oRit Asbestos Area Site Community Update For the week of July 21, 2008 Ambler/Whitpain/Upper Dublin Townships EPA Begins Preparation of BoRit Asbestos Site: Earlier this month EPA contractors arrived onsite to pre- pare for cleanup activities at the BoRit Asbestos Area Site. Prior to enacting the planned containment and stabiliza- tion work, it was necessary to bring workers and machin- ery onsite to clear overgrown vegetation, repair fencing and begin building access roads. Air monitoring and sam- pling continue to be conducted during activities onsite and dust suppression is being done as needed. Steps to ensure a safe & effective cleanup: As our engineers finalize the details of the design of the Stream Bank Stabilization of the eastern bank of the Wissahickon Creek and the banks of Rose Valley Creek and Tannery Run; and coordination with state and local officials contin- ues, the following activities are also in progress to ensure safe and effective site access for site personnel: Clearing trees and vines in selected areas of the site; Constructing access roads close to the stream banks to transport and stabilize site-related materials; this will ensure the quickest and safest operation possible, and Installing new fencing and truck gates along selected portions of West Maple Street and Chestnut Avenue in Ambler Borough and Whitpain Township, respec- tively. Public health and safety is our priority: The follow- ing prov ides a snapshot of measures we are taking to pro- tect the health and safety of both residents and site person- nel. For a detailed overview of the site's Health and Safety Plan, go to www.epaosc.net/Borit: Safety measure #1: We are operating real-time air par- ticulate matter monitors, which are located upwind and downwind of where field activities occur each day. Data from these monitors is constantly transmitted to and re- viewed by EPA's contractor at the BoRit Field Office at 324 West Maple Street. Safety measure #2: We are regularly sampling the air for asbestos. We will post the results of these samples, taken on a weekly basis, on the site website within 48 hours of receiving them from our analysis lab. Safety measure #3: We utilize a 2,000-gallon water truck to suppress dust on dry days. Spraying water over an area to suppress dust is a standard procedure employed to ensure less particulate matter in the air. Safety measure #4: We have established site hot zones in which cleanup personnel conducting tasks which may disturb contaminated soils are required to wear personal protective equipment. This equipment includes breathing masks with fil- ters; full-body Tyvek coveralls; hard hats, work gloves, and steel-toed shoes. Summary of recent sampling results: EPA, ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) and the Department of Health have reviewed results from our most re- cent samples results concluded that offsite exposure does not pose a public health threat. It is safe to walk near the site and/ or patronize nearby businesses (e.g., McDonald's, SEPTA). Results from the last two weeks of sampling show one sample was positive for asbestos. The concentration was less than 0.0003 fibers per cubic centimeter, which is comparable to the non activity-based sampling results obtained offsite and onsite previously, All other results, including the ones located along McDonald's back parking lot, were non-detect for asbestos. The sample positive for asbestos was collected from a location across from the BoRit property where field activities were taking place. fi&f < .¦ ¦ ¦ a - , A certified EPA cleanup contractor sprays a portion of BoRit Asbes- tos Area site to suppress dust. This and many more safety measures are outlined in detail in the site's Health & Safety Plan, which you can view online. Go to: www.epaosc.net/Borit for detailed site information ------- SITE CONTACTS: EPA On-Scene Coordinators Eduardo Rovira (215) 814-3436 rovira.eduardo@epa.gov Jack Kelly (215) 814-3112 kelly.jack@epa.gov EPA Community Involvement Coordinator Larry Johnson (215) 814-3239 johnson.larry-c@epa.gov ATSDR Lora Werner (215) 814-3141 Ikw9@cdc.gov Montgomery County Department of Health Harriet Morton (610) 278-5117 hmorton@mail.montcopa.org Z0061 Vd 'J9|qwv ¦IS 9|dew "M PEZ 9DLyO PR!d imog joieinp-ioco iu9LU9A|oaui Aijuniuiuco UOSULjOf -j Ajjb"| Aou86\/ uojjoajojd |eju8UJU0J!AU3 S0JB1S peilUfl W3'cv ------- |