NCD980602163_19971222_Warren County PCB Landfill_SERB C_Status Report to the Environmental Review Commission-OCR

STATUS REPORT
PCB LANDFILL
WARREN COUNTY, NC
REPORT TO THE
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW COMMISSION
Michael A Kd!,. Cll:\1\1. C-P\1
Dcp111, Dircct,,r
DECEMBER 22, 1997
BACKGROrND:
In the late seventies several thousand gallons of polychlorinated bi-phenyls (PCBs) were
illegally disposed by spraying along approximately 2 IO miles of state roadv,ays. PCBs were
used extensively as transformer fluids in the early seventies. However, because they were
suspected carcinogens, they were outlawed from manufacture in 1976 and strictly controlled in
disposal as transformers came out of service.
Listed as a Superfund site under the US EPA program, the roadways were dug up and the
contaminated soils disposed in an approved PCB landfill located in Warren County. There was
much opposition to the landfill and the Environmental Justice movement supposedly started at
this site.
In 1982, the state made a commitment to the people of Warren County that if appropriate
and feasible technology became available, the state would explore detoxification of the landfill.
In 1995, one million dollars was appropriated to study detoxification.
The Warren County Working Group (WG) was established and consists of local citizens,
state employees and members of various environmental organizations. This group has been
working together in a joint partnership to explore detoxification.
Cl"RRE'\T ST ATl"S:
The WG, through the Di,ision of Waste Management (DWM) contracted v,:ith two
independ ent science advisors to provide technical expertise to the WG and to help outline the
steps necessary to explore detoxification.
With staff from the DWM, the WG and science advisors outlined activities that needed
to tak e place during the detoxification studies. These activities included an extensive site
im estigation, monitoring wells installation, boring into the landfill to extract soils for testing,
and the actual detoxification studies.
Mobilization/site work:
On February 12, DWM personnel and science advisors began work at the PCB landfill to
install additional monitoring wells and begin the site investigation. Fifteen new monitoring
wells were installed around the perimeter of the landfill, in the immediate area surrounding the
landfill, and three were placed off site as background wells. Two bore holes were placed in the
landfill from which soils were extracted and containerized for the detoxification studies.
Extraction wells ,..,·ere installed in the bore holes.
Two areas, 8 X 8 feet in size, were dug out in order to examine the top liner of the
landfill cap system. "Split spoon" samples ,..,ere taken of the clay cap and of the landfill
contents. These samples were analyzed for a variety of things including moisture, compaction,
permeability and PCB content. The clay cap is covered by a 10 mil plastic liner. Sections of
this liner were cut out and sent to a testing laboratory for examination. The cut out portions
were replaced and the holes refilled.
Samplin2:
Extensive sampling was done in the monitoring wells and streams around the landfill.
Soil and sediment samples from selected locations around the area were taken. These samples
were analyzed for a variety of chemicals including PCBs, dioxin, heavy metals, pesticides and
volatile organic chemicals.
Detoxification studies:
Two technologies were chosen as the most appropriate for the detoxification study, and
through a Request for Proposal, two companies were subsequently picked as the firms to do the
demonstration with a pilot study. ETG Environmental, using a process called Base Catalyzed
Decomposition (BCD), and ECOLOGIC, using a process called chemical dechlorination, were
provided samples of the contaminated soils from the landfill, along with very stringent
guidelines and treatment goals for both PCBs and dioxin. Following their bench scale studies,
each company submitted phase I reports which were analyzed by the WG, state staff and science
advisors. After careful study, it was determined that ETG and their BCD process was the best
technology for detoxification of the PCB landfill. ETG was awarded a contract earlier this
month to complete a phase II report, which is a preliminary remedial design for the full scale
detoxification of the landfill.
The final phase II report is expected to be completed in February. It will outline the
process, time frame and costs associated with the detoxification of the landfill.
OTHER ISSUES:
Air samplin2 / weather station:
The state and EPA have conducted three sets of air monitoring at the landfill for PCBs.
This testing was done in response to concern for potential release of PCBs into the air following
a report and recommendation by the science advisors. The state has also installed a mini-
weather station with continuous monitoring for temperature, rainfall, barometric pressure and
water level in the landfill.
Compliance:
The state was issued a Notice ofNon-compliance (NON) by the EPA in August of this
year. The NON cited the state for failure to complete all necessary annual testing at the landfill
and for not continuously removing water from the leachate collection system. The state
responded with a plan in November, and was notified last week by EPA that the plan had been
approved. As part of this plan, the state will be required to re-cap the landfill if detoxification is
not pursued. The schedule for compliance includes installation of a continuous pumping system
to remove the water in the landfill and expansion of the monitoring requirements for monthly
and semi-annual testing. EPA has given the state until next August to pursue funding for
detoxification before a full scale plan to re-cap the landfill would be required ..
Fundin~:
Currently all funds have been committed. These funds will insure completion of the
phase II detoxification study and review by the science advisors. One of the science advisor's
contract will expire in March of next year following completion of the phase II. The other
advisor's contract goes through June 30, and includes additional work for community
involvement and to develop a plan to seek funding for detoxification.
There is approximately $ I 4,000 remaining in the original one million dollars. This
money will be committed to Warren County to continue operation of the y./G office which
includes a part time secretary and office space. This office has proven invaluable in
coordinating activities and fielding a variety of inquiries from various members of the state and
local communities. The contract with Warren County has been $25,000 per year for the last two
years, and it is hoped that additional funding will be found to continue this work beyond June of
next year.
Schedule:
As previously mentioned, the phase II report should be finalized in February. It is
anticipated that a report on the detoxification efforts, including cost estimates for full scale
detoxification, will be made to the Commission in the early spring.