SG= 21 '87 10:53 p . :

HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT COUNCILU40 K*» ror> Av«nv«. NSollf }t:W«*n.->9'3i D.C 20006

August 29, 1 9 8 7Mr. Carl £. Edlund, ChiefSuperfund Programs BranobU.S. Environmental Protection Agency1445 Roa« Avenue (6H-SS)Dallas, TX 75202-2377

Bet Comment • on Proposed Remedy at CrystalCity Airport Superfund site _______Dear Mr. Edlundt

Aa you Know, tiie municipal airport in Crystal Ci ty/ Texaa (

haa been declared a top priority Superfund aite because a Urgearea ia heavily contaminated with pesticide vaatea , includingDOT/ tonaphene/ and araenic . CPA Kaa selected a remedy forcleaning up the Cryatal City airport aite using monies frora theSuperfund, and that reaedy ia aioply to dig up and then reb'-rythe contaminated aoil on the airport property. The HaaardouaWaste Treatment Counci l * a national aaaooiat ion of more than 60companies that provide advanced treatment technologies, and siteremediation services for haaardoua wastes * su&oits tnese conmentsstrongly urging you to reconsider this unlawful remedy.

The proposed remedy would not 6e fully protective of huaanhealth and the environment because nothing tfiH be done to treat

»the contaminated soil to permanently and aignif ioantly reduce thetoxicity/ volume, and mobility of the haaardoua contaninants, asrequired by the Superfund Anendments and Reautnoritatlon Aot of

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CSAHA") anacted by Congreaa Ust yaar. Tha propoaad reaedyviolates A numaar of Important provialone in tMi SAXA law,and tnerafora cannoe lawfully be aalactad by tPA. Tha altar-natlva ranady conaldarad by EPA of thanaal daatruction of thapaaticida-contasinatad aoll la tha proeaceiva and propar rattady.Uaa of a nobila inoinaraeor would panaanantly daatroy tha organto ^cone^ainanta in tha aoll, with fixation and propar landfllling \oof tr.a aah. raaldua* Moblla Inclnaratora ajra praotioal and T-

Oavaila&la at a conpatltlva coat, and only by uaa of thta traat* omant technology will BPA aatlafy tha raquUananta of thafluparfund law.

EPA rallaa on *tha location of tha alta"« which la In a pre-dominantly agricultural araa or "low population* in aouthwaatTaxaa/ aa a baaia for ita daoiaion to aalact rabuirial at tha ait-port aa tha prafarrad remedy. 9«a "iumaary of lanadlalAltarnatlva Select ion" , pagaa 1 and 0. However, tha 1116 IAAAlaw olaarly raquiraa that txaataant taohnologiaa auoh aa mobileinolnaration b« uaad to pamanantly daatroy haiardoua eon*tamlnanta at iuparfund altaa -- no eiattar wbara tha alta lalocatad. It doe a not aatter to tha ptopla living naar tha air-port/ or to tha pa op la who uea or work at tha airport* that tbaUnuabar la 'low.' There la abaolutaly no Juatlt lcatlon Cor IPA toaalact * ohaapar, laaa protactiva r«»ady for tha Crystal CityAirport alta bacauaa of whara) it happena to ba loaatad.

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Our comaanca ara oora fully aat forth balov.

I. Til BAtMtPOOS MMTi TMATOtKT COOKCIL

Tha Hasardoua wa«ta Traatnant Council ("IWTC*) la a nationalorganilatlon baaad in Waahington* OtC. of cowaarclal flnaangagad In high technology traataanc* raolavaelon* and daatrue- ^tlon o< toxlo lubatancaa and vntai. JWTC'a namfiar eonpantaa °^xOahara a eoaaon coouiltaant to tha prlaar/ uaa of traatmant tach- T-

Onoiogiaa for tht claanup of contaalnatad altaa and tht dlapoaal oof hatardoua waataa/ Inataad of alvply bur/Ing ftasardoua waataain tha ground. Our nation haa a aorry Matory of burlng waataawithout traataanc which naa raaultad In nuaaroua luparfundaltaa. tWTC tfta foraad in 19 13 in ordar to "prooott tha protac-tlon of tha anvironvant through tha adoption of anvlton»antallyaound procaduraa and aathoda ot daatro/lng and traatlng hatardouawaataa and tha propar aanagamant of tna raaldwaa of thoaa traat-•ant and daatruatlon prooaaaaa. * t,ft r^TC Artlolaa ofIncorporation. BtTC'a »aafi«r ooaipantaa ara angagad In tha failapaotrua of aatabllahad and aaiarglng vaata »anaga«ant tach-noioglaa* aueh aa phyaloal and ehanioai traataant, Inclnaration,thanaal traataant, aodular waata procttalng, nautralliatlon,fl tat Ion, datoilfloatlon, ona«ieal and biological traataant,raoycllng, and otnar apaoiaiiiad Mthoda of waata traataant anddlapoaal.

la AOV tha largaat organliitlon of Ita Kind In tha

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country rapraaantin? r.ora than 60 .-Mwarclal finna with facil i-tiaa Iccatad in 46 of tht Or. l tad ft .taa and Canada. KWTC was eh*laad induatry group that warkad for anactsant by Congraaa of a1 9 8 4 law chat • • •Ha to protect pusiic haalth and tht anvlrowsantfrom tha rlaka poatd by haiardoua -oca diapoaal throughnanant and high technology alt«rnativ«a to land dlipoaal.

vOcba 1964 daiardoua and Solid Waata Anandaanta to thtConaarvatlon and Racovary ^et» which la tna fadaral law that —(_->govarna eanagaaant of Kaaardoua waita. MTC alao aupportad andaaaiatvd In tha davtiopaant of tha 19B6 luparfund AaandsantaCIAJiA*) w&lcb now raqulca tPK to -•• altarnatlva traatnant taoh-nologiaa to achlava pacaantnt olaar.upa at Suparfund altaa.

tfWTC au&ff.lta tbata oo«&«nta or, tha propoaad raoady for thaCrystal City Airport luparfund aitt bacauaa of tha nationalIcportanc* of t'A'a obligation to cxiply wlttx th« 1 9 8 8 IAKAl ag ia iat iOAf vnich will ba vio lated by aalactlon of tha propoaadraoady. Congraaa aoaotad I MA ao that IPA would atop 'ranadylng*luparfund titaa by altaply digging *p and rabuiying haiardoua con-taaination, and ao that I PA would inataad uaa traatvane taoh-nologlaa that paraanantly daatroy tha hattrdoua cootajalnanta,ttWTC !• coapailad to filt thaaa ocaranta to atop IPX froa againraaortlng to tea raburlal of paatielda waataa at tha Cryatal CityAirport in violation of tfca 1966 IAAA lagialation, whan altar-natlva taohnolgia* auoh aa aobll inolnaratlon tra ctAOtlcaJ, and

II. COMMENTS ON PROPOSED REMEDY

». Cry.t.1 «ty M l?ort ,lt« „ ,loc.ud jm „«« c< r..1,.ntiil hoe.,, „ . - .r:;tr; -T* cryitai c—><——•• -•l.port i. wnti by th. ouy/ uhleh ^^ ^o con,uet t l, el..nup, , f l v. wat__na ^^ m ^3 ,0«....!.,«., „».„, utln, MnlM £rem th< supertu[i < i_ ^ ' O

» f-r.h.« Und.r.t in <,,th.t.. Ul,. „„ o£ ^^ ^^«. airport U „..,„, cont.Blnattd wuh wtu p€ftfoid4i

«—— «..! cP.t.toc. rto conduct.d otop duoting optrationt '«b. .r.. r,M 19<9 ttntll i982 . Th. contimlnont( af ge«n .« tb. ,lt. tr. .r j.Ble/ B8T/ jna toMpftM8_ M<

«.« »*.i, t. b, .xpo... to th. eont4ntn. t.d-.011 „. u§tr>tb. .ltpaft .ueh.. „...„,.„ ( i l ra t i f t PK10BMl( M4 al •

Nl.t.BMn p.r.on^!. .. MU „ r.ildmi ef ti- nMtby ^^«... «... „...„. .., b. txps..d w thf hiMMe|M contMiMnt>

throu,h dl..,t coot.ct vl,h th. oont.BlB.tt<1 .otli, taj..tloB flfcont«ln.t.4 .oil., .„„ lBh.litloil of eont.mlntt.d du.t p.t_tlel... m .8uBB.ry 0, Ul<dul ,UttnttlM gtl.otlan.( ^^

»» h« «:.ct.d . propo..d [ntiy ot <xctv.tln9 tbt oon_U.1.MH .oil, oon.oiW.,1,,, ,h. «it. (oont.min.t.4 .oil.

drU=" M bull^n».) i. . «.po..i O.n* «..t, .„< th.n pl . ;otu wr«.i.«.ly IM, ZM•-P.O.- .oil ov.r th. burtM "" "" °< ' "">"««« lln.r ind••«-... «,« th. oost o; o 8 (-M« '«- 3 ' » . m— - - -,;;; ;::;r;;r6 :;;;•- -—• nu^.r of alt.rn.elve

fflllll«>- EM C0n.ld.r.d—*. «-.nc.rr c;:in3 • -^inein—- -«^ th. orsanlc _. "."'

ui"a"1" *^ •*«**—_.. -,-.WT, requirements which "would remand destroy the organic contaminants in the soil/materials andwould remove the arsenic from the soil/materials for off-sitedisposal." "Summary of Remedial Alternative Select ion"* page 7(•Alternative 6 " ) . EPA recognized that by using a raobil inci-nerator, a "high degree of regulatory compliance is achievedsince the waste is being detoxified to the maximum extentpracticable." Id * Nevertheless, BPA did not choose this remedydue to claims of "difficult Implementabillty and maintenancerequired for system operations." EPA estimated the cost of usinga mobil incinerator and disposal of the ash residue in a per-mitted landfill would be $ 1 1 .4 million. Based on the experienceof its aember companies, HWTC believes this cost esimate isunrealistically high and Inaccurate.

B. The Proposed Remedy Does Not Involve PreferredTreatment of Hazardous Contaminants

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of treatment eecnnoiogiea, «s required by SARA Sect ion 1 2 1 ( D ) ( 1 J ,because it would not ui« any treatment whatsoever to reduce thevolur.e, toxlcity or nobility of the hasardoua contamlnanta.Indeed/ SPA has badly miaatated what SARA actually aaya in orderto nafce it aound aa if the reburial remedy compliea with SARA,when in fact it clearly doae not. EPA aaaerte tbat SARA Section1 2 1 ( 5 ) ( 1 ) provide! thatt "Remedial actione ahould, to the extentpracticable, permanently and aignificantly reduce the voluse,mobility or toxiclty of [ the ] contaminante." "Summary ofRemedial Alternative Selection 1 1 , Table S. IPA then claiaa thatreburial of the peetiolde-contaminated aoll at the Cryatai Cityairport under a oap will be coneiatent with SARA by achieving a"aignificant reduction [of) MT (mobility and toxlcityl to themaximum extent practicable*, l&. at Table 6. Apparently IPAbellevea chat burying the hacardoua contaminanta under a capqualiflea aa rendering thoae contaminanta leaa mobile, and aome-how leaa toxic, aod that tnia then compliea with the SARA law.

Thia concluaion ia groaaly untrue and clearly contrary towhat the law really requlrea. SARA Section 1 2 1 ( b ) { l ) actuallyatatea thact "Remedial actiona .in, which treataent whion per*manently and aignifloantly reduc§a the volume, toxicity or mobi-lity of the hatardoua aubatancea . . . are to be preferred overremedial actiona not involving auon treatment." IPA'a juetlMca-tion oaita the word "treatment" vbieh la the central re<j\Jire«entof that SARA proviaion. At the Cryatai City Airport alte,

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racurlal of tha p*atlci<fa-conta*inatad aoili involvaa *D0olutaiyno craataant, aod doai taaolutaly nothing to raduca tha voluat,toxicity or mo&ility of tha haiardoua coneaninanta. rna ftaaicpurpiit of faction 121 vta to forca IPA to abandon tha ohaapar,inaffactiva ramady of raourl^l In favor of traat»ant tachnologia«

»tnae actually daatroy or raduea tha coilolcy/oobillty of fuaar*doufl.oontaninanta. «PA'a analyala turns fAJtA on its haad.»

frankly, it ia daplorabla that CPA would attaapt to ciai*that digging up paatieida-contaminatad toil and raburying It inany way* tftapa, or fora ooapliaa with tha lagal rtguirtatnea oftha SARA law.

C. Tha Propottd Mnady Ooaa Hot Attain thaPaaraa of Claanwp_______iA jdh •*- "~

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r««*dy of burt. l without inyICRA land disposal tan *n<« .»'»' M tht SA!U r«4ulr««.nt^n b. co.p:ud with „ Supfrfuftd c:tinup§t

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it i. too exptn . lv * wouldId . at S 1 4 9 2 S

Mobile incineration ha. been u.ed at a number of otherSuperfund oite . .cro.. the country to clean up contamin.t.d collThere l. nothing terr ib ly -d i f f i cu l t - about Implementing thiartmedy, and required -maintenance for oy.t.n operat ion.- i. ^rout ine ; thu. CPA * . .t.ted r ..on. for e ject ing thl. r,«tdy are ^un.ound and wrong. Mobile inc inerat ion i. par t i cu lar ly ,ppto- oPtUt. for the Cry. ta l city Airport . i te b.c.u.e of the e .t imated ?voiu.. of contaminated .oil , i , , 000 cubic yard,, and the preaenc.of organic h.a.rdou, contaminant . . Tho.e i no rgan i c cont.ain.nt.that remain In the rombu.t ion a.n can b. t r e . t tu -. r, a fu.tlor,technology and dl.po.ed of in a RCRA-ptr . i t t ed .ecur. landf i l l .IPA'a .Kp.rl.nc. with mobile inc inerat ion at other fuperfund• It . . ,uug..t. that tht e . t lm. t td co^t for the Cry. ta i CiiyAirport .ite I. infl.t.d .nd Ina c cu ra t e . Mobil , Inc inerat ion• • t l if i t i al l the requ irement , of SAM, and CPA' a propo.edreburlal remedy meet. ..one of tho.e Important requirement. .Mobile inc inerat ion la clearly the proper and lawful remedy,

CONCLUSION

for the foregoing rea.on., the (Ui.rdou. M.tte Treata.nt»x>it emphatically urge. CPA to work together with the

ocai and itate official, who repreaene the re. ldenti of Cry.t . l

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City , T«x«», ti *«l«ct and implement th« mo&i l * Ir.cir.trat ionro.-nocy «t '.nt Crysta l Ci t y Airport Suparfund «it«.

R«aptcefully

,ich*rd C. Fortufl*Ex«cueiv« Otrtctor

David R. CM*Central Counacl inCopiva tot Congr«»«ra*n Alb«rt G. Bu«t*m*nt« OHor,oc«t>l« Joto 0. M«ta, Mayor of Cryatal City ^Hor.ocabl* Ltt M. Thomai f CPA Admin i s tratorPraia Rtlectt OO