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This report summarizes recent emergency responses in the Pacific Northwest, including a mercury spill in Post Falls, ID, an asphalt fire in Portland, OR, and chemical removals in University Place and Tacoma, WA.
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US EPA Region 10Federal On-Scene Coordinator Report RRT/NWAC Meeting – Tumwater, WA 25 February, 2016 Brooks Stanfield, EPA FOSC
Summary of Emergency Responses • Idaho: • Post Falls Mercury, Mike Boykin • Oregon • St. Helen’s Highway, Richard Franklin • Washington • University Place Chemical Removal, Jeff Fowlow • McMurray Road Chemical Removal, Jeff Fowlow
Post Falls MercuryPost Falls, ID • November 23rd2015, EPA was notified by the Idaho State Communications of an elemental mercury spill of approximately two (2) ounces at a private school in Post Falls, Idaho.
Post Falls MercuryPost Falls, ID • Initial assessment by the Idaho State Regional Response Team 1, using a Lumex. • Several areas of the school campus buildings were confirmed contaminated. • Prior to notification, teachers and students attempted to cleanup the spilled mercury and may have inadvertently caused migration of contamination.
Post Falls MercuryPost Falls, ID • It was also reported that approximately 20 students had either contaminated clothing from exposure at school and/or took some of the elemental mercury to their homes.
Post Falls MercuryPost Falls, ID • OSC Boykin & 12 contractors conducted screening in school buildings, homes, and personal items. • Floor and counter surfaces were cleaned using a mercury absorbent/cleaning agent, vacuum & overnight heating/ventilation. • Only 3 homes with hot spots. • Attempts were made to decontaminate personal items using two heated conex boxes.
Post Falls MercuryPost Falls, ID Issues: • RP delayed in requesting assistance. • Week-long deployment began two days before Thanksgiving. • Excellent integration and assistance with IDEQ, BHS, RRT1, and health district. • School officials’ documentation and communication with families were critical to operations. • Decon of heavily contaminated personal items was moderately successful.
St. Helen’s HighwayPortland, OR On December 13th, a tanker truck lost control and ran into several parked railroad tank cars full of asphalt. Initially, there was a very large fire and smoke plume.
St. Helen’s HighwayPortland, OR • Although 7 railcars were impacted by the truck accident and fire, none were leaking oil & none were on fire. • Most of the fuel from the tanker truck burned up in the incident. • No fuels or oil from the tanker truck were found to have flowed toward the Willamette River.
St. Helen’s HighwayPortland, OR • Issues: • Treated as a crime scene initially because the driver couldn’t be found. • BNSF train on a Portland Western rail line would have complicated liability. • Relationships with industry and local Haz Mat teams paid off. • More outreach is needed with local Fire Departments on the response role, capacities, and authority of FOSC.
University Place Chemical RemovalUniversity Place, WA • January 19th Washington Department of Ecology requested assistance from the EPA in order to remove hazardous chemicals from a private residence located in a residential neighborhood of University Place, Washington.
University Place Chemical RemovalUniversity Place, WA • The homeowner had been storing chemicals for a friend. • Improper labels and containers/incompatible storage. • Sodium and potassium metal, hydrofluoric acid, & mercuric nitrate. • EPA contractors categorized, secured, and safely transported all chemicals off site for proper disposal within a day.
McMurray Road Chemical RemovalTacoma, WA • Continuing from University Place, in the afternoon of January 19thEPA began assessing a second property housing chemicals left behind by the same individual. • The residence was abandoned, unsecure, and had been a recent target of burglary and vandalism.
McMurray Road Chemical RemovalTacoma, WA • Chemicals already released through spills or container failure. • Chemicals stored in deteriorating containers, stored next to incompatible chemicals, stored in dilapidated and insecure buildings, and/or were improperly labeled. • Total of 9,513 chemical containers were removed and packed into 200 over packs and shipped off-site for disposal.
McMurray Road Chemical RemovalTacoma, WA • Issues • Coordination with federal and local law enforcement, Ecology was excellent. • Legal site access • Site safety & security • Difficult to predict time needed to complete safe removal of all chemicals. • We’d do it all over again!
