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. ------- ... Continued from Page 1 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. ------- |