oEPA

United States
Environmental Protection
Agency

Call us

For questions, comments or more
information about the Eastern
Sandusky County Assessment,
please contact:

Virginia Narsete

U.S. EPA Community
Involvement Coordinator
312-886-4359
narsete.virginia@epa.gov

EPA Chicago office toll-free

800-621-8431

9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., weekdays

More information

If you have questions about
possible chemical exposures, you
or your health-care provider can
contact the Great Lakes Center
for Children's Environmental
Health at 866-967-7337 or at
312-636-0081.

On the Web

A website contains information
related to ongoing work and past
studies:

www.epa.gov/region5/cleanup/ea
sternsandusky

Read the documents

The Clyde Public Library at
222 W. Buckeye contains an
information repository with
official documents about the
Eastern Sandusky County
Assessment. These documents
can also be found on the website.

U.S. EPA Continues
Assessing Possible
Environmental Contamination

Eastern Sandusky County Assessment

Clyde, Ohio	December 2012

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is assessing potential
sources of contamination in eastern Sandusky County, Ohio. In
August 2011, U.S. EPA officials met with local families affected
by childhood cancer. At the meeting, family members expressed
concerns about former dump sites and other properties in the
county. Since November 2011, U.S. EPA has assessed 14 sites
that had been previously identified by state agencies. U.S. EPA
also established a hotline for members of the community to offer
information about sites with possible environmental
contamination. The Agency evaluated the approximately 90
reports received through the hotline.

In June 2012, U.S. EPA published reports on the 14 sites. Based
on the assessments and information U.S. EPA obtained, the
Agency determined that removal action was not warranted at
these sites.

Based on information received through the hotline, U.S. EPA
also conducted site assessments at three additional properties:
the former Whirlpool Park site, a residential property on the west
side of Clyde in rural Sandusky County, and the former Clyde
Paint and Supply Co. site.

•	In June 2012, U.S. EPA collected soil samples at the
former Whirlpool Park site and found elevated levels of
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) more than six feet
below ground. Whirlpool Corp., the former owner of the
property, agreed to conduct a full assessment of the
property and U.S. EPA will oversee the company's work.
Further sampling is required to determine the extent of
contamination.

•	In October 2012, U.S. EPA removed lead-contaminated
soil and empty drums that were dumped years ago at a
residential property on Shaw Road on the west side of
Clyde in rural Sandusky County.

•	In November 2012, U.S. EPA removed soil contaminated
with lead, chromium and xylene from the site of the
former Clyde Paint and Supply Co.

Continued on Page 2.


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How U.S. EPA assessed the sites

U.S. EPA conducted "geophysical" surveys, which
use magnetic and radar sensing, to help identify
possible buried material at some sites.

U.S. EPA also collected surface soil, sub-surface
soil, groundwater, and soil vapor samples and sent
them to a laboratory for analysis. All samples
were analyzed for a wide variety of chemicals:
volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic
compounds, metals, pesticides, herbicides and
PCBs. A geologist also visually inspected soil
samples to determine if the underlying material
was natural or foreign material.

Results from the 14 initial site assessments

All of the sampling data was reviewed and
compared to soil screening levels for residential
properties even though many of the sites
investigated were not residential. If contaminants
exceeded the residential standards, further
evaluation was done to determine if any action was
necessary. Samples show elevated arsenic when
compared to generic residential standards, but
most of Ohio has a high background level for
arsenic due to geological conditions. Based on the
assessments, U.S. EPA determined that no further
federal action was necessary at any of the 14 sites.

How the hotline information was evaluated

U.S. EPA investigators met with some of the
people who provided information through the
hotline and visited the locations they described.
Investigators then reviewed available information
and, if necessary, returned to the sites. U.S. EPA
determined site assessments were necessary at the
former Whirlpool Park, a private property on Shaw
Road, and the former Clyde Paint and Supply Co.

Additional three site assessments

Former Whirlpool Park
Seven soil samples were collected at locations
where U.S. EPA had received information about
possible contamination. Two samples (from six to
12 feet below ground) had high levels of PCBs.
Since a nearby resident uses well water, U.S. EPA
sampled the well water to see if PCBs were
migrating from the park. U.S. EPA's analysis
shows that PCBs are not present in the well water.

A thorough assessment is needed to determine the
extent of the contamination and whether
contaminants could be moving off site. Whirlpool
Corp. will take additional samples at the former
park site. U.S. EPA will oversee all phases of the
site assessment. Sampling plans and all reports
must be approved by U.S. EPA. U.S. EPA will
also collect independent samples to verify
Whirlpool's results.

Private Property on Shaw Road
Rusted, empty drums were visible behind the
residence of the private property, but geophysical
techniques showed no evidence of buried material.
Sampling found lead at hazardous levels in the
surface soils near the empty drums. Approximately
100 tons of lead-contaminated soil were removed
from the property and disposed of at a hazardous
waste landfill. After the removal, samples showed
that lead levels were within acceptable residential
standards.

Former Clyde Paint and Supply Company
Lead levels in the surface soil were above
residential standards but were acceptable for an
industrial property. Xylene was found in samples
two to four feet below ground. In addition, several
drums of oil and smaller containers of paint were
inside the building. The current property owner
removed them. U.S. EPA removed approximately
100 tons of soil from areas that had contamination
from lead, chromium and xylene.


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