Safety Light Corporation
Superfund Site
Columbia County, Pennsylvania
Demolition Work Completed
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 3
July 2009
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is continuing its cleanup effort at the Safety Light Corp.
(SLC) Superfund Site, located in South Centre Township, Pennsylvania. This fact sheet provides an update on
the demolition work completed onsite.
Demolition Work Completed
The seven Safety Light buildings scheduled to be
demolished because of poor structural conditions,
have been torn down and the related debris removed
for proper disposal.
EPA removed approximately 2,300 tons of building
materials and debris, which was transported off site to
a licensed and/or permitted facility for disposal. Work
included:
• Review and Approval of Health and Safety plans
prior to work starting
• Review and Approval of Demolition plans prior to
work starting
• Building Demolition, that included:
— Dust Suppression (water and/or foam)
— Air Monitoring
• Radioactivity Screenings (screening debris with
hand-held instruments)
• Categorizing debris for disposal
• Off-site Disposal.
Air Monitoring Data
Both U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (US ACE)
contractors and the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection (PADEP) conducted air
monitoring during the demolition project to test for
radioactivity. (See map below for locations.) As an
added precautionary measure, PADEP included an air
monitor on the Central Columbia School property,
which is located about one mile north of the site.
Monitoring results show no elevated levels of
radioactive dust particles in air samples during the
demolition work, and dosimeter (radiation detection
devices) findings were consistent with natural
background levels.
Samples were continuously collected and tested using
an on-site lab. To confirm these results, monthly
composite samples were sent to an off-site lab for
separate analysis. The additional results confirmed
that levels of radioactive dust were well below the
criteria established by EPA and PADEP that is
protective of human health and the environment.
Approximate locations of air
monitors during the demolition
project.
USAGE Air Monitors
Q PADEP Air Monitors
.•".. PADEP Dosimeters
*•* (radiation detection devices)
Not shown:
One air monitor located approxi-
mately one mile north on the
Central Columbia School campus.
Location markers not to scale
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Safety Light Corporation Superfund Site—Demolition Work Completed
July 2009
Page 2
"Before" photo courtesy of Press Enterprise circa 2004
Circled buildings were designated for demolition project.
"After" photo taken June 2009. Dotted circles show where buildings used to stand.
An additional structure behind the main building was also removed.
More "After" photos available on EPA's website:
www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/super/sites/PAD987295276/index.htm
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Safety Light Corporation Superfund Site—Demolition Work Completed
July 2009
PageS
Next Steps
* U.S. Army of Corps of Engineers (USAGE)
contractors will return to the Site in late summer
to remove:
— a cement foundation slab of one of the
demolished buildings (area can be seen in the
"After" photo marked with a plastic
covering),
— additional remaining demolition debris and,
— stored drums of wastes previously staged and
awaiting transportation for off-site disposal.
* The comprehensive studies, called the Remedial
Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS), for
the rest of the Safety Light structures (OU-1), are
nearly complete.
EPA is currently evaluating those documents
and expects to issue a proposed cleanup plan
for the remaining Safety Light structures
during the winter of 2009 / 2010.
* Also, the complete set of data from soil,
groundwater, sediment and surface water
sampling is nearly complete.
EPA's contractors are currently assembling the
comprehensive environmental data for EPA's review
and analysis. Once reviewed, EPA will use the
information to draft proposed cleanup plans for OU-2
and OU-3 (see Site Background)
This fact sheet, the demolition project
completion report, air monitoring data
logs, and other Site-related documents,
will be available for review on
EPA's website, at
www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/super/
sites/PAD987295276/index.htm
Site Background
The SLC Site is located in South Centre
Township, PA, situated between the Susquehanna
River and Old Berwick Road.
The Site is approximately 10 acres and is bordered
mostly by residential properties and the
Susquehanna River.
Operations closed in December 2007. Past
activities at the Site include the manufacturing of:
• Self-illuminated watches and instrument dials,
• Smoke detectors,
• Neutron sources,
• Exit signs, and
• Other products containing radioactive
materials (such as radium-226, strontium-90,
cesium-137, and tritium).
EPA's Removal program (short-term cleanups)
unearthed, categorized and packaged about 4,800
cubic feet of wastes, including drums and other
containers of historical radioactive wastes. EPA
removed the drums for off-site storage and
disposal at licensed and/or permitted facilities.
EPA's Remedial program (long-term cleanups) is
cleaning up the Site in three separate pieces, called
"operable units."
• OU-1 = remaining buildings and structures,
• OU-2 = contaminated onsite groundwater, and
• OU-3 = contaminated onsite soils/sediments/
surface water.
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For More Information
This fact sheet and other Site-related documents are available online for review at:
o www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/super/sites/PAD987295276/index.htm
o www.epa.gov/arweb
Or, to review a paper copy, please visit:
The Bloomsburg Area Public Library, 225 Market Street, Bloomsburg, PA 17815
If you have additional questions about the Site, please contact one of the representatives listed below:
Trish Taylor
EPA Community Involvement Coordinator Jeff Whitehead
(215)814-5539 Pennsylvania DEP
taylor.trish@epa.gov Radiation Health Physicist
(717) 787-2964
Mitch Cron jewhitehea@state.pa.us
EPA Remedial Project Manager
(215)814-3286
cron.mitch@epa.gov
£0161
uopB.iod.io;3
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