&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Want more information?
To learn more about the former
Hoover Company site cleanup,
please contact one of these team
members:
Community Involvement
Coordinator
Rafael P. Gonzalez
EPA Public Affairs Specialist
312-886-0269
gonzalez .rafaelp@epa. gov
For site in formation cmd cleanup
progress
Joseph Kelly
EPA Project Manager
312-353-2111
kellv.ioseph@epa.gov
For site vapor intrusion questions
Mario Mangino
EPA Risk Assessor & Toxicologist
312-886-2589
mangino.mario@epa.gov
EPA toll-free; 800-621-8431,
9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., weekdays
Vapors Rise
Through Soil
laminated
lundwater
Vapor intrusion into a home
Update on Investigation and
Cleanup Plans
Former Hoover Company Facility
North Canton, Ohio	October 2018
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 has been
overseeing the investigation of the vapor intrusion pathway at the former
Hoover Company Facility. EPA has been working with the owner (Maple
Street Commerce-MSC) to make sure the risks have been adequately
investigated and appropriate controls are proposed for the anticipated
redevelopment. MSC has been testing the groundwater (underground
water), soil gas (underground air), soil, and mdoor air at and around the
property on Maple Street since 2015.
Background
Hoover manufactured electric sweepers and various household appliances
at the 85-acre site from 1907 through 2007, and the property was sold to
MSC in 2008. Hoover operated a hazardous waste drum storage area at
the Facility between 1980 and 2003, and identified contamination at the
site related to their efforts to close the drum storage area in 1988.
The Facility is partially vacant with several commercial and industrial
occupants, and a portion is being redeveloped for mixed
commercial/residential purposes. Significant manufacturing processes
previously conducted at the site included aluminum die casting, alloying,
metal finishing, motor manufacturing, plating, painting, degreasing
compression and extrusion molding of plastic parts, motor and hose
manufacturing, and assembly. The primary chemicals of concern found in
soil and groundwater are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including
tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), and vinyl chloride. Other
contaminants are also present, including polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs), and to a lesser extent, certain metals. VOC from past degreasing
operations, releases at the drum storage area, treatment of plating wastes in
leach beds, and on-site waste disposal were found and extended from the
site to approximately 1,000 feet off-site to the west in groundwater. Based
on Hoover's site-specific risk assessment, EPA completed a Statement of
Basis for cleanup in 2004.
The emergence of vapor intrusion as a potential pathway of concern
caused EPA to revisit the data previously collected by Hoover. VOCs are
especially prone to vapor intrusion, which occurs when contaminated
underground water gives off gases that can rise through the soil and into
buildings through foundation cracks, possibly causing unsafe indoor air
quality. Hoover's initial soil gas testing at select locations identified that
there was no significant vapor intrusion potential. However, when EPA
reviewed Hoover's past data and compared it with updated information on
the toxicity of TCE and PCE in 2011/2012, EPA identified that the
potential for vapor intrusion was greater at the site than had been
identified.
MSC began investigating the property in early 2015, and concurrently
negotiated a legal order with EPA that was signed in 2016. After initial
vapor intrusion work identified high levels of contamination m certain

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areas of the site, and MSC expanded their scope of
work under the legal order to evaluate the impacts. To
date, MSC has installed and sampled approximately 74
co-located soil gas and air locations, 31 soil borings,
and 8 groundwater monitoring wells, while sampling
approximately 30 existing wells.
Initial work identified contamination in the air within
and below the West Factory, near certain former
process areas, in lower unoccupied levels of other
buildings, and in most of the former waste disposal and
handling areas. Upper occupied levels of buildings
have contaminants in the air, but the primary VOCs
related to this investigation are at levels below the
screening criteria that represent a risk to human health.
Additional investigation indicated that the extent of
contaminated groundwater off-site appeared to have
decreased in lateral extent.
After identifying contamination at high levels during
the first phases of work, MSC initiated off-site
investigation in certain areas at the direction of EPA
and Ohio EPA. Results from most off-site areas were
generally favorable, except at a Community Church
where high levels of VOCs were found in the air in the
basement, and later, on higher floor levels. Mitigation
systems (sub slab depressurization systems, or SSDS)
similar to radon systems were installed, and TCE
concentrations in indoor air have been reduced to levels
below the residential criteria. Note that while the
residential criteria are the goals for off-site indoor air
concentrations, the actual risk is often low even if the
criteria are exceeded because the risk is based on both
the concentrations and the duration of exposure.
Based on results from the West Factory area of the site,
a SSDS is also proposed as a partial remedy to allow
the redevelopment of those buildings. Indoor and
outdoor testing and monitoring will be performed to
ensure the effectiveness and continued operation of the
Typical Sub Slab
Depressurization System
OUTDOOR 4S
systems, and to ensure safety in the surrounding area
once startup begins.
Additional Work
Under the terms of the legal order, MSC will be
performing additional soil and groundwater
investigation work to more fully delineated the extent
of contamination and potential pathways for
contaminant migration. Once the work has been
completed and the risks have been fully assessed, MSC
will propose a final remedy for the site that ensures
long-term protection of the community. Though public
comments on a remedy were requested at the time of
the last Statement of Basis, EPA will again request the
public's input on the final remedy selected for the site.
Possible remedies may include a combination of active
soil cleanup, institutional controls, long-term
engineering controls and monitoring to ensure that
exposure to contamination is prevented.
For More Information
The public is encouraged to review information in the
Facility Record, which is available at:
North Canton Public Library
185 N. Main Street
North Canton, Ohio
330.499.4712
Monday - Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
or:
EPA Region 5 Records Center
77 W. Jackson Boulevard, 7th Floor
Chicago, Illinois
Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Individuals may write to EPA contacts to join a mailing
list. Joining the mailing list will allow an individual to
receive any updated information directly throughout the
remedy selection process, which is anticipated to begin
next year.
https://www.epa.gov/hwcorrectiveactionsites/hazardous
-waste-cleanup-former-hoover-companv-facilitv-north-
canton-ohio
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