The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is using both its Superfund Removal and Remedial Programs in the cleanup effort at the Safety Light Corporation (SLC) Superfund Site, located in South Centre Township, Pennsylvania. EPA's Removal Program focuses on addressing immediate Site-related risks, and the Remedial Program focuses on long-term cleanup remedies. This fact sheet provides an update on both program's progress at the Site. U.S. Environmental Safety Light Corp Columbia County, Pennsylvania Cleanup Progress and Community Update September 2006 EPA Remedial Investigation The Remedial Program is conducting a comprehensive study of the Site, called a Remedial Investigation (RI). The RI will help identify what types of contaminants are present at the SLC Site and where they are located. The RI is currently focusing on on-site buildings and groundwater, followed by on-site soils. 1) On-site Buildings Several on-site buildings are considered to be in poor structural condition and present a potential safety hazard. To address the potential safety risk these dilapidated buildings pose, EPA conducted an Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis (EE/CA) to evaluate how best to demolish the buildings safely and dispose of the materials properly off-site. (See Diagram 1 for building locations.) The EE/CA is expected be finished in October 2006. Once the EE/CA is complete, it will be available for public review and comment. A notice will be placed in the local newspaper (The Press Enterprise) announcing its completion, availability for review, and directions on how to submit comments regarding the findings. Public comments received regarding EPA's proposed method for demolition and disposal will be reviewed and considered before initial work begins. EPA will include a Responsiveness Summary (RS) in the final EE/CA report that will address any relevant comment received within the public comment period. The EE/CA addresses seven on-site buildings that are being considered for demolition (See Diagram 1 on page 3). They are: • The old burnt house; • A portion of the etching building; • The nurse station; • The radium vault; • The well house; • The lacquer storage building; and • The pipe shop. 2) Groundwater The RI is also studying site-related groundwater contamination. EPA has been sampling shallow groundwater monitoring wells (reaching approximately 35 -45 feet) and will install three new deep groundwater monitoring wells (one reaching -100 feet and two reaching -200 feet) on-site. To date, site-related contaminants have been found at elevated levels in the groundwater located directly below the Site. Also, EPA is monitoring nearby residential wells. A few residential well samples have detected some site-related contaminants at low levels that do not exceed federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards. Residents whose wells are being monitored receive a copy of their well sampling data. Once EPA completes the RI, various groundwater cleanup methods will be evaluated and a proposed plan will be presented to the community for input. ------- Safety Light Corporation Superfund Site—Cleanup Progress and Community Update September 2006 Page 2 EPA Removal Activities 1) Protective Steps against Flood Damage It has been reported that the June 2006 flooding in the Bloomsburg area reached approximately 26.2 feet. According to SLC, flood waters reached portions of the Site's property, but did not impact any on-site buildings or areas where containerized contaminated materials are stored. However, in light of the risk of flood damage, precautionary steps are being taken to help ensure that the Site will not be affected by severe weather conditions. Precautions will include: • Removing on-site trees in close proximity to storage buildings (to reduce potential tree damage or projectile materials); • Reinforcing the Site's riverfront slope with sandbag barriers (in case of flooding); • Staging containerized materials in an accessible manner (to allow for quick truck loading if temporary relocation is deemed necessary); and • Elevating potentially-contaminated equipment stored indoors and excavated soils (to eliminate the potential threat of contaminants migrating due to flooding). 2) Repacking Drums for Storage and Disposal EPA is working with the Army Corp of Engineers (US ACE) to separate and categorize the mixed waste currently on-site. Because there are no disposal facilities permitted to accept the SLC waste mixtures, the containerized materials will be opened, separated, classified, re-drummed, over-packed (double-drums) for transportation, and staged for removal. Once the containerized materials are re-drummed they will be ready for removal. EPA is working with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to help ensure that all applicable hazardous material regulations are followed and requirements met. Who Else is Involved? EPA is coordinating with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a federal public health service agency. Site Background In April 2005, the Safety Light Corporation (SLC) Site was included on the National Priorities List (NPL), making it eligible for federal cleanup funds under the Superfund program. The SLC Site is located in South Centre Township, PA, situated between the Susquehanna River and Old Berwick Road. 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-13 7, and tritium). For more information on these radioactive materials, visit EPA's website at: www.epa.gov/enviro/html/emci/chemref/ complete index.html. <—The photo to the left is an example of the type of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that you may see workers at the SLC Site wearing during the cleanup. Workers will be wearing protective gear while opening and separating the mixed materials. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) may include gloves, breathing masks and plastic coverall jumpsuits. ------- Safety Light Corporation Superfund Site—Cleanup Progress and Community Update September 2006 Page 3 Diagram 1: Circled buildings and structures are part of the Remedial Investigation (RI) and are being considered for demolition. For More Information Site-related documents are available for review at the local information repository located at the: Bloomsburg Area Public Library 225 Market Street Bloomsburg, PA 17815. You can also review Site documents online at: http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/super/sites/PAD987295276/index.htm. Or, you can contact an EPA representative: • Trish Taylor, Community Involvement Coordinator (215) 814-5539 or tavlor.trish@epa.gov: • Dennis Matlock, On-Scene Coordinator, for Removal activities (304) 234-0284 or matl ock. denni s@,epa. gov: and/or • Mitch Cron, Remedial Project Manager, for Remedial activities (215) 814-3286 or cron.mitch@epa.gov. (m ------- EPA Cleanup Progress at the Safety Light Corporation Superfund Site U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 3 Attn: Trish Taylor 1650 Arch Street (3HS52) Philadelphia, PA 19103 ------- |