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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.
-------
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.
-------
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
-------
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
-------
SECTION 2
ABSTRACTS DESCRIBING DA.MAGES AND THREATS
POSED 3Y HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SITES
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
the wastes at a cost to the State of approximately
SI.5 million. Another 3600,000 is needed to
finish the work.
-------
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
-------
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-
-------
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
-------
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.
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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!
-------
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 '££•:
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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;
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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.
-------
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
-------
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.
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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:
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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.
-------
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
-------
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.£
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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
-------
a bottTed-water distribution program to impacted
residents pending a long-term solution to the
contamination.
P"1
b j.
FE3 1 5 iS50
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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-«
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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
FEB 1 5 1S£
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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
-------
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. . • ' .•
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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
FE3 1 5
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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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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- (
FE3 1 5 iS=
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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.
-------
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
-------
Chem-Oyne plant to a" nearby canal
and/or the Great Miami River.
134
-------
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
-------
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.
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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-
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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-
-------
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
-------
^/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
-------
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
-------
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.
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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.
-------
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
-------
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 '
-------
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
-------
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
-------
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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
z I 5 ire1;
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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.
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