NCD980602163_19961202_Warren County PCB Landfill_SERB C_Air Emissions of PCB and Associated Health Risks-OCR

~-~ Environmental Consultants \ =~ ----= ::;,:r= -~•-111 ~ Barnes, Ferland and Associates, Inc.
MEMORANDUM
TO: PCB Landfill Working Group
FROM.: Patrick Barn~, Science Advisor
Joel 0 . Kimrey, P.G., Senior Hydrogeologist
DATE: December 2, 1996
SUBJECT! Air Emissions of PCB and Associated Be.11th Riskl
BFA#95-0l7
We have performed a cursory review of the U.S. EPA re.search report on "fugitive Atmosphere
Emissions of PCB's from Hazardous Waste Landfills", ~ well as the review of that repon
prepared by Jo~! Hirschhorn, and, in general, it appears to me that the investigators made up their
minds that the Warren County PCB Landfill was going to be the control site regardle.ss of the
testing results. They failed to draw the most important conclusion of their study, which is that
even so-called controlled landfil\ represents potentially significant health ~sks .
It is difficult to believe that the facility wu not designed to include gas filt:rs at the main vent
opening . I believe that the community should demand an immediate explanation from the State of
this apparent disregard for th; safety of the citizens of Afton. Moreo .. ·er, I recommer:d that
community leaders demand, in no uncertain terms, that:
1 The main vent or any uncapped opening to the landfill be fitted with an activated carbl1n
adsorption type . filter within i2 hours. The filters should allow for influent and efl1uent
sampling
2. In addition to the health related sampling recommended by Joel Hirschhorn, additional
sediment sampling should be performed by the EPA or the State which include~ deposits at
the mouth of each major surface .drainage feature within 1/2 mile of the site . The PCB· s
which have been depo~ited by air emis!lions may have accumulated in these smface drainagt:
fearures and thus may still pre~ent a threat to the environment.
The Hollister Suilding • 3535 Lawton Road• Suite 111 • Orlando. Florida 32603
Office [phone] • Fax (407) 896•1822
T.!J:6
• .
State of North Carolina
Department of Environment,
Health and Natural Resources
Division of Solid Waste Management
James B. Hunt, Jr., Governor
Jonathan B. Howes, Secretary
William L. Meyer, Director
AVA
DEHNR
December 3, 1996
MEMORANDUM
TO: Patrick Barnes, Science Advisor
Joint Warren County/State PCB Landfill Working Group
FROM: DWM Staff for the Joint Warren County/State PCB
Landfill Working Group
SUBJECT: BF A 12/2/96 Memorandum Air Emissions of PCB
and Associated Health Risk
Please provide scientific and epidemiological substantiation for BF A's statements that, with
respect to the Warren County PCB Landfill, "so-called landfill represents potentially significant
health risks" and the State's "apparent disregard for the safety of the citizens of Afton". Please
also provide any data on air quality modeling or other technical basis for the statement that the
"PCBs which have been deposited by air emissions may have accumulated in these surface
drainage features and thus may still present a threat to the environment." It would also be helpful
to the staff if BF A submitted the qualifications, expertise and experience of personnel providing
the statements and response to our request.
P.O. Box 27687,
Raleigh. North Carolina 27611-7687
Voice 919-733-4996
FAX [phone]
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