History and Cleanup at Chemical

Commodities, Inc.

Jeff FieldUS EPA Region 7

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Chemical Commodities, Inc.

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SITE HISTORYChemical Commodities, Inc.

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Early 1970s

Chemical Commodities, Inc.

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Early 1970s

Chemical Commodities, Inc.

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INITIAL RESPONSES

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Time Critical Removal ActionsBetween 1989 and 1991, three time-critical removal actions were conducted at the Site using a phased approach:

•Phase I: consisted of initial site characterization, segregation of wastes, and packaging of wastes for disposal.

•Phase II: included the transportation and disposal of containerized wastes.

•Phase III: involved excavation and off-site disposal of highly contaminated soils, on-site stockpiling of moderately contaminated soils, decontamination (asbestos) of the main warehouse building, and installation of a ground water interceptor trench and a water treatment system to collect and treat contaminated ground water.

– An off-site air monitoring program was implemented prior to initiation of excavation and continued throughout the active excavation phases for the protection of the local population.12

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Time Critical Removal Actions

Beginning in April 1997 there additional removal actions were conducted at the Site.

•April 1997: Removal action to close the interceptor trench and dismantle the associated ground water treatment system. Demolish buildings and dispose of debris in a permitted landfill as “special wastes.”

•December 2002: Removal action for the excavation and off-site disposal of stockpiled contaminated soils at a Subtitle D landfill.

•April 2003: Removal action to complete soil disposal, building demolition, and closure of the interceptor trench.

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Stockpiled Contaminated Soil

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Warehouse Demolition

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Activities Concurrent with Removal Actions

• 1995/1996, Onsite Site Characterization started

• 2000, Remedial Investigation started

• 2000, EPA launched an indoor air monitoring program*

• 2000, Community Advisory Group formed

• 2003, Chemical oxidation pilot testing completed

• 2003/2005, 34 homes had vapor mitigation systems installed

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Remedial Activities

• 2004, Remedial Investigation completed;

• 2004, Feasibility Study completed;

• 2004, Proposed Plan presented to public for comments;

• 2005, Feasibility Study with addendum completed;

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Extensive Remedial Investigation (RI)

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Extensive Site Characterization• On-site Soil:– VOCs, metals, pesticides, and PCBs present– Pesticides and PCBs do not warrant further action– Arsenic and chromium are metal COPCs

• Surface Water & Sediment: – no constituents of concern

• Indoor Air: – VOCs detected in neighboring residences (36)

• On- and Off-site Ground water: – VOCs detected in ground water. Plume extends 500

feet from site

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Bedrock Investigation (On and Off site)

• Ground water flows horizontally through transport zone

• Vertical flow through bedrock limited by low vertical hydraulic conductivities

• Dissolved phase ground water plume appears stable

• Majority of VOC mass resides in rock matrix in upper portion of bedrock

• No recoverable NAPL is present in on-site soil or in ground water atop bedrock

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TCE Ground Water Plume

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2005 FEASIBILITY STUDYWITH ADDENDUM

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2004 Feasibility Study Remedial Alternatives

Soil Remedial Alternatives•S1 – No Action

•S2 – Off-Site Disposal and Low Temperature Thermal Desorption

– Evaluated three different excavation scenarios based on soil volumes and the duration of treatment.

• S3 – Off-Site Disposal– Evaluated three different excavation scenarios based on soil

volumes and the duration of treatment.

• S – 4 Capping– Involves the construction of a cap over the Site, and does not

call for the removal of contaminated soil.

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Ground water Remedial Alternatives• G1 – No Action• G2 – In-Situ Chemical Oxidation– Involves the installation of a chemical delivery system

to promote oxidation of the contaminants in ground water.

• G3 – Pump and Treat– Involves physically extracting the ground water by

using pumping wells and treating the water in an air stripper unit.

• G4 - Monitored Natural Attenuation– No active ground water treatment, but would include

all of the common elements for ground water remediation alternatives in G2 and G3.25

2004 Feasibility Study Remedial Alternatives

Preferred Alternative Described in the 2004 Proposed Plan

Soil:•Alternative S3D – Excavation and Off-Site Disposal• Excavation and off-site disposal of soils from certain areas containing high VOC concentrations and metals• Construction of a soil cap• Institutional controls to restrict land useGround water:•Alternative G2 – In-situ Chemical Oxidation• Treatment of on-site and off-site ground water using chemical oxidation• Monitored Natural Attenuation• Ground water Monitoring• Institutional controls to restrict private well installation and use;• Engineering controls (indoor air ventilation units)Alternative S3D PLUS: •Retains the remedial components of Alternative S3D with additional excavation and treatment components added to further enhance on-site source area treatment.

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Remedy ComponentsExcavationLarge Diameter Auger ExcavationSite capOxidation Trenches (onsite)Oxidation Injection System (offsite)

Selected Remedy

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(1989 – 1991)

(1994)

(2000 – 2005)

(2005)

(2009 – 2011)

(2012)

(2031)

(2022)

(????)

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(2004)

(1989 – 1991)

(1994)

(2000 – 2005)

(2005)

(2009 – 2011)

(2012)

(2031)

(2022)

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Recognizing Reuse in EPA Region 7

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L.E.A.F.S. Award

L – Leading

E – Environmentalism

A – And

F – Forwarding

S – Sustainability

Jeff FieldRemedial Project Manager

EPA Region 7field.jeff@epa.gov

(913) 551-7548

For More Information, Contact:

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