in unlined holding




ponds,  a practice <*hich resulted in infiltration into the shallow




water  table aquif er and the consequent migration of contaminants




through the groundwater.  Although this practice v^s  discontinued in




1957,  extensive grouncwater contamination is" still very much in




evideice.




     To ca-ce,  thirty square rriles of the shallow vster table aquifer




are contaminated, resulting in the temporary abandoment cf sixrr/-fbur



domestic, stock, and irrigation -*ells.  Soil in the vicinity of one




cere is contaminated bv the cesticides alcrin and dielcrin.




Classified as  cyclcdienes, these compounds are  derivatives of




hexachlcrccyclopentadiene.  They bicaccumulate  in the fatty tissues cf




terrestrial and aquatic organisms and tsnd to persist in the




environmental  ever lone periods.  These pesticides are quite toxic,




mainly affectinc the csntral psr^/cus s'v^sterr!.  Tvoical svrrctiorrs cf




poisoning induce:  headache, blurred vision, dizziness,  invcl'^n'tary




musoolar mcvernents, sweating, insorrmia, r^.'usea, and general malaise •




rrcre severe cases manifest jerking cf muscles ard convulsions




resessilinc epilepsy, with loss of consciousness, discrientaticn,




oerscnalitv chances and loss of msmor"-/.

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      In April 1975,  The Colorado Department of Health issued  a cease




and desist,  order against the U.S.  Army and Shell Chemical Company  to




stop  polluting the surface and crouncwater.  Since the time,  the. Army




has entered into an extensive joint monitoring program with the




Department  of Health.   A 96 acre asphalt lined reservoir with a




holding capacity of 24O Trillion gallons ard an injection well have




been  constructed.   In an effort to eliminate leakage from the




perimeter of the asphalt-lined reservoir,  the influent pipe has been




extended to it center,  and SOO feet of chemical sewer line has been




replaced.   Water which has surfaced in a slough area located  1.3 miles




northeast of the reservoir has been pumped back to prevent farther




contamination .




      The Army has constructed a slurry trench cut-off s^l 1 along a




section of  the northern boundary of the arsenal property.
treated.,  and  rs — injected on the other side.   The arm1/ is svaluatirsr




clans  for extsndinc this trench.

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                Grouncwatar Containinati.cn of California
     The Stringfellcw Class  I  Disposal  Site w^s established  in August..




1956 en the sits of a former gravel  quarry in the Jur-ups, Nfaur.ta.ins,




near the town of Glen Avon,  Riverside County, California.




     Cver a nineteen-year period,  the disposal sits received




approximately 32 million gallons  of  vestas including spent caustics




with large quantities of sulfur ic, nitric,  and hydrochloric  acids.




These v^stss were disposed of  in  percolation and evaporation lagoons .




     Althouch locatsd in an  arid  recicn,  the sits was vulnerable  to




periodic high intensity rainfall.  These  periods of rainfall caused




several incidents of storm-water  runoff in which toxic -aterials  'where




discharged to downstream water supplies.   In addition, leachate  from




the sits resulted in the presence of high levels cf dissolved materials




(hexavalent chrorniurn, nitrates and salts) in monitoring wells below the




sits.  -High levels cf -these  substances  were also detected in the  water




supply for a school at Glen  Avon,  and  it  --as felt that continued




seepage of toxic leachates would  result in serious contansinaticn  of




grcuncwatar supplies in the  Glen  Avon  region.




     Sines 1969, the sits had  been the  focus of violations,  agency




abatement orders, residential  cornpliants, and ccnrnunity actions.  In




1972, the fcrrrier owner voluntarily closed the site and filed for




bankruptcy, and in 1975 the  site  '-as taken ever by the Santa Ana  Region




of the California Regional Water  Quality  Control 3card.

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     Between 1975 and 1978,  the Regional Water Quality CDnirol Beard




spent, approximately 5300,000 in engineering studies to detarnirs  the




best, marched of problem correction and sits closure.  A contract for




cleaning  the Strincfellcw site has been awarded to Mcntgcmsry  Engineers




and wark  has begun.  The closure will proceed in t*o phases, the  first




phase is  estimated to cost acprcxirrately S250,OCO ara aliovs wir.ter




operations  of the s'ita.   The' ^' n? i phase involves closure' and  cleanup




of the  site and is estimated to cost approximately SI to  S2.5  rrallion.




$365,000  have already been spent with $235,000 being furnished from




Stats funds and $130,000 from a Federal Disaster Fund.
                                                                       - J^~ -1*.

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                         ithroo, California,  1980
     The Occidental Chemical  Company's  facilty in Lathrop,  California
has been the source of  extensive environmental contamination and
potential human health  problems  in  the  town of Lathrcp.   For isany
veers, Occidental and its predecessors  have dumped chemical and
radiological wastes into ' unlined ponds,  a  lined pond,  ditches and other
disposal areas at the Lathrop facility.  Tne liquid and solid wastes
from the manufacture of pesticides  and  fertilizer products at the plant
have percolated downward through the  soil,  causing pollution and
contamination of the underlying  shallow groundwater.   This shallow
groundwater, the top layer of which lies approximately 1 to 25 feet
from the surface, generally migrates  in a  north,  northwesterly
direction from the Lathrcp facility toward the cities  of Stockton and
Lathrop.  Polluted crouncwater from the facility's disposal areas,  in
the course of migraton, has reached grcundwater that is the source or
drinking water for the  Lathrcp County Water District,  whose wells are
located 1.5 miles from  the facility and service more than 3, COO
persons.  In addition,  other  local  domestic arc public water supplies
within the district have been affected.

     Occidental Chemical Company is a wholly owned subsidary of Hooker
Chemical Corporation, whose parent  company is Occidental Petroleum
Corporation.  Its main  prcducticn facility located in  the town of .
Lathrop, lies approximately 10 miles  south of Stockton,  California and
1.3 miles east of the San Jcaquin River in San Joaquin County.  'The
plant is bordered by an automobile  glass rranufacturing plant, a dairy
farm, two streets and the outskirts of  Lathrop.

     Tne ocmoanv and its credecesscrs have rranufactured, formulated and
handled pesticide and fertilizer products  at tine Lathrop facility since
1953, when the original Best  Fertilizer Company plant  was constructed.
In 1963, Occidental acquired  Best and has  continued to produce
pesticides including Dibroncchlorcpropane  (DEC?),  nepnachlor,
Hexachlcrccylchexane (3H2), the  garrrra iscmer of which  is corrmercially
known as Lindane, S,S,S—Trxbutyl phosphcrctrithicate (DEF), Chlcrdane,
Dieidrin,  Ethyl ene Dibrcmide,  Dimethcata,  and 1,1,1 Trichloro—2, 2-bis
(p—chlorophenyl) ethane (otherwise  known, as DDT).   In  addiricn,
Occidental has produced a -vide range  of fertilizers such as sulfuric,
phosphoric, and flurcsilicic  acid,  ammonia,  arrrricniira phosphate, and
anmoniun sulfate.  Gypsun (also  known as calcium sulfate) is produced
as a fertilizer 'cv-croduct.

     As long ago as 1960, the California Regional Water Quality Control
Beard issued a Resolution prohibiting Occidental's predecessor, Best
Fertilizer, from discharging  chemical wastes which would cause the
level of inorganic chemicals  in  usable  crcuncwa'c.er to  exceed
permissible limits or otherwise  pollute  ground or surface waters so as
to be deleterious to human, animal  or aquatic life.  In 1963 this
Resolution --
-------
     Since  then,  a host, of hazardous chemicals have been discovered in
the vicinity of the facility and some cf these have migrated from
containment ponds and disposal areas to the Lathrop County Vfeter
District wells.   Psrcng the disposal facilities en-site are an urJ.in.ed
pesticide waste pond;  six urJ-ined gypsum penes; an unlined concentrator
pond that cools phosphoric acid plant concentrator; an hydraulic
asphalt-lined  rainwater runoff pond; a cooling pond disposal ditch  used
to transport pesticide wastes frcm the plant to the pesticide pond,  and
a "boneyard" disposal area where solid pesticide and heavy metal
catalyst wastes have been disposed.

     Hazardous  wastes that have migrated, to the Lathrop District
drinking wells  ard have been found in detectable levels are the
following:  EBCP,  a known animal and suspected human carcinogen which
causes sterility in males;  Lincane,  a toxic pesticide and krcwn animal
carcinocen  which drastically affects reproduction in animals, and DEF,
which damages  the csntral nervous systera.   Alpha radiation from urani'.sn
in gycsum oonds has also been detected in the Lathrop water supply,
water wells ard irrigation wells.  It is £ known human carcinogen which
usually causes  fatal leukemia.   Among chemicals detected in the soil at
the facility and or in the grouncwater are:  Chlordane, Dielcrin,
Heptachlor, Ethylene Dibromice,  Dimethcate, and DDT, all of which are
highly toxic and known animal carcinogens.  Concentrations of sulfates
and nitrates exceeding the Regional Water Board's limits have also been
fcurd in orcduction wells in the vicinity cf the Lathrcp facility.

     The Justice Department, acting for EPA, and with the State cf
California  filed suit in Federal District Court in Sacramento on
December 18, 1979 against Occidental and its parent corporation,
charging that  the -company's discharges po.se an "imminent and
substantial endancerment to health and the environment" and will
continue to do  so in the future.

     Occidental is specifically charged with having taken inadequate
account cf  possible environmental dangers from its waste dispcsits over
a .cerioc cf vears in unlined or inadequately lined ponds and ether
cisccsal ^.r*??^;  failure to take adecuate crecautions to prevent waste
micration and  ultimately contamination of agricultural, industrial and
domestic water;  and failure to repcrz its discharges of pesiiicices arc.
radiological substances.

     Tne suit  asks the court to enjoin the company to conplete clean—up
measures by July 1, 1981 to prevent further migration cf surface  ard
croundvater contaminants.  'The measures include implementation cf a
comprehensive  plan to determine the ex-ant of pesticide, chemical and
radiolocical contamination cf nearby groundwater and soils; immediate
and perpetual monitoring of contaminants to verify that the migration
has ceased; excavation cf hazardous waste materials and contaminated
soils from  various disposal areas; curtailment of hazardous, licuid
                                      J Q

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and solid waste storage  for a period  in  excess of 6 months; cessation
of the discharge of pesticide, chemical  and  other wastes to surface
water, ground-water or  land; a guarantee  of sufficient funds to
clean-up; and provision of drinking water  to any users whose water
supply is contaminated by discharge from Occidental/Hooker's Lathrop
facility. ' In addition to this injunctive  relief,  the suit asks for
financial reimburser?.ent  to California and  the U.S. for cos-ts incurred
in determining the ex-tent of the public  health am environmental
threat, and substantial  civil penalties  to the State of California for
continuing violations  of the Regional Water  Beard's orders.
                                                                      FES

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               SECTION 2
ABSTRACTS DESCRIBING DA.MAGES AND THREATS
   POSED 3Y HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SITES

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REGION I
                         CONNECTICUT

Southing-ton, Connecticut, 1967-1980
     The Solvents Recovery Service engages in the
distillation, recovery and disposal of industrial      solvents   lead
solvents in Southington, Connecticut.  The             drinking  water  wells,
handling, storage and disposal of hazardous wastes           ^     L  n
by the company has contaminated the groundwater
around Southington causing the closure of three of
the city's six wells.  The...fol lowing chemicals
were found in two of the three wells at levels
which may affect human health adversely:
tetrachl oroethyl ene, chl oroforrn,
trichlcroethylene, 1,1,1,-trichToroethane,
dichloroethane anc carbon tetrachloride.   In
addition, during the early 1970's tests of soils
and crops in the vicinity of the site showed very
high levels of lead, reportedly from open burning
of wastes at the site.  EPA filed suit under RCRA
in December, 1979.
                                               41
                                                             FE3  1 5 1950

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Plain-field, Connecticut, 1978
     State police discovered 1700 barrels of
chemical wastes illegally buried in two Plainfield
gravel  pits.  Grouncwater contamination was
detected but there are no Wells in the area.  The
owner of the site was fined 525,000 and is paying
for site cleanup, estimated at $750,000.
chemical wastes
grcundwater
Plainville, Connecticut
     In July 1975, local officials discovered that
one of the Plainville water company water supply
wells was contaminated with industrial  solvents,
including trichloroethylene, chloroform and carbon
tetrachloride.  The iMott Metallurgical  Co.  in
Farmingtcn has been identified'as the probable
source of the solvents.  Mott had previously
disposed of its wastes in an underground dry well
about 100 yards from the water supply well.  The
Mo~t Co. has since changed its disposal  practices
and the Plainville Water Company has discontinued
use of the wel1 .
solvents
drinking water wells

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Sharon, Connecticut

     The orookfield Chair-leal  Company discharged

various chemical  wastes from  its  operations  into a

dry well and septic tank on their oroperty.   In
                                  '            •         orgam cs
1972, chemicals,  including ethylene alycol,
                                                       drinking water wells
chloroform, benzene, and toluene  have leaked into

the grcundwater an-d have been detected in

residential and commercial wells  in the area.


East Haddam, Connecticut, 1979

     State Department of Health lab reports  showed

than two of six wells near Pioneer Products, Inc.,
                                                       organics
haa been contaminated with hydrocarbons.   Pioneer
                                                       drinking water wells
had discharged untreated chemical  waste for-more

than a year.  In  June, 1979,  State officials order

Pioneer to cease  its discharge, and to correct

contamination that the discharge  had caused.
                                                                          •< -
                                                                          -' 0

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Torrington, Connecticut, 1979
     Construction workers building a new shopping
canter uncovered a major asbestos dumping ground
on the site formerly occupied by the Fitzgerald
Gasket Company.  Unprotected workers had been
exposed to asbestos dust.  The Company has
remedied the problem, construction of the shopping
center has resumed.
asbestos
air
Wolcott, Connecticut, 1974
     Several domestic and industrial  wells were
found to be polluted with hydrocarbons and mixed
solvents.  A State investigator discovered that a
local service station dumped or spilled gasoline
into floor drains, which may have been connected
to wells; workers at a local tool  company were
also found to be dumping solvents and oils onto
the around in back of a shoo.
oraamcs
orounawater

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Bridgeport, Connecticut
     The Stata of Connecticut hired Chem-Trol
Pollution Services to remove 3.000-5,000 drums of          .
                                                       toxic  cnemicals
chemicals from a boarded up warehouse owned by
Chemical Waste Removal.  The drums were discovered
by the State police organized crime unit during a
raid at the site.  The cost of removal should
total 3250,000.
Canton, Connecticut
     It was reported that solvent-type chemicals,
including carbon tetrachloride, methyl ethyl
ketone, trichloroethylene and chloroform, dumped        so  ven"s
by the former John Swift Chemical Co.  between 1369      drinking  water wells
and 1972 have been found in eleven Canton wells.
The estimated costs of extending water lines  from
nearby communities range from S145,000-5379,000.
The State of Connecticut Department of
Environmental  Protection has ordered the dump
site's current owners, Auto World Realty, to  clean
up the ?/its.
                                                                     FES 1 5  iSSG

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                      MAINE
Guilfcrd, Maine



     State officials have warned fisherman to use



discretion in eating fish from the Piscataquis and     TRIS



Pe.nobscot Rivers due to IRIS, a carcinogen             surface water



reportedly discharged into the rivers illegally in



1979.








Saco, Maine



     In 1S74 tests indicated that private drinking



water wells adjacent to the town dump had been



contaminated with chromium, iron and manganese.        heavy metals



Disposal of sludges from wastew.ater treatment          drinking water wells



plants receiving large amounts of tannery waste



was apparently the cause of the problem.







Gray, Maine



     In 1977 residential wells were contaminated



with trichloroethylene and other chemicals by a        ICE, organics



solvent and oil waste processing facility.             drinking water wells



Municipal water lines were extended to the



affected community at a cost of $500,000.  Health



effects studies are being conducted.  The State



oaid for c/leanuo of the site.
                                      r <-*

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                  MASSACHUSETTS
Dorchester, Massachusetts
     In 1979 after complaints of air pollution and
several fires, the City of Boston hired a waste
disposal contractor to remove. 2000 barrels of
mixed chemical waste from the site of a bankrupt
wast hauler.  Costs totalled 555,000.  The State
has filed criminal charges in this case.
chemical wastes
fire, air pollution
Rehoboth, Massachusetts, 1S78
     Illegal dumping of chemical wastes near Shad
Factory Pond contaminated private wells and
threatened a reservior.  Among the identified
chemicals are toluene, trichloroethyl ene," and
sthyl acetate.  Cleanup cost the State 3125,000.
chemical wastes
drinking water wells
Lowell, Massachusetts
     A million gallons of hazardous wastes,
including solvents, waste oils, plating wastes,
toxic metals and chlorinated hydrocarbons, were
leaking from an abandoned toxic waste disposal
site.  Rain water runoff caused contamination of
Concord River's aquatic environment.  EPA, State
officials v-And private contractors removed most of
orgam'cs, heavy metals
surface water
                                       •i i

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the wastes at a cost to the State of approximately



SI.5 million.  Another 3600,000 is needed to



finish the work.

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Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 1940-1970
     For perhaps thirty years General  Electric
disposed of its PCS contaminated waste oil  by
dumping on designated land close to the Housatonic
River; the wastes were seeping into the river,
which has very high ?C3 levels.
PCS
surface water
Lunenburg, Massachusetts
     Chemicals dumped into a gravel  pit owned by
Alfred C. Syocik contaminated area wells.   Syocik
disposed of 1300-2000 barrels of chemicals;
benzene and toluene are among those identified.
Both deep and shallow wells showed contamination.
"he waste generator, James,River Paper, has  agreed
to pay for a study of the problem and a portion  of
che remedial costs.
benzene, tolvene, etc,
wells
Bedford, Massachusetts, 1979
     The Boston suburb of Bedford has lost 35
percent of its municipal  water supply cue to well
contamination of dioxane  and ICE.  The town is
buying water to replace the supply and is spending
3100,000 to identify the  source of "he chemicals.
Several large firms have  been named as potential
Generator*"?"
cioxane,  iCc.
drinking  water  suoply

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Acton, Massachusetts, 1979
     Subsurface disposal of benzene, toluene,
dichloroethylene, and other organics by W.  R.
                                  .   ,                   benzene,  tclvene, etc.
Grace and Company, an organic cnemical
                                                        drinking  water wells
manufacturer, led to the loss of 45  percent of the
municipal water supply.  The town has a ban on
rion-essential water use.  The company has  agreed
to pay for cleanup.
       L
                                            !~>
                                            . I
                                                                         TH3 v-

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Massachusetts
   The State of Massachusetts has compiled a
report documenting the severity of groundwater        chemical contamination
                                                      drinking water wells
pollution by hazardous substances in that state.
In 1-S78 only four communities had closed wells
because of toxic chemical  contamination.  By
September 1979, a total of 22 communities had
been affected, with other incidents of contamin-
ation being identified in 26 other communities."
In September of 1979, at least one-third of Massachusetts's
communities had been affected to some degree by chemical
contamination..  The average, loss of water resources
uo these communities was approximately 40 per cent,
with a range of 5 to TOO per cent loss.   These data
exclude instances of contamination by salt or

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                  NEW HAMPSHIRE



Exeter, New Hampshire, 1S78

     Seventeen private wells adjacent to the Cross

Read landfill were found to be contaminated with
                                                       phenols
phenols, one of which was 750 times drinking water
                                                       drinking water wells
standards.  Lime was applied to the site, and the

town has approved a 5200,000 bond issue to supply

public water to the area.  There has been no

restoration of aroundwater.

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                   RHODE ISLAND
North Smi-hfield, Rhode Island, 1979


     Western Sand and Gravel operated a sand and


gravel pit that accepted chemical  wastes and


septage in trenches and in at least ten unlined


lagoons.  The soil status is a fine grain sand


type.  The site is upstream of the Saltersville


Reservoir and two of Saltersvi1le's municipal


wells.  Groundwater contamination of 1,1,1


trichloroethane and toluene has been documented.


At the Governor's request the EPA is providing


assistance.  On February 15, 1980, analyses showed


that trichioroethylene, benzene, toluent, ethyl


benzene and xylene were le'aching into Tarklin


Brook and States'/ilia Reservoir.  Remedial actions


being reviewed include emptying the lagoons


followed by the removal of'contaminated earth.
organics

surface & groundwater
                                                                       P-— —»  - » * r> r* p.
                                                                       FEs  1 s iscC

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Bristol, Rhode Island

     The Bristol  landfill has three illegal  dump

sites of chemical wastes.  Toluene and

trichloroethylene have been found.  As of November   '   tolvene,  TCE

1979, 663 barrels' had been removed at a cost- of         surface.'water,  drinking
                                                         water wells
SI62,000.  The adjacent marshland and at least

eleven wells have become contaminated.  This site

is recognized to be a serious problem.



Cumberland, Rhode Island

     The 10 acre Cumberland Landfill, operated by

J.M. Mills, Inc.   has been implicated in the
                                                       tetrachloroethy1ene,
closings of.four municipal wells; three of which         1,1,1 trichloroethane

are closed.  The wells are contaminated by             drinking water wells

tetrachloroethylene and l,i,l trichlorcethane with

concentration up to 61 ug/1 and 166 ug/1 ,

respectively.  According to the USGS, the three

wells may have drawn groundwater from the

Cumberland landfill  when all  three wells were

oumping.

     Before a remedial action plan can be devised

additional monitoring of the area is required to

document the source of the pollutants.
                                        54
                                                                             «• *r
                                                                             ^ -

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North Smith-field, Rhode Island



     Landfill and Resource Recovery operated an



unlined industrial hazardous waste site until the



state prohibited the acceptance of hazardous waste



in September 1979.  The site, however, is still



used as a municipal  refuse landfill.  Over 1,000



gallons per day of hazardous waste were accepted.



These wastes included toluene, benzene, carbon



tetrachloride,  dioxane, chloroform,



trichl oroethane and methylene chloride.



Monitoring wells have shown some contamination of



crganics, however, additional monitoring well test



data is being collected by the State to document



the extent of groundwater-contami nation.



Contamination leaving this site could affect the



dcwngradient aquifer.



     Ccincidentally,  the sine is only one quarter



mile from the Western Sand and Gravel Site.
organics



groundwater
                                                                       FE3 1 3 
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Coventry, Rhode Island
     The Candy Sox Farm is a pig farm which has
also been used as a reoository for hazardous
chemical wastes.  Frequently, the illegal  wastes
originated out-of-state.  Midnight dumping of
flammable chemicals occured in ditch areas.
Approximately 20,000 55-gallon drums of chemicals
are stored on the farm.  Fourteen barrels
containing explosive sodium aluminum hydrox'Ide
were removed following a substantial explosion and
fire in late 1977.  The site slopes to a tributary
of the Moosup River.  Surface water contamination
has been confirmed.
     Litigation began in 1979 against the  owner,
generator and several  haulers.  According  to"'
recent reports the site has been abandoned with
the State spending 3125,000 to study cleanup and
restoration alternatives.   The State legislature
appropriated $300,000 to cleanup the site;
however, clean-up costs are estimated at S38
million for a complete remedy.
organics, flammable
surface water
                                       ^c

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Providence, Rhode Island
Local government officials have investigated a
private hauler who dumped 55-gallon drums on three
vacant lots.  The hauler is believed to have
dumped chemical wastes at other unknown locations
throuahout the area.
chemical wastes
land
Kingston, Rhode Island
     An inactive Kingston landfill  received
contaminated wastes from the now defunct Photeic
Corporation.  Groundwater has become contaminated
with high concentrations of mercury.  There is no
immediate health hazard.
mercury
croundwate
                                      z* i


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REGION II
                                 NEW JERSEY
Oeptford Township  (Gloucester County), New Jersey
     A local woman complained that her water
was polluted by the  Kinsley  landfill, which
accept chemical wastes high  in cyanides
and phenols.  The woman  said the water had
an odor, irritated her skin, and caused
bladder infections.  A New Jersey DE?
test found cyanides  and  phenols levels
                                           \
twice higher than  recommended drinking
water standards. Fires have  been reported
at the site, and workers  have complained
of skin -and eye irritation as well as nausea.

Edison, New Jersey,  1980
     The Kin-Sue landfill encompasses an
ar=i of approximately 220 acres in Edison,
New Jersey and was utilized  for the disposal
of liquid and solid  chemical, municipal  and
industrial  wastes during  the period between
1969 and 1977.  The landfill  site lies adjacent
to the Raritan River and  is  traversed by two
of izs direct tributaries and is also hydrau-
lically connected via underground aquifers to
Mirror Lake, a popular recreation area.   A pipe
and 5/crveral ditches  convey drainage from pools
of liquid wastes into Martins and Ed-ones Creeks,
     V
both or which flow directly  into the Raritan  River.
cyanide, phenols
groundwater, air/hurr,
  health
metals, organics
surface waters

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South Brunswick, New Jersey
     Local residents began complaining in
1975 about water contamination in the area of
the Jones Industrial Services Landfill. This
site had accepted all types of chemical wastes,
and significant amounts of organic chemicals
were detected in six nearby wells. The State
ordered the site closed.  Damage to the
aquifer is estimated at $300,000. A lawsuit
filed by local residents was settled out of
court for $10,000.

                        Elizabeth, New Jersey
     At the Chemical Control site, located on
the banks of the Elizabeth River, 40,000 drums of
chemical wastes are stacked on a 'small site. Many
drums contain highly explosive material, and the
site poses a significant fire and explosion hazard
to the area. The State of New Jersey has spent
$300,000 for the removal of the most explosive
and radioactive wastes.  The State Department of
Environmental  Protection filed suit in
January 1S79 against the owners of the' bankrupt
facility to force site cleanup. Estimated cost
of total cleanup is $10-15 million, and will
ta!
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Garfield,  New  Jersey,  1971
     Leaching  from  the industrial waste
lagoons contaminated  the  groundwater and
an  industrial  well  in  Garfield, New Jersey.

Fairfield  (Essex  County)
     In the  1940's  metals originating
from electroplating disposal lagoons
contaminated industrial and public water
supply wells.

Manville,  New  Jersey
     According  to State officials dust
from an open asbestos  dump operated by a
•major pipe manufacturer is a threat to
public health.  State  environmental
agency attempts to  have the owner cover
wastes with  soil  had been unsuccessful
as  of January  31, 1979.

Phi 11ipsburg ,  New Jersey
     Ammonia and  mercury  laden wastes spilled
or  leaked  from a  chemical plant contaminating
three  industrial  supply wells with a combined
production rate of  over 4,000,000 gallons/day.
Since  the  problem's discovery in 1971, the plant
has/discon-i nued  its mercuric waste stream;
the ^roundwater quality problem remains.
                                          ,C
toxic
groundwater
heavy metals
drinking water we'
asbestos
land, air
ammonia, mercury
aroundwater
                                                                     •  fEB.15  '££•:

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Neshanic Station, Mew Jersey
      In June 1968, five members of a fann
family became ill after drinking well water.
The water was contaminated with Lindane 20,
an extremely toxic insecticide.  The disposal
of any empty pesticide container near the well
was the source of the contamination.

Middletown Township, New Jersey
      In 1973, 60,000 gallons of chemical liquid",
including crankcase oil and petroleum wastes,
spilled on the ground at the Martee Landfill
in Middletown Township.  Dead fish and the
destruction of other aquatic life alerted
M .'J.  environmental officials to the problem.
State and local officials undertook cleanup
actions.
 Lindane  20
 well water
petroleum wastes
acuatic life
Sridgewater Township, New Jersey
     During the 1960's the Ortho Pharmaceutical
Company discharged about 1000 gallons of volatile
liquid organic wastes per week into unlined
subsurface disposal beds. The wastes travelled
one mile underground and polluted a nearby
stream.   The operation was  discontinued in
1953,VnJ  all  remaining wastes  in  the beds were
removed.   Polluted groundwater was  not  restored.
organic wastes
surface 4 arouncwa'
                                           El

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Mantua, New Jersey
     The Lepari Landfill in Mantua, New Jersey
                                                                toxic oraanics
accepted chemical wastes from several producers                 around a"surface w;
                                                                fishkills
including Rome and Haas and Owens-Illinois.
Chemical leachate w
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                                 NEU YORK
Warwick, Mew York  1979
     A judge temporarily closed a local
landfill that had been accepting chemical wastes,
and ordered Grace Disposal and Leasing Ltd., the
landfill's owners to show cause why it shouldn't
be closed permanently. Poisonous liquids leaking
from the landfill entered Greenwood Lake, which
supplies water for a reservoir serving Newark
and a dozen other New Jersey communities.

West Glen Falls/Queensbury, Mew York
     Authorities stated that they fear
pclychlorinated biphenyls ?nay be entering
homes on a lot formerly used to recycle
heat.retardant capacitors^ The P'CS's may
hase caused a local lack of vegetation;
no health effects nave been discovered.
The State paid for cleanup.

Mew York City (Queens County), New York
     in the early 1970's a trucking firm
was regularly disposing of chromium and
zinc-containing sludge in a private dump
in a swampy area. The sludge has contami-
nated the grcundwater.

Saratoga County, New York
     Several  sites in Saratoga and Washington
    tisjs were found to have received PCS
materials in the form of spent capacitators ,
                                        63
 toxic substances
 surface waters
 PCB's
 land
heavy metals
surface & crcundwatsr
 human health

-------
rolled dielectric paper, and waste liquids.
Although the health department had not
declared any of the sites a public health
hazard or a public health nuisance some
people have suffered chloracne and possible
PCS poisoning; the town supervisor advised
the nearest residents to vacate their homes:

Cold Spring, New York, 1953-1959
   .  Wastes from a nickel-cadmium
battery plant polluted a marshy area, which
leads into the Hudson River.  Tides are
slowly flushing cadmium into the Hudson,
threatening fish as well as a bird sanctuary
at the mouth of the cove.  Efforts to remove.
the cadmium- have not been successful .
Delaware County, New York 1974
    'An unknown amount of organic tarlike
residue from acid manufacture washed into
the West Branch of the Delaware River from
a waste lagoon at an abandoned plant.

Sig Flats (Chenung County), New York
     In the 1950's Agway, Inc. dumped waste
nitrate materials from its fertilizer plant
into a lagoon.  The lagoon discharged nitrates
ihto sulvounding soil, and then into water.

                                    -    -  64
cadmium
surface waters
organics
surface water
nitrate
ground & surface

-------
Approximately twenty domestic wells had
nitrate levels above 100. ppm and were
unusable for drinking.  Families had to
drink bottled water until  a public water
supply line became available for most residents.

Glenn Falls, New York
     The uncapped Caputo PCS disposal site
                                                                 PCS's
near South Glenn Falls, N.Y. is emitting vapors                  air
containing significant concentrations of PCS's.
High PCS concentrations were detected ranging
from 0.05 ug/m3 - 3ug/m3 in the winter of 1977 and
up to 300 ug/m3 in the summer of 1978. The
National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH) recommends that PCS's
in the work room environment should be less
than 1.0 ug/m3.  It is possible these
volatizing conditions may have existed
since 1960.

Hudson River, New York
     In 1974 striped bass in the Hudson River
                                                              PCS' s
were found to contain PCS's at 70 times the                   surface wai^r
FDA limit. An estimated one-half million
pounds of PCS's are in the river sediment,
with General Electric plants in Hudson Falls
and Fort Edward the major sources. In 1976
d£ acr°fJd to contribute S3,000,000 towards

                                       65
                                                                         FE3 15

-------
cleanup with the stats matching that amount.
Later studies Indicating dredging of "hot
spots" would cost $25,000,000 and a full
cleanup $204,000,000.  The State has  requested  Fed.  assistance.

Middleport, Niagara County, New York 1975
     The PMC corporation dumped one of its
pesticides (Carbofuran) into a lagoon used
for storing high-pH arrmonia containing wastes.
Ducks and geese, which normally use the lagoon
without incident during migration were killed
by the Carbofuran.

Niagara Falls, New York
     The Hyde Park landfill is situated in..
the extreme northwest corner of the City of;
Niagara, New York.  The 15 acre landfill is
triangular in shape and contains two drainage
di'.jhes which empty into Bloody Run, a
tr'Dutary of the Niagara River.  From 1953
to ";975 the Hooker Chemical Company disposed
of 34,000 tons of hazardous wastes containing
hexachlorocyclcpentadiene derivatives,  chlor-
endic acid (a thiodan precurser), iMirex,
Lindane derivatives, Eudosulfan and at least
21 other organic and inorganic chemical wastes.
     Oioxin,  benzene hexachloride (3HC), tetra-
        ^,
        Jvp'iene,  trichloroetnylene, benzene,
pesticides
ducks, geese
crgam-cs, pesticio-
air, ground & surf;
  water

-------
hexachlorofaenzene (BHC) tatracblorobenzene,
chlorobenzene, and phenol have been detacted
mi grating from the landfill at levels where
contact with the chemicals would adversely
affect human health.  The first stx of these
chemicals are carcinogenic. The remainder are
highly toxic, causing liver and kidney damage
as well as central nervous system disorders.
     It is estimated to cost $5,080,000 in
remedial actions to clean this site. A federal
suit has been filed against Hooker Chemical
Corporation.

Niagara Falls, Mew York
     The Love Canal -landfill is located in  •
.,       .,     .          - iU  -..    -\,.                            organics,  pesticic
the soutneas" corner or the Ci-y .or Niagara                       a-jr> arounc;  i
                                                                    We 12r*s
Falls, New York.  The landfill consists of
two 70-foot strips of land abutting on
either side of a 60-foot canal. From 1S42
to 1952. Hooker Chemical Corporation disposed
of 21,800 tons of hazardous wastes containing
dioxin and hexachlorobenzene, as well as other
toxic organic and inorganic wastes, at the
Love Canal site. Oioxin, tetrachlcroethylene,
chloroform, dichloroethane, benzene nexacnloride,
hexachlorcbutadiene and dichlorobenzene, all
carcinogens, as well as trichchloroethylene,
to>yene and ohenol have been found to have

-------
migrated from the landfill  in levels sufficient
to adversely affect human health.
     239 homes and a grammer school were built
on land around the canal.   Three storm sewers
underlie the immediate area of the Love Canal
landfill and ultimately flow into Black Creek,
a tributary of the Niagara  River.  Hazardous
amounts of the above substances have been'
found in the sediments and waters of Black Creek.
   •  It is estimated that it will cost $45,000,000
in remedial actions to clean the site. Suit has
been filed in District Court against Hooker
Chemical Corporation by the United States for
these measures .

Niagara Falls, New York
     The 102nd St. site is a 21 acre landfill
which borders on the Niacara River and is                         ground 5 surface
surrounded by private homes, parks and productive
wetlands. The City of Niagara Falls uses the
Niagara River as a drinking water source.
From the early 19^-0's to 1972 Hooker Chemical
Corporation and the 01 in Corporation disposed
of 23,500 tons and 56,000 tons of hazardous
wastes on the site, respectively. These wastes
consisted of Lindane, as well as other organic
and inorganic hazardous materials. Lindane, a
ca^PCJTiogenic pesticide, and tetracnl
oroenzene
                              crgamcs, oestic
        :E;3

-------
and phenol, both highly toxic, have been found
to have migrated from the disposed site.
     It is estimated to cost $16,500,00.0
in remedial measures to clean the site. Suit
has been brought in District Court against
Hooker Chemical Corporation and the 01 in
Corporation by the United States for  these
measures.

Niagara Falls, New York
     The "S" area landfill is a 4-acre
                                                                 organics, pesticic;
site in the south central section of  the                         drinking water
Niagara Falls, New York.  It is land  which
has been reclaimed from the Niagara River
by filling with cinders, stone-, slag,
dirt and carborundum abrasives.  -Between
1947 and 1975 Hooker Chemical Corporation
disposed of 70,400 tons of hazardous
materials at the "S" landfill. These
materials included endosulfan, benzene
hexachloride, as well  as other organic
and inorganic hazardous wastes. Tetra-
chloroethylene, hexachloride, all  carcino-
gens,  have been detected migrating from the
landfill  as evidenced  by their presence in
the public drinking water supply waters;.
                                         r o
                                         C 'J
                                                                       FE3 l 5  .=£0

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     It is estimated that it will  take
550,000,000 in remedial  measures  to  clean
this site.  Suit has been filed  in District
Court against Hooker Chemical  Corporation
to obtain these measures.
                                          70

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Clean, New York
     Between 1956 and 1972, spills, pipe leaks
and dumping by C.F. Industries at their Olean,
N.Y. site caused surface and groundwatsr
contamination. The company was ordered to
clean up the site, and pumping and treatment
operations to reduce the nitrate concentrations
in the groundwater began vn 1972.

Huntington (Suffolk County), New York, 1973
     The Suffolk County Health Department
discovered pollution in two industrial wells
across the road from the Huntington town
dump.  The ground water had become con-
taminated with sodium, chlorine, manganese
and. iron; methane'gas was discovered in
1976 and 1977, and in 1978 reached a 52
percent level in one of the four test wells.
Residents of two nearby homes also complained
that their water tasted so bad as to be
uncrinkable.

Is lip (Suffolk County), New York, 1978
     Mickey's Carting allegedly dumped
chemicals containing an estimated 4,000
gallons of the industrial  cleaner trichlo-
ethylene in the town dump.  Trichloroethylene
has  been found in numerous  wells throuchout
                                           71
ground &  surface
 water
 grounawater
  TCE •
  drinkina  water we! "i
                                                                          FES I 3 IS;

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Onondaga County, New York
     Allied Chemical discharged about
25 pounds per day of mercury to Onondaga
Lake. Mercury levels in fish eaceed FDA
levels. Allied has sought to remedy the
situation, but the lake is still contaminated
and fishing is still banned.

South Farroingdale, New York
     Plating wastes from aircraft manufacture
during World War II were discharged into
seepage pits and lagoons in South Fanningdale,
Metallic ions leached from the plating wastes,
contaminated a shallow water table aquifer.
On Long Island, a. designated sole source
aquifer.

Saratoga County, New York
     •The New York State Department of Health
has declared the Palmer site in the town of
Stillwatar a public health hazard. The site
received waste materials from General
Electric at Waterford, which manufactures
silicone products. Elevated levels of
metals, benzene and toluene have been
found in leachate samples. Adjacent
property owners have complained of skin
        ^)
rashes sn,d various illnesses.
 mercury
 surface water,
   food  chain
heavy metals
arouncwater
metals, benzene, to"
human health

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Cattaraugus County, New York
     Chromium-bearing plating wastes
were dumped in a pit in 1S68 at the
Vanderhorst Company. Chromiinn leached
from the site into groundwater and contami-
nated a domestic well.

Babylon, Suffolk County
     Leachate has steadily entered the
shallow aquifer providing water supply
to the residents and formed a plume
two miles long,  one-half mile wide,
and 70 feet thick, from a landfill operated
since 1947. Groundwater is the only source
of-drinking water on Long'"Island.

Oswego, New York
     Seventy-five hundred drums of chemical
wastes of unknown composition are stored at
the Pollution Abatement Services,  Inc. site.
An equal  number of drums is stored in an
abandoned milk plant in the Town of Mexico.
Wastes have overflowed dikes at the Oswego
site killing vegetation in an adjacent
wetland.  The State of Mew York has
appropriated 5750,000 for remedial work
at the site. Bids for the cleanup  were
         -^\
far above the amount of money available.
chromium
groundwater
groundwater
toxic substances
land, surface wat:
                                          T ••>
                                                                        FE3 1 5  iSSi

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Bethpage/Hicksville, New York
     For  19 years, Hooker Chemical pumped
approximately 2 million gallons a year of
waste water containing carcinogenic vinyl
chloride  into several nearby sumps. Fourteen
wells in  the Magothy aquifer, including five
public supply wells serving 100,000 customers,
are contaminated by industrial organic wastes.
Hooker stated that it had stopped dumping
wastewater in 1974.

West Nyack, New York
     In 1978, sixteen private wells in West
Nyack had to be closed due to contamination
by trichloroethylene. .Various industries
within one mile of the sits used the
chemical, but the source of contamination
could not be determined. The Spring Valley
Water Company is supplying water to the
affected  residents.  The aquifer has not
been restored.

Glen Cove, New York
     In 1977-78, five of the eight public
water supply wells for Glen Cove, Long island
were closed after high levels of chlorinated
organic compounds were discovered. The source
         "^
of the cent-arm nation could not be located.
The U^trPA has funded a pilot water treatment
pi ant"Tor Nassau County..
    crganics
    groundwater
    drinkinc- water we"
 trichloroethylene (T
 drinkinc water wells
orgamcs
drinkinc: water wells

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REGION III
                              PENNSYLVANIA
Chester, Pennsylvania
     A rubber recycler received drums of
hazardous wastes from ABM Company, a hauler,
and dumped the wastes on the ground. Drums
and contaminated soil and debris exist.on
site. The site is in a residential area  .
and there is a threat of fire and explosion
with resultant toxic fumes.  The latest
fire produced an acid mist.  An enforcement
case was filed in April, 1979.
   •  Cleanup of intact drums started in
January, 1980.  A State hydrogeological study
shall be-conducted-.   Newspaper articles
describe the following potential generators:
Texaco, Scott Paper, Sun Co., Exxon, OuFont,
Soeing-Verto1, and Smith, Klein and French.
Cost to cleanup the  site may exceed S3 million,

King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
     Illegal disposal of hazardous wastes
in a well by ABM Company has contaminated
groundwater.  The contaminated groundwater
feeds a reservoir which is the drinking water
Supply for suburban  Philadelphia.  A hydro-
geological  evaluation and well sampling
nrocram is r/eina olanned in order to document
toxic wastes, fire
human health
 toxic wastes
 surface & groundwater
   drinking waier
;eacna~e mi Grain on.

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Conshchocken,  Pennsylvania
     A quarry  was  used  by ASM  for disposal
of coke oven liquor waste from  Keystone Coke.
The waste  is contaminating  grouncwater and
surface water  which drains  to  Schuylkill
River.  The NPDES  permit for discharge from
the quarry lagoon  does  not  allow discharges
of the waste anrnonia  liquor.  A drinking wats?
supply is  threatened  because of groundwater
contamination.
     A contractor  is  conducting analyses to
identify contaminants that  are  suspected
of migrating from  the site  into ground-
water.

Sucks and Montgomery  Counties,  Pennsylvania
     The following cases all involve Trichlo-
roethylene (TCH) contamination of water
supplies in Sucks  and Montgomery counties
northwest of Poiladelphia,  Pennsylvania.
In most of the^cases, the State has the
lead with EPA  providing technical assistance
as needed.

Tech Alloy, Rohns, Pennsylvania
     A private well has been contaminated
with TCE and~j!)ther organics. Company is
supply-; nnal ternative water supplies.
toxic wastes
surface & croundwatar
   TCE,  organics
   drinking water wel

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N. Penn Water Co, Montgomery County, Pa.

     Eight out of 42 wells have been taken

out of service because of TCE contamination.

N. Penn Water Co. is conducting investigations

with area industries.


Superior Tube. Collegeville, Pennsylvania

     TCE has been found in municipal water

supply.  Superior Tube is taking voluntary

action to pump aquifer in order to eliminate

TCE contamination.


Variety Club Camp, Worchester, Pennsylvania

     TCE has been detected in camp water supply.

Nearby private wells ars also contaminated.

The camp has connected to a safe water supply.

Currently the State is investigating the

private well contamination.


The following active sites involve TCE

and other chemical contamination in water

supplies. Site investigations are underway

by EPA and State agencies.

- Upper Southampton
- NADC, Wonnimster
- Wormimster
- Wormimster Heights, some cleanup_underway
- Hatboro, some cleanup underway
- Warrenton, remedial actions underlay
- Chalfcrt -^
- Evansberg /;
- Fair•.Q_e>-'vi 11 age
- Bristol
- Valley Forge Tabs, remedial action underlay
- Audobcn, remedial action underway
                                                                       -r.

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Newberry Township, Pennsylvania
     Private wells have been contaminated
with carbontatrachloride, TCE, tetrachloro-
ethylene, toluene, and dichlorobenzene.
The company involved-" has agreed to take
remedial action.

Sandy Lake'Borough, Pennsylvania
     A private hauler, contracted by
the Pittsburg Plate Glass Co. for removal
of glass manufacturing waste, dumped the
alkaline wastes into a swampy lowland
adjacent to McCutcheon Run. In 1S75, after
two years of accepting the wastes at the
landfill, the -owner stopped accepting the
wastes and drained the swamp. This caused
a five mile fish kill in McCutcheon Run.

New 'Beaver,  Pennsylvania
     Environmental Aids operated a waste
treatment and disposal facility for pickle
liquors and organic wastes at a New Beaver,
Pennsylvania site.  Wastes were stored in
a pit behind a shale dam.  After a nearby
pond and residential wells were contaminated,
the State o-^ered the company to clean up
the sita_ix/when the company failed to comply
with the consent decree requirements, the
organics
drinkina water we'
   alkal ine waste:
   surface water,
     fish kills
    pi ckle  1icuor
      organics
    surface water
      drinking  we
      we 11 s

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State seized the firm's assets and cleaned
up the site at a cost of 3300,000.  The
groundwater has not been restored.

Sruin, Pennsylvania
     The American International Refining
Corp. operated at a 3ruin, Pennsylvania site
until 1972.  In 1S63, the breakage of a waste
storage lagoon containing oils, acid wastes,
and alkyl benzene sulfonate into the Allegany
River killed 4.5 million fish valued at
$108,000.  The firm could afford to pay only
$20.000 in fines to cover the damage. The
site was abandoned in 1972 when the co-pany
went out of busines.s. . The State of Penn-
sylvania has spent over $20,000 for cleanup
since 1973.  The new owners of the site have
posted a $100,000 bond for continued cleanup.

Findley, Pennsylvania
     Leachate from the Browning Ferris
Industries industrial waste landfill has seeped
into the groundwater and have caused -liner fish
kills in a nearby stream.  After 1975, the site
was no longer authorized to accept industrial
wastes.
organics
surface water
toxic wastes
surface £ crouncvv
                                                                        FEB 1 5  iSSt

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Noxanrixon, Pennsylvania
     Three of eleven industrial waste lagoons
                                                                   toxic wastes
operated by a chemical company leaked into a                       surface wa^er
nearby stream.  After the State ordered the
Company to clean up the site in 1970, Revere
abandoned the site and left lagoons containing
3 1/2 million gallons of waste.  During heavy
rains wastes would wash into the Delaware River.
The state finally intervened and spent over
5400,000 to clean up the site.

Falls, Pennsylvania
     Since 1957, a major steel corporation
                                                                   phenol, zinc
maintained 13 lagoons for the disposal of                          croundwater
industrial waste.  A comprehensive ground-.      '          •  •   '
water study in 1975 showed significant
concentrations of iron, phenols, zinc,
and other chemicals had entered the ground-
water.
Theodore Inman Landfill, Daucherly, Pennsylvania
     Industrial wastes, including oils and heavy
                                                                   toxic wastes
metals dumped at the Theodore Ir.man landfill                       air^ surface wa
in Daugherly, Pennsylvania in the early 1970's
destroyed biota in nearby streams and emitted
noxious cdojis. The site's operating permit was
withheld until the site was in comoliance
with a state order for remedial action.
                                             £0

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In June 1974, landfill operators informed
its clients that liquid wastas would no
longer be accepted.

Lackcawanna Refuse Co., Scranton, Pennsylvania
     An illegal disposal site for hazardous
waste haulers, has accepted thousands of drums.
leachate from site may be contaminating
groundwatars.  The indigent owner is in
jail because he had defrauded the County
earlier.

State College, Pennsylvania, 1976
     In August, 1975, samples of fish taken
from the headwaters of Spring Creek in the
vicinity of the'Nease Chemical Plant were
found to contain Kepone in concentrations
that exceed Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) action level.
     Nease Chemical Co. produced Kepone
for Allied Chemical in the late 50's and early
60's and produced Mirex for Hooker Chemical
in 1973.  Improper waste disposal practices
over the years had caused Kepone and Mirex
contamination of the plant property and
Spring Creek, a trout stream.
             \
     Followmg EPA recommendations,  the
State has advised fishermen to limit their
intake by the State of Pennsylvania and

                                            61
toxic wastes
aroundwater
kepone, mi rex
surface waters

-------
EPA to insure Mease  is committed to a
sound cleanup program.
Haverford, Pennsylvania
     National Wood Preservatives, which operated
a plant at Haverford from  1952 until 1963, dumped              pentachloraphe.no"
                                                               surface water
waste creosote containing  dissolved pentachlora- .
phenol into a disposal well. In 1963 the plant
changed ownership, and the new management
reportedly stopped use of  the disposal well,
which had contaminated the upper portion of
the croundwater aquifer.
     This has slowly spread downgradient,
intercepting a storm sewer. The organic wastes
nave begun to enter Nay!or Run from the sewer,
killing all aquatic life for at least five
or six miles downstream from the point of
entry. In July 1973, the Pennsylvania Dept.
of Environmental Resources ordered those
presently owning the affected property to
remove the wastes, requiring wells to be
dug to pump out most of the creosote and
a catch basin to be placed on the storm
sewer. Estimated cost of this cleanup is
S50,000.  \JTh'e current owners, claiming
they did not cause the problem, are

                                     -   -.82

-------
appealing the order.  In 1977, the EPA
Environmental Emergency Response Unit
plugged a drain, preventing further
surface water pollution.  The groundwater
remains contaminated.

Neville Island  (Allegheny County), Pennsylvania
     The Ohio River Park occupies a thirty-five
acre lot at the western tip of Neville Island.
Essentially completed, the park is located on
a site donated  to Allegheny County in 1976
by the Kill man  Co. via its foundation. The
company is the  pa ent corporation for the
now defunct Pittsburgh Coke and Chemical
Co. Four acres  of the site were reportedly
used as a municipal garbage dump from
1953 to 1945. In the early 1950's' large
quantities of miscellaneous industrial
wastes were deposited extensively.  The
chemicals uncovered at the park site
includes benzene, phenols, parathion,
cyanide, mercury and coal  tar residues.
     A recently completed study of remedial
alternatives estimated that continued park
closure with monitoring would cost SI 30,000
to 5250,000. Removal of contaminated wastes
           ^)
in order to rebuild the park as originally
conceived would cost seven to twenty-four
mi 11 ion do!1ars.                      — •
                                            83
organics, pesticid:
  heavy metals
land, human health
                                                                        FE3 1 5 iSS:

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Tioga County,  Elk!and  Borough, Pennsylvania
     In November  1972,  the Elk!and Tannery
shut down after 33 years  of operation.
The site was turned over  to Elk!and Borough,
which chose to have the site leveled. During
levelling operations,  about 20,000 gallons
of chemical waste liquids were  released and
drained into the  Ccwanesque River on December
7, 1973. The spill killed everything in the
river for 7 miles. An  estimated 2-4 million
gallons of wastes remain  stored at the site.

Hazel ton, Pennsylvania
     Trichlcroethylene from New Jersey was
brought to Hazel ton by midnight dumpers
and dumped into a quarry.  TCH is believed
to have leaked down to the aquifer,
contaminating a potential water supply
for Hazslton.  Hazel ton is in need of
a new water supply because of the
questionability of its present reservoir
for future use.

Washington County, Pennsylvania
     The Arden landfill,  in operation since
the 1940's, accepts air pollution control
sludges from' Hercules, Inc.  The sludges
contain "n-eivy metals including lead,
cobalt, and chromium.-Lsacriate from the
toxic wastes
surface water
 TCE
 croundwater
 neavy metals
 groundwater, d:
  water we!1s

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landfill entered groundwater and
contaminated a farmer's well and a
spring one-half mile from the site.
The landfill operator constructed a
leachate collection system.  Leachate is
piped to the City of Washington's municipal
treatment plant.  Sludges from the municipal
treatment plant are then buried at the Arden
landfill.

Whiteland Township, Pennsylvania
     Unlined lagoons used by the Foote-
Mineral Exton Corp for disposal of lithium
caused groundwater contamination and the
abandonment of 600 wells.""The lagoons have
since been lined.

Pittston, Pennsylvania
     In mid 1979, from 500 to 1000 gallons
per day of a mixture of waste oil and
organic chemicals poured for more- than
one month from an abandoned mine shaft
into the Susquehanna River. The Susque-
hanna River is used for recreational
purposes and for downstream drinking
water suoo-Kas. EPA exoenditures at the
        ' '   .!
site to date total approximately one-half
1ithium
drinkina water well;
 01 i s ,  organics
 surface a aroundwa
                                         85
                                                                     FE3  1 5 13SC

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million dollars.  An additional 5350,000
has been requested for  site assessment
and emergency containment.  It is estimated
that S10 million will be needed to fully
remedy the problem.

Kensington, Pennsylvania.
     In 1979, about 400 gallons of PCS
contaminated liquids flowed down Kensington
streets after a vandel opened the valve of
a transformer left in an abandoned Independent
Wiring Plant warehouse. Two tons of sand were
poured on the streets in an effort to soak
up the substance. Local residents experienced
eye irritation and a youn.g girl who came
in direct contact with the chemical was
hospitalized briefly.

Pleas-ant Township
     Heavy rains broke the earthen dike
of a former refinery waste lagoon releasing
contaminated sludge that entered the Allegheny
River.  450,000 fish, with an estimated value
of 375,000 were killed along a 60-mile stretch
of the river.  Grouncwater quality re-mains
dearaded.
Butler, r^mnsylvania
     Pickling liquors mixed with lime
sscap.e,d'"fr.cm improperly "nrred -lagoons.
                   PCS
                   air
               toxic  wastes
               surface  & grouncwatsr
«,-. -; -j-
•i H r-,
  U 0

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An estimated 400,QQQ gallons per day of
liquid wastes with a pH of 2.6, .has
contaminated a nearby tributary of
Raccoon Creek.  The creek is already
badly damaged by mine acid discharges.

Buffalo Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
     Prior to 1962, the Hranica Landfill
accepted industrial wastes, including test
paints, solvents, thinners, and pigments.
Leaching by these materials resulted in
the contamination of a spring about 1/4
mile away, a source of drinking water
for local  residents.  Residents reported
that a film of organic chemicals on the
surface of the water could occasionally
be lit by a match.   The spring water
was still  unfit for drinki-ng as of 1S75.

Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
     Industrial  wastes disposed in the
Heleva Landfill  since 1967 contaminated
a  well which supplied water to about 50
homes. Excessive levels of phenols, ethyl
acetate and trichloroethylene were present
in the weJR water.
organics
spring
phenois, organics
drinkina water  we!
                                          87
                                                                        FE5 15  ISSO

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Tinicum Marsh, Pennsylvania
     Fly ash was illegally dumped adjacent
to Tinicum Marsh, causing contamination of •
the-wetland. Because the tidal wetland was
considered environmentally sensitive, the
marsh was cleaned up.

Berks County, Pennsylvania
     Seven private wells were contaminated
by leakage from 55-gallon drums containing
paint solvents from the Volberts Company
of•Allentown, Pa.  The drums had been
dumped in a quarry in Kutztown, Pa.
They were removed when contamination
was detected in 1972.

Hamilton, Allegheny Co., Pennyslvania
     An, unidentified pesticide manufacturer
produced lindane/3HC on a site in Hamilton.
Operations ceased in 1S66, and the site was
later deeded to the town. Over 400 tons of
highly toxic 3HC waste were discovered at
the site, and there was a confirmed  leak from
the waste into a local stream.

Berwick Borough, Columbia County, Pennsylvania
     In 1US5, unlined lagoons of the
Fulton larj;p MFG. Co., caused contamination
of private wells in the area. The lagccns
                                                               paint solvents
                                                               drinkina watsr wells
                                                                pesncices
                                                                surface watsr
                                                                 plating
                                                                 drinkin
                                    :-£ a

-------
were leaking  plating wastes containing



cyanide, copper,  nickel, alkylbenzene-



sulphonate,  and  phosphate.
                                  8G
                                                                               c

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REGION III
                             DELAWARE
Wilmington, Delaware
     Rainwater and groundwater percolating
                                                                 heavy metals, orca.-
through the Llangollen Landfill produced a                       arcundwater
leachate containing high concentrations  of
iron, chlorides, ammonia, heavy metals
and dissolved organics.  The leachate
migrated from the site and in some  places
moved through a clay layer into the deeper
Potomac aquifer used extensively in New
Castle County for a water supply.   The
County has installed wells to intercept
contaminated groundwater in order  to
prevent contamination of the public water
supply wells at a cost of over SI  million.
                                    QP,
                                                                      IE3 T5 TiB

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                                 MARYLAND
Baltimore, Maryland
     Allied Chemical has used chrome ore
wastes for many years as fill in the
Baltimore Harbor area. Leachate from the
fill has drained to the harbor through
storm sewers and has disrupted aquatic
life at the bottom of the harbor.  A
temporary containment and treatment
system has been installed by the State.
Permanent remedial  measures will be
undertaken by the State.

Fairchild Republic, Kagerstown, Maryland
     In 1979, Hagerstown, Maryland officials
suspected that chemicals from the'Fairchild
Republic Co. were leaching into the groundwater.
Health Department officials located two wells
with .contamination.  A consultant has been
contracted to study the wells in the area.
chromate
surface water
   .toxic chemicals
   groundwater
                                   0
                                                                         FE3  1 5  iS

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                                   VIRGINIA
Saltville, Virginia
     Mercury has leached form an old 01 in
                                                                  mercury
plant site and contaminated the Moisten River                     surface water
A fishing ban was imposed by the State for
the Holston River.  The Company is completing
a field investigation and developing remedial
action strategy. A technical task force made
up of the State Water Control Board., State
Attorney General's Office, and EPA Region III
is overseeing industrial remedial studies,
plans and alternatives. Remedial actions are
to be initiated by Fall, 1S80.  To date,
the Company has spent S700-300 thousand,
S200 thousand to put rip rap on stream bank
at the old plant site, and an estimated
S200 thousand to stabalize levees of
on-site ponds.  The remedial plan includes
covering the pond containing mercury
and diverting surface water around the
pond basin.  This will cost approximately
34 million whereas the alternative would
be to remove the mercury and dispose
of it in a controlled disposal area.
This would cost aocroximatelv 322 million.

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surface water
Nelson County, Virginia, 1977
     Acid from Copperas wastes of an                             cooper   wastes
American Cyanimi'd plant which operated
from tan 1940's to 1959 washed into the
Piney and Tye Rivers after a thunderstorm
killing 73,000 fish.  As of July, 1S79
the Copperas wastes remained, despite
the efforts of the new owner, (U.S.
Titanium), to have it moved.
       FES 15  ;ss;

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REGION IV
                     ALABAMA
Anniston, Alabama, Kelvar Waste Site



   •  In 1973 Southern Metal Processing Company-         acids, heavy metals



contracted with DuPont's Richmond, VA. Plant for       surface water, human health



removal of wastes containing acids and heavy



metals.  Over the following year approximately



10,000 drums were accumulated.  In 1976 the stored



containers were found to be leaking, and polluting



surface waters.  In 1976 a fire at the site



injured two firemen.  OuPont assumed



responsibility for the -site and removed the drums



at a cost of 3650,000.  The acid saturated soils



were treated with lime and graded.  EPA Region IV



has requested that the State of Alabama assume



responsibility for monitoring the site.







Decatur, Alabama



     In 1954, approximately 200,000 pounds of coal



tar was spilled or dumped into a barge unloading       coal tar



area connecting to the Tennessee River.  The bulk      surface water



of the material is still on the river bottom.  The

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Redstone Arsenal, Alabama



     Large quantities of ?C3's and DDT mixed with



soil have been detected near the old Olin Chemical



•plant at Redstone Arsenal which was shut down in



1971.  Storm water runoff has carried DDT to the



Tennessee River where it remains in the sediment



and water.  Levels up to 400 parts per million of



DDT have been detected in fish.  Several federal



agencies developing-a remedial plan which may



include removal of the DDT contaminated soil for



burial  in a secure chemical waste landfill.



Monitoring wells to insure groundwatar protection



may be installed around the disposal site.  Public



water supplies-in the area have been tested and do



net show DOT contamination.
                  PCS's, DDT



                  surface water, soil
Slount County, Alabama



     Waste oil pits have been found in an



abandoned strip mining area.   The oily sludge



contains heavy metals.  The source of the waste



oil is unknown.
                  waste oil, heaw metals
                                      Qf
^ o
                                                                              5 :3.£

-------
coal tar occasionally causes  an  oil  sheen.  The



material has not yet been removed.
                                  95

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Oecatur, Alabama
     Fly ash was hauled by private transporter to
the Johnson Landfill near Trinity, AL for
disposal.  The fly ash was used on one of the
roads leading through a rural area to the
landfill.  Several tons of this material was piled
beside the road.  Analysis showed levels of
cadmium and chromium in the fly ash.  Similar
metals have been found in a local residential
(groundwater) well and monitoring is continuing.
The company is under order by the State to remedy
the situation.
cadmium, chromium
drinkina water wells
Oecatur, Al abama         ....
     Sludge from a company's wastewater treatment
facility has been disposed by surface application
on a tract of property just south of the plant.
EPA analysis of samples of a well located on plant
property showed organic contamination.  The well
supplies drinking water to the resident of a house
owned and leased to the occupant by the Company.
Due to concern over contamination of the
groundwater, the company will not renew the leases
on seven homes in the vicinity of the contaminated
well.  Additional samolina has been done and the
orgamcs
drinkina  water wells
                                    97
                                                                    FE3 1 5 i=S

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company, State and EPA.official s are working to



locate the source of contamination.

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                     FLORIDA
 Tofs, Florida
     Tne Woodbury Chemical Co., a bankrupt
 pesticide  formulator, vacated its warehouse and
 left behind hundreds of barrels of DDT, Sevin,
 Ma lath ion  and Parathion.  The company also left a'
 pallet of  broken and corroded bottles of
 concentrated parathion exposed on an outdoor
 loadina dock.
pesticide
abandoned warehouse
Whitehcuss, Florida
     Seven pits covering seven acres were filled
with waste oil sludge contaminated with ?C3's and
abandoned in 1968.  In 1976 the level of one of
:he pits cave way and about 50,000 gallons of oily
material was released to McGirts Creek.  The £?A
drained the liquids from the pits and covered the
pits using a plan developed by the City of
Jacksonville.  The sludge covered in place was
highly acidic and contained high concentrations of
lead, zinc and cooper.'  The material may need to
be transported to a proper disposal  facility.
Other remedial actions are beind considered.
?C3's,  lead,  zinc,
  • copper
surface water
                                                                        1 5

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North Miami 3each, Florida
     A drinking water odor incident led to an
extensive investigation of the public water            cca]  aas residue
system.  Several odor-causing compounds were           drinkina watar wells
isolated and appeared related to coal  gas
manufacturing residue disposal.  Impacted wells
were closed and the city added a powdered
activated carbon system to resolve the problem,  A
total of nine wells were impacted.  All of the
wells are back in operation at present with
further studies by the utility being carried out.
No Federal  or State funds were expended beyond
those for consultation and preliminary sample
analysis.-                -                •     '   -

Killsborough Co., Florida
     Investigation of a landfill  showed volatile
organic groundwater contamination in samples from
six wells.   Of these six wells, one was a water        organ.cs
supply well  on the landfill  site, three were           drinking water wells
private wells supplies serving single  residences,
anc twc we-e private supplies serving  trailer
courts qualifying as a community supplies.   Upon
release of the data indicating private well  supply
contamination, the County Health Dept. instituted
                                     nn

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a bottTed-water distribution program to impacted
residents pending a long-term solution to the
contamination.
                                  P"1
                                  b j.
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                     GEORGIA

General Electric, Rome, Georgia
     The GE transformer manufacturing plant in
Rome, GA is responsible for PCS contamination of       PCS's
sludge from the local sewage treatment", plant, as       surface water
well as contamination of the upper reaches of Lake
Weiss.  The plant had general surface
contamination (PCS's) at the bulk off-loading
facility.  Plant employees contaminated with PCB's
used the plant's shower facilities for clean-up,
which contributed to contamination of the city
sewers.  PCS contaminated storm waterwater runoff
entering combined sewers, also contributed to      '•.  '••
contamination of the sewage treatment plant
sludge.  Tons of PC3 contaminated sludge is now
being hauled to Chemical Waste Management of
Alabama.  The GE plant  is also responsible for a
standing advisory against the commercial taking of
bottom-faeding fish  from the upper reaches of Lake
Weiss due to the PCS contamination.
                                  -j p-«
                                 .~L L' Li

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                     KENTUCKY
West Point, Kentucky
     The "Valley of the Drums" is an abandoned
disposal site containing approximately 17,000
drums of industrial waste. ' Federal  funds were
spent to temporarily contain the site.  An
emergency waste treatment system was also
installed..  The State is negotiating with the
generators of the wastes for removal of the drums
and proper disposal.  Chemicals migrating from the
site have been detected in streams draining to the
Ohio River.
industrial  wastes
surface water
Louisville, Kentucky, 1977
     The municipal sewer system was contaminated
by chlorinated organic chemicals dumped by Donald
Oistler, a waste hauler.  The wastewater treatment
plant was temporarily evacuated by workers due to
toxic fumes produced by the illegally dumped
wastes.  EPA funded the cleaning of the municipal
sewers and removal of contaminated sludges.
Distler was convicted on criminal charge's of
illegal dumping under the Clean Water Act.
chlorinated organics
wastewater treatment
  plant, surface water
                                    ~i <~! -~i
                                    in 3
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Louisville, Kentucky
     For five years Lee's  Lane Landfill received
municipal and industrial wastes.   In  1975
officials temporarily evacuated eight families
because of explosive methane gas.  The dump was
"subsequently closed.  A  gas venting system is
planned"' for' installation at' the' landfill.-
methanegos
evacuation
West Point, Kentucky
     The  "Brickyard"  site  is  an  abandoned chemical
disposal  site which was  used  by  Donald Distler  for
drum storage.   The  site  contained  thousands  of
drums.  .No effort, to  contain  the site had been
made and  surface--water contamination has o'ccured.
industrial wastes
surface water

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                  NORTH CAROLINA
Kinston., North Carolina
     Contaminated fertilizer from a Smith-Douglass
plant damaged 6,000 acres of tobacco in North and
South Carolina.  Tordon,  a herbicide manufactured
by Dow Chemical Co., was  believed to be the
contaminant.  Smith-Douglass shut down its plant
for an investigation of the contamination.
contaminated herbicide
crop damage
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina (Kelly Road
Dump)
     About 200 55-gallon drums of chemicals,
including acetone and possibly toluene were dumped
into a landfill.  The chemicals may have migrated
into a nearby residential well.  The State of
North Carolina spent $50,000 to clean up the site.
organics •
drinking water well
                                 105
                                                                        FE5.1 5 12S

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North Carolina, New Hanover County
     Groundwater contamination resulting from
improper disposal at the New Hanover County
Landfill was shown to have contaminated 17 private     ,  ,   ,  .  ,
                                           *           industrial wastes
wells in the vicinity.  Aoproximately twenty           ,  .  . .     ^     ,.
                            •                           drinking  water well
additional- private:;wells are-subject to potential
contamination in the future.  The County is
providing drinking water to residents'with
impacted wells and other area residents whose
wells are potentially subject to contamination1.
EPA is  presently proceeding with court action
against the State, County, and operators of the
landfill.  Monies have been expended by local,
State and Federal agencies. ' The county is. • .         '  -  .            •   .'
presently engaged in applying for HUD and State
funding to aid in deferring total costs of
supplying the impacted area with a water supply
system.  Court action is pending.

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Bowdin, North Carolina, 1971
     Open dumping of pesticide containers resulted
in a fish kill in Bear Swamp Creek, Ouplin County,
on July 6, 1971.  Jugs of the insecticide, Mai-Dan
Tobacco Spray, were apparently dumped onto the
creek bank.  Some of the jugs appeared to have
broken when they rolled into the creek, releasing
endosulfan, a chemical insecticidal agent.
pesticides
surface water, fish kill
Clinton, (Haywood County), North Carolina, 1974
     Approximately one thousand gallons of
petroleum-based cleaning fluids were dumped at.a
landfill and leaked into a tributary of Hominy
       <*
Creek.  Cattle died after drinking-from the
polluted water.  The town of Clinton compensated
the cattle owner and the waters were
decontaminated by surface skimming.
cleaning fluids
surface water, cattle
  died
Holly Ridge, North Carolina
     Approximately 900 drums of 2,4 dinitrophenol
are stored  in a collapsed warehouse.  Some of the
drums have  burst and the material has spilled onto
the warehouse floor.  The building is accessible
to children and the material can be absorbed
through the skin.  The town of Holly Ridge and the
 2,4 dinitrophenol
 warehouse


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State of North Carolina have filed suit (public
nuisance) to get the owners(s) to remove and
dispose the material properly.  EPA is assisting
the State and local governments with affadavits.
The apparent owners are Renroh, Inc. and
Continental Trading Company.

PCB Spill in North Carolina
     Approximately 250 miles of North Carolina
highways were sprayed with PC3s.  The State has        PCB's
taken action against the  suspects in the case.         S01"'
EPA is assiting the State in cleanup and disposal
operations.  Contaminated soil remains along roads
approximately'3 feet wide and 6 inches deep.    .      •   '  .•
                                      T ^ O
                                    -• JL U O

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                  SOUTH CAROLINA
Sangamo Electric Co., Pickens,  South Carolina
     Sangamo Electric Co.  disposed of PCB-
contaminated equipment and wastes  at three sites.
Two of the locations are county owned landfills
and the third is a privately owned landfill.
Water testing showed high  concentrations  of PCBs
in the groundwater and nearby waterways,  including
Lake Hartwell.   A standing advisory was made
against the commercial taking, of bottom-feeding
fish.  The Sangamo Plant now has- a permit for
on-site burial  of PVB contaminated wastes.
PCB's
surface & groundwater
Landrum, South Carolina
     An unidentified industrial-type waste was
dumped into Vaughan Creek, the town's water
supply.  National guardsmen trucked drinking water
into the town, while town employees flushed two
storage tanks.  It is believed that the
contamination was discovered at the filtration
plant before being released to the distribution
system.
industrial wastes
town water supply
                                   ICG
                                                                        FE3 1 5 135

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                    TENNESSEE

Hardeman County, Tennessee
     Velsicol Chemical Corporation of Memphis,
Tennessee is-the owner of aoproximately 242 acres      .   .  . ,
                                                       pesticides
in Hardeman County near the'Town-of Toone".              , .  , .
                                                       drinking:water wells
Tennessee.  Between 19.64.. and 1972, the Company
trucked about 300,000 55-gaHon drums of their-
waste material from a pesticide plant in Memphis
to the site for disposal.   The company's waste.
residue including endrin, dieldrin, aldrin, and
other pesticides, were buried in unlined trenches
over about 50 acres of the  property.  The
groundwater has become contami nated._and use of   .          .    '      •    .
private wells in the  area has been discontinued.
A public water supply has been extended to these
residents, and groundwater  monitoring is
continuing.  Remedial actions at the site are
being taken by the Company.  Clean-up cost
estimates range from  26 million to over S165
million.  A class action suit has been filed
against the Company.  A 1979 study indicated liver
enzyme abnormalities  among  residents who had
consumed the water.

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Chatanooga, Tennessee
     In June 1978, National Waste Oil Control
Company declared bankruptcy and abandoned two
storage areas containing 30,000 gallons of oil and
sludge.  The site posed the danger of spillage
into nearby Citico Creek and potential
contamination of the city drinking water supply.
The U.S. EPA spent $100,000 to land fill the
sludge and incinerate contaminated soil.  Afcer
the city filed a nuisance suit, the owner removed
the remaining sludge, graded and capped the site.
waste oils
drinking water supply
Memphis, Tennessee 1976-1979
     Complaints-from residents-of a .neighborhood
have initiated several investigations of reported
chemical waste disposal.  Recent sampling of air,
water and soil has been conducted by EPA.
Analyses have not shown chemical levels above
those normally found in urban areas.  Additional
soil corina will be done.
pesticides
human health complained
Rutherford County, Tennessee
     Twenty private wells in a rural setting were
found contaminated by the illegal disposal of
waste oils into a sinkhole.  KUD and FHA  funded a
waste oils
drinkina water wells
                                   ~i 1 ~>
                                   -L i JL
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3200,000 extension to an ongoing water supply
project in order that impacted residents be
supplied potable water.  Nothing was done to
restore the groundwater.
Waynesboro>_ Tennessee-
     In 1970, a local plant began to dump
polychlorinated biphenyls  (PCS) into the city dump
site.  The dumping continued until April, 1972.
The waste has migrated into a spring which feeds
Beech Creek.  Aquatic life in Beech Creek has been
adversely affected.
PCB's
surface water,  wildlife
Milan, Tennessee   •       . •     •  - .
     Normal operation of  the Milan Army Ammunition
Plant, since its origin in 1941 has resulted in
surface discharge of plant process water
containing residues of TNT, DNT, RDX and "tetryl".
During a routine tasting  of wells on the
installation, explosive residues were found in the
vicinity of the industrial lagoons.  Two water
supply wells for the Army installation were closed
subject to these findings.  A  survey of on-site
and private wells downgradient from the
installation was instituted by the U.S. Army Toxic
TNT, ONT, RDX, tetryl
groundwatar

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and Hazardous Materials Agency to determine the
extent of contamination.  Pending these findings,
a pollution abatement plan will  be implemented.
Chattanooga, Tennessee,  Velsical Residue Hill
     On-site disposal of chemical wastes has
resulted in groundwater contamination.  The
company is planning remedial work on-site.
chemical waste
groundwater
Memphis, Tennessee
     Complaints of severe headaches, nausea, and
eye irritation in sewage treatment plant workers
led to analyses of urine samples. 'Chlorinated
organics and re-Tated .compounds of low levels were •
found.  The apparent source of the chemicals was
the industrial waste discharges to sewer lines.
Several industries have agreed to pay for most of
the cost of cleaning contaminated sludges from the
sewers.
chlorinated organics
wastewater collection
  and treatment system
Morristown, Tennessee
     Leachate from a dump containing municipal
refuse, DDT, DDE, ODD and dieldrin polluted nearby
wells.  Odors emanated from a leachate polluted
stream.  TVA produced a  final closing plan for the
pesticides
surface water
                                   nio
                                   J. i.J

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dump, including a two foot final cover and plastic
covering of the pesticide disposal area.

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REGION V

                     ILLINOIS

Byron, Illinois
     Three cattle died of cyanide poisoning which
resulted from the unregulated land disposal  of            cyanide
                                                          wildlife
3,400 55-gallon drums of industrial  wastes on two
farms, one of which had since been purchased by
Commonwealth Edison.  The drums of unknown origin
had been deposited within the previous two years.
Subsequent investigation discovered wildlife kills
and vegetation damage.  Cyanide was also found in
17 wells in.the Byron area.  Commonwealth Edison
agreed to clean up its farm at an approximate cost
of $209,000.  The washes remained on the other
farm.
                                115

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Aurora, Illinois
     Leachate from a landfill site accepting
industrial waste contaminated nine wells.  Owners
of the wells sued the owners, Fox Valley Disposal
Co., and were-awarded 354,000 damages to cover
costs-- of legal expenses and a hook-op to the-city
of North Aurora1s- water lines.  The State
investigations of the incident cost an estimated
$52,000.
groundwater
Calumet (Cook County),  Illinois
     On December 18,  1975  a man was severely
burned when the compactor  that he was operating
struct a 55-gallon drum of ethyl acetate; he'died
three days later from his  burns.  The compactor,
valued at  ($100,000)  was a'total loss.  A
scavenger  hauler had  deposited two drums of ethyl
acetate in the dark hours  of the morning.
ethyl acetate
human- health
Sheffield,  Illinois, March  1978
      Illinois Attorney  General William J. Scott
filed suit  against  Nuclear  Engineering Co.,
charging the company with a major fishkill in a
lake  near Sheffield.  The company's  toxic chemical
chemical toxins
fish kill
                                   U

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dump adjoins its controversial nuclear waste
burial  ground.
                                117

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East St. Louis, Illinois
     The Monsanto Chemical Co. maintained an
industrial waste dump on company property ad-
jacent to the Mississippi River in East Saint
Lou.is-. from the mid 196Q's.  Wastes dumped into
holding ponds include phenols, nitrobenzene
derivatives, sulfuric acid and fly ash.  In
1972 and 1974 tests of shallow wells at the
perimeter of the sits showed phenol contam-
ination.  In July 1974, the site was closed.
      organics
      groundwater
 Mallard Lake Forest Preserve (DuPage  County)
 111 inoi s
      According to newspaper reports,  the Illinois
 Attorney General  filed suit to close  a hazardous
 chemical waste dumping sita which had taken liquid
 chemical wastes including cyanide, phenols  and
 mercury.  The Attorney General said the site  was
 "polluting or threatening to pollute  the
 groundwater and adjacent Lake Mallard." Scott also
 sued the Illinois Environmental Protection  Agency,
 which had issued a supplemental permit that
 allowed dumping of the liquid wastes  in the
 sanitary 1andfi11.
mixed chemicals
croundwater

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Marshall, Illinois,  August,  1979
     Heavy rains apparently  eroded a dike at
a waste-storage pond for hexachlorocylopen-
tadiene owned by the Velsicol  Chemical  Cor-
poration, near Marshall, washing some of the
contaminant into two tributaries which fed into
the Wabash and Ohio Rivers above Franklin,
Illinois.  The spill was contained within
four hours.  Velsicol and the State are
cleaning up the site.
hexach.l orocycl opentadi a
surface waters
                                119
                                                                    FE3 1 5  135

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                     INDIANA
Gary, Indiana
     In August 1977 explosions and a fire occurred
at Mid-Co. Corp.,, owned and. operated by Ernest
DeHart."  Hazardous wastes stored and stock-piled'
in open fields burned out of control for hours.
The State has estimated cleanup of the site would
cost $13-mi Hi on.  EPA has  filed suit to require a
cleanuo of the site.
mixed wastes
fire hazard.
Sloomington,  Indiana
     Sewer lines, streams and farms have been
contaminated with the toxic chemical PC3.   .   .
Westinghouse Electric Corp. has -been charged with
dumping up to eight pounds a day into the city's
sewers.
PC3
land, -surface water
Elkart,  Indiana
      In  1973 chromium  levels  in wells of six
homeowners were  found  to  be over 100 times EPA
drinking water standards.  The suspected source of
the pollutants is  the  Himco industrial  landfill
containing pharmaceutical  and other industrial
wastes.  The problem was  "remedied" by  digging
chromate
drinkina water
                                    U
                                                                     FE3 .1 5 iS5

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deeper wells.   Recently, USGS is studying site to
evaluate extent  of  groundwater contamination.   The
site closed  in  1976 through a consent agreement
with the State.
                                 121
                                                                   FE3 1 5  1S30

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Kingsbury, Indiana


     The site of the Fisher-Calo Chemical and


Solvent Corp. was named in 1979 as a potential               mixed  chemicals

                                                             groundwater
hazard.  An estimated 20,000 drums and several


million gallons in bulk storage of acids',


cyanides, and chlorinated solvents are' in a


warehouse and open field at the site.  The site is
    \

located in a sand dune area, and ground and


surface water pollution is probable.  The State


filed suit in this case, but the judge hasn't


heard the case.


     Most cyanide wastes have been moved to the


NECO site in Sheffield, Illinois.


     There is .no known surface water


contamination, but one monitoring well has been


contanri nat.ed.

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                MICHIGAN

Story Chemical  Co., Dal ton, Michigan
     In 1976, the Cordova Company purchased
irhe assets of the bankrupt Story Chemical  Co..          Mixed  chemicals-
and agreed to pay for site cleanup in ex-               drinking  water
change for a release from future liability.
Story Chemical  had abandoned 3100 55-gallons
drums of chemicals and 8000 cubic yards of
sludges on the site and had, during plant
operation, stopped operating a groundwater
purge system installed by a predecessor at
the facility.  Costs to connect 36 private
residents to a nearby municipal water supply
are'estimated at $3 million.  Cordova has  spent
$600,000 on cleanup and the State has spent
$610,000.
                                 -, o n                               ru« 15  1SSO
                                 ifi.0

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St. Louis, Michigan 1979
     Between 1971 and ]973 the Michigan
(presently Yelsicol) Chemical Corporation
dumped an estimated 269,000 pounds of waste
materials containing 60 to 70 percent
(1ST,400 to 188,300 pounds) of PBB's' into
the Gratiot County landfill.  Significant
traces of PBB's and various levels of other
contaminant exist in ground and surface
water sample taken in and around the land-
fill site; domestic waste wells at the
time were uncontaminated.  A slurry wall
trench system to contain the wastes is
being developed.        •
PBB
ground & surface wata
Adrian, Michigan
     Curene 442, a suspect carcinogen, was
reportedly found in  high  levels in dust
throughout a  subdivision  neighboring  the
Anderson  Development company, manufacturer
of  the chemical.   Unacceptable levels of
the  chemical  were  found  in workers at the,
plant as  well  as nearby  residents.  The
State is  conductina  an  investiaation.
  Curene 442
  human health
                                                                  FES 1 5  1S50

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Montague, Michigan, 1957-1979
     The State of Michigan filed a multi-
million dollar lawsuit, alleging that Hooker
Chemical Co. buried tons of brine, asbestos,
fly ash and deadly pesticides for approxi-
mately two years on an 880 acre site of its
factory.  News media reports charged that
20,000 drums were leaking wastes frcm the
manufacture of the pesticide precurser
C-56; in 1979 officials also discovered
the highest levels of dioxin ever measured
in Michigan.
     The chemicals leaked in the groundwater,
contaminating private Wells, and then into  •
White-Lake, which flows into Lake Michigan
1 ess than a mile away.
     Hooker offered the State a $11.5
million cleanup pact, but the Attorney
General declined.  Cleanup estimates range
frcm $15-miilion to $300 million.' In
June 1979., Hooker agreeded to install a
"purge well" system to  intercept contam-
inated water before it  reached White Lake.
pesticides
ground and surface waters
                                   -, r- >—
                                   IcD
                                                                      iS 1 5  iS30

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Oscoda, Michigan
     In 1973 high levels of trichloro-
ethylene, a carcinogen, were found in the
well of a private residence.  Over the
following five years seven other private
residential wells and an industrial  well
used by employees for drinking became
contaminated.  The suspected cause is
open dumping of TCE on the site of a
nearby auto parts plant.  Public water
has been supplied to the residents at a
cost of $140,000, borne by the FHA and
the municipality.
                                                        TCE
                                                        drinking water
Oakland County, Michigan
     Two illegal  dumps ites in Oakland
County, Michigan have been named as the
source of PCS's toxic solvents and other
chemicals found in local wells in August
1979.  Approximately 2000 drums were dumped
at the sitas about 12 to 14 years ago.   The
Michigan Department of Natural Resources is
involved in testing local wells and expects
to spend about $500,000 to remove the drums
from the site.  The State declared the
site a "toxic" substances emergency in
September.,
           1979.
                                                        mixed chemicals
                                                        drinkina water
                                       1r*
                                       C

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               MINNESOTA
Shakopee, Minnesota
     Seven thousands drums of mixed
unidentified chemicals, many of them
leaking, are stored at this abandoned
site.  When a county court ordered the
                         /
dump's owner Mervyn Bell to remove all
barrels or go to jail for contempt of
court, Sell left the State for Arkansas.
The court has issued a warrant for his
arrest should he return to Minnesota.
Sell and other principals in the com-
pany now operate a waste disposal site
in El Dorado, Arkansas.
        • mixed chemicals
         soil
Woodbury Township, Minnesota
     Test drilling on an old 3M disposal
site consisting of unlined sites where
solvents were dumped (discontinued in
1966) found isopropyl ether concentrations
of 4-5 pom in shallow drifts and 0.11 ppm
at a depth of 100 feet.  Solvents were
dumped into unlined pits.  Three wells
continuously pump water to stop the spread
of contaminants.  The contaminated water
is discharged to a treatment system.  The
pits have been pumped out.
          solvents
          aroundwater
•i <•: ?-.,
1 4- (
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Perham, Minnesota, 1972
     In May 1972, a local building contractor
occupied a new office and warehouse structure           arsenic
at the outskirts of Perham, a town of 1900              drinking water
residents in western Minnesota.  At that time,
a well was drilled to supply drinking water
for about: 13 peopl e: who', worked:, on* the premi ses.
     Early in May, five employees became ill
with gastrointestinal symptoms.  Following-this,
and continuing throughout the next 10 weeks,
other  employees  also became ill.  Arsenic poi-
soning was determined to be the cause, which
affected  a total of 11  out of 13 persons exposed
to the water.
     The  source  of  the  well water contamination-         '     -    •
has been  traced  back to the mid-1930's at which
time  grasshoppers had constituted a  serious
problem to  farmers  in the  area.  Some residents
recall that excess  grasshopper bait  had been
buried at the former County  Fairgrounds, in a
corner which was used  as  the village dump  in those
days.   The estimated costs of solutions range
upward from $25,000.
                                                                       FE3

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                  OHIO
Negly, Ohio,  June 1974
     A citizen of Negly  complained  about
the spillage  of hydrochloric acid,  oil  and
other wastes  into Little Seaver Creek.  The
alleged source of pollution was Ecological
Service, Inc., of East Palestine now  owned
by Browning Ferris,  Inc..
HCI
surface water
Monroe County, Ohio 1975
     An aluminum plant grossly contaminated
the groundwater under its site with flourides
high pH and other trace chemicals;  the water
was also discolored.  The source of .contam-
ination is leachate frcm a used tailing pond
and used potl i ne  pits".
mixed chemicals
ground water
Lake County, Ohio, 1971
     A trucking firm that hauls bulk chemicals
washes resides frcm trailer into two lagoons
on its property about 5,000 gallons of waste-
waters, including phenols, organic solvents,
phosphates and suspended solids, are washed
into the lagoon a day.  Sy March 1971, wells
on adjacent property were contaminated; cattle
also refused to drink frcm a stream polluted
by effluent frcm the lagoons.
orgamcs
ground & surface waters
                                                129
                                                                           l-5-.JSHO

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Cleveland, Ohio
     In July 1979, it was reported that a U.S.
District Court ordered Chemical & Mineral
Reclamation Inc. received, removed, or im-
properly stored chemicals in two warehouses.
A fire department inspection uncovered thousands
of leaking chemical drums stored atr the
unsecured" site'.

Walton Hills, Ohio
     In 1979, the Ohio Attorney General filed
a $45 million damage suit against the Dow
Chemical Co., BASK Wyandotte and Dow Chemical
of Canada.  The suit charged illegal dumping
of. mercury into Lake'Erie and asked'for. $10
million for cleanup, $25 million for com-
pensory damages, for past, present, and
future damage, and $10 million for punitive
damage.   In 1973 the court awarded the
State $366,000  in legal costs while
dismissing the case.
mixed chemicals
hazard
mercury
surface water
                              130

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Lisbon, Ohio

     Highly mineralized  fluids,  the  products

of neutralized spent pickling  liquids, began            pickling liquids

to leak from a disposal  pit.   In 1970, fish             wildlife

were killed in nearby Wilson's pond.   In  1971,

Wilson's pond overflowed into  Little  Beaver

Creek, causing a major kill  of some  77,000

fish.  The State filed suit  in 1972  or 1973

and consent order was entered, requiring  the

company to install  a collection system and

neutralization plant.  The effluent  to Beaver

Creek is now under NPDES permit.

     In 1973, the State filed  suit again

due to ammonia discharges.'  Settlement          •     .
                               *
negotiations are underway involving  a

shut-down schedule and civil  penalties.

     Chem-Lime will be required to reclaim

the area.
                                 131

                                                                         FE3 1 5  iia

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Shawnee Lake, Ohio
     On June 2, 1971, the U.S. EPA, at the request
of the State of Ohio, provided direct support in       pesticides
the removal of Endrin (a highly toxic pesticide)       surface water
which had been deliberately dumped^ into, a small  lake
near"Portsmouth, Ohio.  EPA provided the expertise^
in design and construction of an on-site carbon
adsorption filter which treated the lake watsr and
removed the Endrin.

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Hamilton, Ohio
     In 1976, a tank car located at the
Chem-Qyne Corp. disposal  site in Hamilton,
Ohio overheated and leaked fumes.   Subse-
quently, the waste disposal  firm filed a
multi-mill ion dollar suit against the city,
claiming that Hamilton had hurt business.
In December, 1979 the U.S. EPA filed suit
seeking a court injunction to remove thou-
sands of drums filled with chemicals fron
their site after similar State orders had
been ignored.

Hamilton, Ohio  1980    •               ••
    'The Chem-Oyne Corporation occupies
approximately four acres  in downtown Hamilton,
Ohio.  The ground under the site is porous  and
sandy.   Thousands of 55-gallon drums and seven
large silo tanks are stored on Chem-Oyne's  premises
containing over 1 1/2 million gallons of hazardous
chemical wastes including phenol,  acaton, xylene,
toluene, hexane, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,1,1-trichloro-
ethane, benzene, dichlorobenzene,  napthalene, cyanides
and arsenic. As a part of the operation at  the  Chem-
Oyne site,  large quantities of hazardous chemicals  are
mixed in several open pits; in addition, chemicals  at
the Chem-Oyne site have been discharged through pipes,
drains or other confined conveyances on or  around  the
                                       133
Unidentified chemicals
soil
         orgamcs
         ground & surface
           waters

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Chem-Oyne  plant to a" nearby canal
and/or the Great Miami River.
                                  134

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               WISCONSIN
Calumet County, Wisconsin
     In February, 1979,  demolition wastes
containing PCS's mercury, cadmium, lead,
copper, and chromium,  were dumped  by
Weiseter Construction  into wetlands ad-
jacent to Lake Willebago.  If they are
not removed the wastes will ultimately
enter the lake.  The Corps of Engineers
has sued in federal  court.  The State
also has a court order pending.
PCB's & heavy metals
wetlands
Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin
     Extremely high levels of PCS's -in -fish-
have resulted in an advisory agai'nst con-
suming fish frcm 129 miles of the Shebcygan,
Mullet, and Onion Rivers.  One suspected
source of the chemical  is the Tecumseh
Products Company, which used wastes con-
taining 10,000 parts per million PCS's as
fill in the Sheboygan River floodplain.
Remedied measures have been initiated by
the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
PC3
wild! ife
                                       135
                                                                      'FtB 1 5 ;S5G

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Marinette, Wisconsin
     Storage of arsenic salts and discharges
to the Mencminee River have left groundwater                 arsenic
                                                             groundwater
and the river sediments contaminated with
arsenic.  The generator, Ansul  Company, paid
57,000,000 to have the wastes' removed, but
the soils, groundwater, and. sediments remain
contaminated.  Ansul has proposed a treat-
ment system for cleaning groundwaters.

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REGION VI  .
                             ARKANSAS
Jacksonville, Arkansas
     Since 1948, a facility now owned by
Vertac manufactured chlorophenoxy herbicides
including 2,4-0 and 2,4,5-T.  Chemical wastes,
such as dioxin and chlorinated hydrocarbon
insecticides, are buried at eight locations.
Traces of dioxin were discovered in the
sediment of a nearby creek and a downstream
bayou; both of which have been quarantined
by the state health department.  Soil con-
tamination has been documented. The cost to
cleanup the site may exceed $4 million-.

West Memphis, Arkansas
     The Gurley Oil Company operated pits for
disposal of oily sludges for a waste oil
recycling operation.  The 3.5 acre site is
now abandoned and subject to flooding.
Oil has been released into 15 Sayou.
Further releases have been controlled by
pumping after each rain. Estimated cleanup
is expected to be between $700,000 and
51,000,000.  The sludges contain ?C3's,
cadmium, chromium, lead and zinc.
dioxin,
pesticides
surface water,
air pollution
   PCS's,  heavy  met&l
   surface water
                                        137
                                                                             1 5  ;?;n

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Fort Smith, Arkansas
     The Industrial waste control sits was
closed in 1978.  The site had accepted up
to 22,000 cubic yards of oils, plating waste
and crganics.  Surface seepage has occurred
to a neighboring property. The site is now
being assessed for remedial and cleanup actions.

Magnolia, Arkansas
     The Arkansas Pollution Control and
Ecology Dept. named the Dow Chemical Co.'
site in Magnolia as one of the 10 worst
pollution problems in Arkansas.  A pond
containing  spent brine.is leaking and the
Oept. is concerned about.possible water'  -  •
and land oollution.
oils, plating wastes.
  organics
land
  fluorides
  surface watar

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                                  LOUISIANA
Bayou Sorrel, Louisiana, 1978
     On July 25, a truck driver employed by
Clean Land Air Water, (CLAWS)' died of hydrogen
sulfide asphyxiation while dumping a load of
chemicals into a pit owned by CLAW's sister
company, Environmental Protection Advancement.
The facility contained four surface impoundments
and a landfill cell.  The site, however, was
only permitted for landfill cell disposal.
The liquid waste originated from chemical
and petroleum industries. The state revoked
the permit for land disposal and required
Environmental Protection Advancement to
cleanup -the. site..  'The coauany is.re->ort-
ed to have spent  $1,000,000.
 hydrogen sulfide
 death
orgamcs
groundwater & air
The company implemented an enhanced
evaporation plan which accelerated the
evaporation and dispersion of pollutants
into the atmosphere.  This kind of approach,
however, can not be considered as containment,
treatment or cleanup.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, May 1979
     Petro-Processors of Louisiana, Inc. has
dumped hazardous wastes into a waste disposal
site.  Heavy rains transported the chemicals
to an adjacent 350 acres of farmland which
                                         139
  toxic wastes
  land
                                                                             1 5 ice
                                                                              w '*- ws

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damaged vegetation.  The- fanner has waged
a ten-year court fight over the pollution.
His sister and brothers  accepted an out-of-
court settlement of $10,000 each plus $20,000
for 160 cattle who died  aftsr the chemical
leaks were discovered.   Cleanup costs are
expected to be substantial'.

DeQuincy, Louisiana
     An unidentified firm  used a site in
OeQuincy, Louisiana for  land disposal of
toxic wastes.  At  the DeRidder site, wastes
leaking from some  of the 3000 drums stored
there have caused  vegetation stress.  .Vapors
have also been-'observed  emanating from the
drums.  The site is also subject to flooding
and wash-outs.  Those materials that have not
washed downstream  are buried.  Property
surrounding the site is  now being developed
for residential use.  State court action  en-
joined the firm from further use of this  site.
Cleanup costs are  expected to be substantial.

Villaplatt, Louisiana
     The 3WS Tate  Cove  site was supposed  to
be temporary storage for 5000 drums of industrial
wastes.  This unsecured, abandoned site was
poorly managed.  Hazardous wastes, including
toxic wastes
surface water,  air
toxic organics,
  heavy metals
surface & gro^fciwa

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                                  TEXAS
Harris County, Texas
     Acid pit is a abandoned waste
disposal site in the San Jacinto flood
plain near Highland, Texas.   Dry compacted
sludge covers one acre to a  depth of 10 feet.
The site is located'in a. flood, plain and is-
not secured.  In 1961, a hurricane flood
tide resulted in a massive fish kill.  The
site is being assessed to determine the
need and urgency of cleanup.

LaMarque, Texas
     MOTCO is, an unsecured, abandoned dump
s.ite situated in. a flood plain.  The
generator to this site is a  major chemical
company.  There are 88 drums containing
toluene, triethanolamine, acetic anhydride,
lead and mercury. Pits on the site contain
oily sludges.  Analysis of these wastes
reveal  significant concentrations of PCS,
benzene, phenol, stryene, trichloroethylene,
chloroform, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene.
The site is causing air and  surface water'
pollution problems.  Attempts at recycling
the'wastes were halted due to vinyl chloride
emissions.  Costs for containment are estimated
toxic wastes
surface water,
  fish kills
Organics, PCB's
air & surface wate

                                    142
                                                                            •r-

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toxic organics and heavy metals, have entered
Coulee Teal, which is a recharge area for
the Chicot aquifer.  There has also been
.contamination of a local bayou.

Sorrento, Louisiana
     The Cleave Reber site has been abandoned
                                                                Organics, PCB's
since 1972 and contains 600 very badly                          surface water
deteriorating waste drums containing
sulfuric acid, cyclohexamine, and
waste oils and greases.  A pond containing
PCB's, drains into a tributary of Blond  '
River.
                                        1.41
                                                                     '"FEBTT'SBS

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to be at least $100,000 with cleanup expected
to cost $1,500,000 to $4,000,000.

Harris County, Texas
     French Limited is a 15 acre waste disposal
site in use since 1965. Approximately, 70 million
gallons of acidic and oily wastes were disposed
into this unlined, abandoned sand pit.  The
oily sludges and sediment of the pits contain
PCB's.  In 1973, flooding of the Sanjacinto
River inundated the site and caused the dike
to break.  Some of the oily sludges were
released.  The site was again inundated in •
1979.  Drinking water wells are contaminated
and a nearby sand.pit closed due to the
movement of toxic pollutants.  The State
has neutralized the pH of the sludges as
the first step of remedial action.
Substantial cleanup is required which
may exceed $1,500,000.

Harris County, Texas
     Sikes Pit is a site for a large
volume of petroleum and chemical wastes.
The site is located in the San Jacinto
flood plain.  Sikes Pit is unassessed
at this time.
  acidic, oily
    wastes, PCB's
  surface water
petroleum,
  chemical waste
surface water
                                         143
                                                                     "FEB T5 iSSO

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Riverside, Texas
     In 1979 high levels of chromate were
found in the drinking water of contaminated
wells.   State officials believe that a leak
in a cooling tower basin at Structural
Metals, Inc. was the source of the pollution,
The state may require the*-company to pump
and restore the aquifer.

Austin, Texas
     Powdered pesticides, including DDT,
toxaphene, lindane and Alpha and Beta
Senzene'Hexachloride, killed several
hundred fish in a Southeast Austin
pond.  The pesticides had been'dumped.
in paper bags into the St. Edwards
landfill.  Bulldozers constructing
a baseball field unearthed the chemicals,
and rain washed them into the pond.
In August, 1979 construction in the
park ceased while officials removed
the contaminated soil.
chromate
drinking water wells
  pesticides
  surface water,  par
                                         •144

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                                MEW- MEXICO
Albuquerque,  New Mexico,  1970
     Three children of a  local  family
became seriously ill  after eating  a           .              mercury  '
                                                            human health
pit that had  been fed corn treated
with a mercury compound.  Local  health
officials found several  bags of
similarly treated com in a community
dump.
                                        145
                                                                    FES 1 5 iS60

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REGION VII

Kansas City, Missouri
     The Conservation Chemicals Company site is a
chemical waste treatment/disposal facility located
on the river-side of the flood control level, at
the confluence of the Missouri and Blue Rivers-in  '  :  groundwater
Kansas City, Missouri.  The facility was operated
since the early 1960's and consisted of three
disposal lagoons, a neutralization basin and
several storage tanks.  The site is located in
sandy soil and groundwater contamination has been
documented." In July 1977 the State of Missouri
ordered the-company to close, stabilize and cover
the lagoons.  The closure plan has not yet been
completed.  Additional groundwater monitoring is
necessary to more specifically define the extent
cf contamination.
                                     14 6
                                                                  '•  CTT5-

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Frontenac (St. Louis County), Missouri
     About 10,000 gallons of waste oil  containing
(750 ppm) PCB's were stored on a local  waste oil
storage site owned by Bliss Oil  Company.  The one      potential surface water
,„ „                            .                         contamination
15,000 gallon capacity tank was  in poor condition,
with drainage into a creek possible.  The creek
had eroded the foundation under the tank before
the oil was removed.  The owner removed the
materials to a permitted facility after signing a
Federal consent order.

Dittmer, Missouri
     This facility is an unpermitted chemical
waste disposal site containing buried drums.  A'   •   '  toxic wastes
311 action was taken to contain.contaminated           surfac0 water
discharges to the Merrimec River.  The cost to
cleanup the site was 3535,000.  Monitoring was
conducted by the Stats of Missouri.

St. Joseph, Missouri
     A chemical solvent waste disposal site
associated with Norris and Son, Inc. will be
cleaned up under State order.  Generator has
agreed to remove drummed wastes from site.
                                         147
                                                                            1 3 ISSC

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^/erona, Missouri
     .Three  sites  in the Verona, Missouri  area have
presently been  identified a.s potential dioxin
disposal sites.,  investigations at the. three sites;
are being conducted by EPA.
     Jhe dioxin wastes resulted from  the
production  of hexachlorophene jjv 1969-1972 by the
Northeast Pharmaceutical Company.  T_he company
rented  equipment  and  operating'space  from Syntex
Agribusiness during _the period of hexachl orophene
production. Wastes from this process were
disposed  at several sites.  -Several!• of the  sites
•are not secure  and environmental contamination  may
have occurred.  The Northeast Pharmaceutical
Company has declared  bankrupcy.
                        T48

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                      KANSAS
Cherryvale, Kansas


     Abandoned zinc smelter property contains  .


piles of wastes which have contaminated a pond and


stream with toxic heavy metals.  Verona, Missouri


     Three sites in the Verona, Missouri area have


presently been identified as potential dioxin


disposal sites.  Investigations at the three sites


are being conducted by EPA.  Sampling at one site


has not yet shown the presence of dioxin.


Sampling at the second site is planned for April


1980, and Syntex Agribusiness will be requested to


conduct sampling and monitoring.at the third site
                                        •         .

(on the company's property).


     The dioxin wastes resulted from the


production of hexachlorophene  in 1969-1972 by the


Northeast Pharmaceutical Company.  The company


rented equipment and operating space from Syntex


Agribusiness during the period of hexachlorophene


production.  Wastes from this  process were


disposed at several sites.  Several of the sites


are not secure and environmental contamination may


have occurred.  The iNortheast  Pharmaceutical


Company has declared bankrupcy.
heavy metals


surface water
                                         149
                                                                     FEB 1 5*1950

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Newton, Kansas, 1979
     Fifty-six cattle died and another 112 were
contaminated when waste oil containing PCS's was
used on back rubbers at a feedlot.  The 112 cattle
were slain, and buried in an EPA approved
South-central Kansas industrial waste disposal
site along with 70 pounds of contaminated meat,
two empty PCS contaminated back rubbers, and 70
cubic yards of PCS contaminated soil.  The PCS
contaminated oil  is  in storage awaiting an
appropriate disposal method.
Vulcan Materials Co., Wichita, Kansas
     The Vulcan Materials. Co. operated a waste  '      •
disposal facility  in Wichita, Kansas.  In the
early 1970' s  extensive  air and water pollution         ai> & watgr pollut1on
were caused by  improper management practices.
Breached lagoons and contaminated runoff resulted
in  numerous fi shrills.   Vulcan paid a $10,000 fine
for a 1975  fishkill.  Vulcan  claims to have spent
$8.9 million  on site cleanup  and  implementation of
a  comprehensive waste management  program is
complete.   The  Kansas Department  of Health and
Environment and the EPA Regional  Office inspected
                                    7.150
                                                                   •"-""FE3".l.o"1H5u

-------
the site and  facility during the summer of 1979

and approved  the clean-up effort.
                                      151
                                                                    FE3 .15 iS=0

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                        IOWA
Fort Dodge, Iowa

     Contaminated, oil has been stored since March
1977 under court order..  The operator stored oil
for recycling and road application until the oil
was found to be contaminated by PCB's.  The           .  storage  &  road  application
operator is not financially able to dispose of
contaminated oils.   Some oil has been disposed at
the expense of the State of Iowa.  1300 gallons of
contaminated oil remains in storage at Marion and
23,000 gallons at Fort Dodge until financial
arrangments for disposal can be made.

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Charles City,  Iowa
     This disposal site is located on the bank of
the Cedar River in Charles City,  Iowa.   Salisbury
Laboratories disposed of large quantities of
chemical  wastes resulting from the manufacture of
pharmaceutical  products at the site since 1953.
Significant amounts of arsenic and organics,
including orthonitroaniline,  have been found to be
leaching to the river from the disposal  site
Orthonitroanaline was found in wells over 100
kilometers from the site.  An Administrative Order
was issued by EPA in July 1979 which ordered
Salsbury Laboratories to undertake a series of
remedial .actions on-a specific schedule  "including
installation of a groundwater monitoring system.
Monitoring was initiated in September 1979.
orthonitroanaline,
  arsenic
groundwater
                                      153
                                                                     FE3 1 5 iS£0

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REGION VIII
                      COlOfUOO


Commerce.. City, Colorado, 1980

     The present owner of the site, formerly the site

of the Woodbury Chemical Company, is the Rock Island          pesticides
                                                              soil,  surface
Railroad, which is  in receivership.  Woodbury Chemical                water

Company is defunct.  The company formulated pesticides

on the property.   In the late 1960's a major fire

occurred on the property contaminating the area with

high levels of organo-chloride and organo-phosphate

pesticides.  Data.indicate that the ground surface,

over eleven years  after the fire, still is highly

contaminated.  Even the relatively degradable organo-

phos.phate pesticides ara present in significant

amounts.  Unconfirmed reports state that fire ruble in

places may be buried to depths of 15 feet.  Surface

drainage of rain water has been analysed and found to

contain a number of pesticides.  No data on ground

water are available.  On warm days there is a pesticide

odor on the site.
                                     154
                                                               .FEB.1.5  iSSO

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Jefferson County, Colorado,  1980
     The Aerr Company stores,  treats and disposes of
chemical wastes.  After a fire at the site firefighters
will not return to the site  because of the hazards
present.  There is a probable  hazard to wbrkers 'on the
site.  Also present is the problem of runoff onto
neighboring lands.
cyanide,  chemica
human health
Boulder, Colorado,  1980
     The Marshall landfill has two sections; one has
been closed since 1965, and the other is still active.
Many types of wastes were accepted, including irrdus-
trial liquid wastes, and perhaps hazardous wastes
including'PCS's.  The problem which exists is that
leachata from the landfill flows into the Community
Ditch which is sometimes used as a potable water
supply  for the town of Louisville.  Also, there may
be contamination of the aquifer under the landfill.
toxic chemicals
drinking water
                                      155
                                                                     1 5  ;==o

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Denver, Colorado, 1943-1975
     The Rocky Mountain Arsenal was established in
1943 for the production of chemical warfare agents.
In the late 1950's Shell Chemical  Company leased
most of the industrial facilities for the produc-
tion of insecticides: from 1943 to 1957 unlined
canals conveyed liquid chemical wastes to unlined
holding ponds for storage; waste liquids moved
directly into the groundwater.  Severe contamin-
ation of the aquifer resulted  in widespread    ^
           well contamination.  In 1975 the State
Department of Health issued a  cease and desist
order against the Army and Shell Chemical to stop
polluting surface and underground water in the
area.. -                  "          -
  pesticides
  qroundwater
Lafayette, Colorado
     Seventeen barrels of pure PCS's were dis-
covered to have been stored on a local farm for
10 years.  A state epidemologist recommended
that a woman resident temporarily stop nursing
her one year old  son after harardous levels of
PCB's were discovered in her breast milk; soil
in the vicinity of the barrels was also contam-
inated.  The affected family has since relocated
but the hazardous site is still present.
PC3' s
Soils,  human health
                                       15.6

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REGION IX
                                  CALIFORNIA
San Ooaquin Valley, California,  1979
     An ongoing sampling study which was
..„.,,.  .     , n-.n ,   ..   - , . -   •                      drinking watar wells
initiated in June, 1979 by tne California
Department of Health Services  and County
health departments throughout  the San
Joaquin Valley is finding widespread
contamination of water supplies  with
high levels of DBCP.  To date, in southern
San Jaoquin Valley, approximately 29 wells
on large municipal systems (greater than
200 hook-ups) have been found  to have
DBCP levels in excess of 1.0 ppb, with
an additional 70 wells.having  levels        ....
exceeding 0.05 ppb.

Lathrop, California, 1980
     In the vicinity of Lathrop, Ca.,                         QgCp
      IT   - .uu  i  *u    r   •   ,, j.                            drinking water wells
one well or the Lathrop County Water
District System has been shut  down
due to OBC? contamination.  Water is
currently being supplied to affected
municipal customers from the clean
wells in the country's system. The
Federal Government and the State of
California filed a suit against
                                  157
                                                                   -FtB 1 5  iS5Q

-------
Occidental Chemical seeking injunctive
relief and civil penalties.  No federal
state or local monies are  known to have
been spent to provide for  trie alternative
water supply.  The present estimate for
clean up costs is as much,  as, $15 million.

Rancho- Cordova, California  1979
     The Aerojet General Corporation' along''
with Cordova Chemical Company, a subsidiary,          '        . yc£, pesticides,
         n „««          ^u  j-  u  A    •                          heavy metals
occupies 8,000 acres south of the American    .                 drinking watar wells
River, a tributary of the  Sacramento River.
The Aerojet company discharged waste streams
directly into an open pit. Sulfates, pesticides
and heavy metals from Cordova Chemical have
been found in an old dredge pit where  these
chemicals were dumped over a 2-year period.
TCE from Aerojet has also  been found off-site.
There are 30-40 contaminated wells along
Folsum Blvd., and one along the American
River.  At present a "sewage" lagoon contains
drums of unidentified wastes as well as
several unlined surface percolation ponds
and defective lined ponds  receiving wastes
from Aerojet  and Cordova Chemical.  The
State of California has brought suit
against these companies seeking remedial
 actions.

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San Gabriel  Valley area of Los  Angeles  County,  198Q
     In this area, 31  municipal  wells within
13 water supply systems have been shut  down
to date due to excessive levels of TCE
contamination.  The immediate effect has
been the reduction in the number of available
clean wells in the area, however, all users
are being supplied with water from clean
wells within each system. State and county
agencies have begun an investigation to
define the full extent of the problem
and to determine the source of the
pollution-. No federal  or state money
has been spent to provide alternative
water supplies'. No estimate for cost
of correction is available at this time.

Riverside County, California
     The Stringfellow class I Disposal  Site
landfill contains a wide variety of industrial
wastes (primarily spent acids,  caustics),
totaling approximately 32,000,000 gallons
in 19 years. Contamination of groundwater
has occurred from leachate and surface
run-off.  The  State  Legislature  in  1978
appropriated 5370,000 for the closure and
maintenance of the Stringfellow  site by the
Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board.
Final closure  is  estimated  to total  SI-2.5 million.
TCE
drinking water wells
organics, acids
  ground and surface
  waters
159
                                                                       FES 1 5 • K-Q

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Visalia, California
     A coal tar wasta tank cracked and
leaked for four to five years, contaminating
•soil and groundwatar tn the vicinity of the
spill.with pentachlorophenol.  Apparently
the contamination is confined. Southern
California Edison, which assumed all
                          ^.-.^  ----- *-• *
responsibility for" the' spill, has* paid
$2,000,000 for cleanup.

Cabazon Dump (Murietta), 1972
     Instead of properly disposing of some
drums containing unidentified residues, a
disposal company dropped them at a dump
located in Cabazon.  A heavy rain unearthed
the drums, which gave off poisonous gases
and contaminated the water.
Mather Air Force Base, 1979
     Officials at Mather Air  Force Base
disconnected a well after discovering
traces of TCE, a chemical solvent suspected
of causing cancer in humans.  Five tests over
30 days had found    L_^"~-  Ik.S" u*d 3O.2.
parts per billion of TCE in the well,
which was used by about 75 employees.
 oroamcs
 land  &  aroundwater
toxic substances
air & surface water
 TCE
 drinkina water wells
                                         :160
                                                                            -"» - MM-U '

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McLellan.Air Force Base,  128Q
                                                          TCE, oraanics
     Several wells on  base,  and off base                     drinking water wells
are contaminated with  TCE and other

organics.   Some of the wells have

been shut  down.  The problem may be

from old industrial  sludge  pits.
                                   161
                                                                    F£3 1 -5

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                                ARIZONA
Globe, Arizona,  1280
     There  are four abandoned asbestos
mills which are  full  of  asbestos dust,
and  should  be dismantled.  These are not  ;
closed,  and are. easily accessible.by
children.   In addition-,, on the site of
one  closed  mill,  the  tailings were
leveled, and the area subdivided.  There
are  25 families  living in  this area, with
high exposure to asbestos  dust. The state
is currently handling the  problem, evacuat-
ing  people, demolishing  mills, and
covering the subdivision with dirt, to
lessen the  asbestos exposure. Estimates  .
for  clean  up costs  are  in  the range of
from SI  to  $5 million. The latter
figure would  include  purchase of the
25  homes in the  area.

Phoenix, Arizona, 1980
     A series of old  sand  and gravel pits
have been  used  as municipal  dumps. At least
one  was  used for disposal  of hazardous wastes,
The  dumps  are operated  by  the City. When it
rains, the pits  are almost filled  with
water, connecting with  groundwater which
.is  the Phoenix  drinking  water supply. The
asbestos
air & soil
  heavy metals
  aroundwater

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city and EPA are currently monitoring to
determine path of leachate, and amount of
contamination. So far mostly heavy metals
have been found, in high, concentrations.
EPA is also assisting in finding a new
site for municipal wastes. Hazardous
wastes which previously went to the
39th street site, (now closed) are being
transported, with manifests, to a temporary
disposal sits. The manifests should give
an idea of the types of wastes that formerly ,
went into the 19th street site. There are
some drinking water wells about one mile
from-the site.
Phoenix, Arizona, 1980
     A fabricating factory discharged
potentially hazardous materials into                         groundwater
percolating ponds. The ponds were breached
by floods last year. There are seven drinking
and irrigation wells within one mile of the
ponds. It is believed the ponds are highly
permeable and that the material is migrating
into the groundwater. No cost estimates are
available on damaaes at this time.
                                     163
                                                                    FEB rs

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                                   NEVADA
Henderson, Nevada, 128Q
     The Desert Research  Institute discovered                         .  . ,
                                                                  pesticides
.thirthion pesticides  in a  Bureau of Reclamation                   groundwater
•.veil 200 yards from the point of discharge
by the Stauffer Chemical  Co. Until 1973,
Stauffer had discharged the-waste-into-
un1ined retaining ponds.   11 corrected
its disposal in 1973,  and  waste is now
put into lined pools  for  evaporation.
     Access to  the  site  for  sampling
 soils and  surface and  groundwater
 contamination on the 8MI-Stauffer :   .-
 Chemical Co. site has  been refused  to
 EPA contractors. Some  surface waters
 in the  area have been  sampled. No
 analysis of samples has  yet  been
 completed.  It  is believed groundwater
 contamination will  be  found. No
 assessment of damage cost  is available
 at this time.
                                     -164

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                                 GUAM
Agana, Guam, 1274-
     High levels of several  heavy metals
(.selenium, chromium, mercury} were discovered
at the FENA water treatment plant. Old
munitions dumps may have been the source
of the toxic pollution.
                                        165
                                                                     rrrn T «  ic«n
                                                                     r••— i w  1-^14

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Trust Territory
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
     Approximately 44 tons of improperly                      calcium  hypochlorite
                                                              air
packaged calcium hypochlorita is stored
in the Trust Territory warehouse at the
Lower Base.  Because of the high humidity
and warm-temperature, the metal drums are
rusting to the extent that the contents
are in contact with the air. Calcium
hypochloriate is hygoscopic, taking up
water from the air and forming chlorine.
                                   v  T6:6

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REGION X
                               OREGON
Alkali Lake, South Central, Oregon,  1980
     This is a 10 acre state-owned desert disposal
site which received approximately 25,000 drums of      pesticides
pesticide wastes from 1969-1974.   The State            groundater
ordered the site closed in 1972,  and unsuccessfully
sued site owners for cleanup.  In 1975, the State
legislature allocated $310,000 for cleanup and in
1976 placed the drums into trenches on the site •
and covered them with a thin layer of soil.  The
State has been monitoring the groundwater although
the aquifer is not used as a water supply.  EPA/
State monitoring data indicate that phenols and
other chemicals have migrated off-s.ite.  The
area  is sparcely populated and there is no signi-"
ficant  threat to public health.  Additional
monitoring will be conducted by the State and
                                       167
                                                                    FE3 1 5 iS'C-Q

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                                 WASHINGTON
Tacoma , Washington, 1980
     Hooker Chemical Company has recently
reported to the State of Washington and EPA                    organics
                                                               groundwater
Region X that the groundwater at the plant
site is contaminated by chlorinated organic
chemicals. The contamination may be due to
waste chemical migration from disposal
areas and lagoons on the plant site.
Additional groundwater monitoring is
necessary to define the extent of
contamination.

He! gar - Kronquist Kaiser Site, Spokane, Washington, 1980
     This site is an old gravel quarry which
                                              •.        •'         chlorides •
is- privately owned. The quarry was used to     .                 groundwater
dispose alumunum processing wastes until
closed by a county order. The shallow perched
water table has been contaminated by chlorides.
The county has issued an order directing remedial
actions at the site.  Kaiser has agreed to do
additional groundwater monitoring and to
evaluate alternative remedial measures.

Wilders Landfill, Ferndale, Washington, 1979
     This privately owned site was permitted
as a landfill by the county in 1976.  In
violation of permit requirements, hazardous
wastes were disposed in a pit on the  site
                                         T--n

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and the county ordered the site closed
and covered in 1979.   The site is located
in clay soils and no groundwater contamin-
ation has been detected.   However monitoring
at the site is being conducted to determine
if additional surface water controls and
grading work is necessary.

Kent, Washington, 1980
     At a chemical waste recycling and
reprocessing facility, improper methods
of waste handling and disposal have contaminated
surface runoff and probably contaminated ground-
water. Remedial actions at the site should
include clean-up, of •contaminated soils' and
groundwater monitoring.  Additional investi-
gation is necessary prior to a definitive
remedial plan.

Spokane, Washington, 1978
      In 1978, private residential drinking
wells near the Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical
Plant were found to have significant concen-
trations of cyanide. The apparent cause of the
contamination is Kaiser's practice of pumping
liquid wastes containing cyanide into on-site
lagoons or directly into the ground. The cyanide
apparently migrated easily through the sandy
flatland which overlies the Spokane aquifer.
                                       169
  Toxics
  surface  and  groundwats
cyanide
drinkina water.
            713 ,1 5 1S.5C

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She!ton, Washington, 1972
     In 1972 water in the Mason County
fair grounds we'll were found to be
contaminated with breakdown products of
waste, liquor, tannins and lignins
apparently from Goose Lake, which is
3/4 mile away. During the late, 1930.'s
and early 1940's Rayomier Timber Co'.
had disposed of its waste liquors
and sludge from its pulping
operations in and near Goose Lake
in She!ton.
orgamcs
surface and groundwater
 Everett, Washington,  1974
     A combination  of aluminum dust,
 magnesium chips  and concentrated phosphorus
 ignited while  being compacted at a landfill.
 Firemen applied  water, which worsened the
 situation;  two firemen were subsequently
 thrown from a  front end  loader, but
 escaped injury.   Firefighters extin-
 guished the surface fire but the fire
 burned underground  until  it expended
 i ts  fuel .
  combustibles
  human health
                                         170

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Black Diamond (King County),  Washington
     For at least 10 years the Palmer Coke
and Coaling company has accepted industrial
wastes, including paints,  solvents  and paint
sludges, for dumping in abandoned coal mine
shafts. Wastes,  seeping through cracks polluted
surface waters.  Although wastes are still
accepted, the site is regularly monitored
by the Department of Ecology.

Silverdale (Kitsap County)
     Water that had been used to wash
RDX (a high explosive) out of shells
leached from a dump and contaminated
groundwater. The U.S. Navy Spent'.  .   •
3150,000 on a monitoring program;
final costs might reach SI million.

Kent, Washington, 1979
     Widing Transportation,  Inc. violated
water pollution laws when its settling ponds,
used to filter liquid wastes out of its tanker
trucks, overflowed  into an adjacent swamp.
Surface water was contaminated; pollution
of groundwater had  apparently not been
affected.
 orgamcs
 surface water
aroundwater
                                        171
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                                   IDAHO
Yellow Pine, Idaho, 19SO
     Two large tailings piles  remain  at
the Yellow Pine Mine site in north  central
Idaho.  The tailings piles are located in a
stream valley and are leaching arsenic'and
heavy metals..  No significant. eriviYbnmental
damage has yet- occurred; however,  grading
and errosion control measures  are  necessary
to protect the stream.
arsenic
potential
surface water
                                       172
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                                ALASKA
Red Devil,  Alaska
     Mercury contamination from mercury
mine tailings ponds  are  entering a  stream.                       surface water
Studies in  other areas have  shown that
over time  elemental  mercury  is converted
to the highly toxic  methyl mercury  by
bacteria.  Methyl mercury then bio-
accumulates in aquatic life, rendering
fish unfit for consumption.
                                       173

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