Region 5 Superfund (SF)

U.S. EPA REGION 5
MIAMI COUNTY
TROY

Congressional District # 08

UNITED SCRAP LEAD CO., INC.

EPA ID# OHD018392928
Last Updated: February, 2007

Site Description

From 1948 until 1980, the 25-acre United Scrap Lead (USL) Co., Inc. site, located in the city of Troy, Concord Township, Miami County, Ohio, was used to reclaim lead batteries. An estimated 32,000 cubic yards of crushed battery cases were generated and used as fill material. The battery acid and the rinse water were disposed of onsite. Beginning in 1972, the acid was neutralized with ammonia prior to discharge onsite. In 1974, the state recommended implementing a more effective onsite treatment system. USL did not implement the suggested treatment because operations ceased, and the facility was closed shortly thereafter. The USL site was proposed for listing on the National Priorities List (NPL) of hazardous waste sites on September 8, 1983, and was made final on the NPL on September 21, 1984. There are about 20,000 people who live in the area of the site. the city of Troy's water supply is furnished by a well located approximately two miles up gradient of the site.

Site Responsibility

This site is being addressed through federal and potentially responsible parties' (PRPs) actions.

Threats and Contaminants

Current sampling and analysis of groundwater and residential wells indicates that there is no groundwater contamination at this time from site contamination. An estimated 56,000 cubic yards of lead-contaminated battery casing chips, and approximately 20,000 cubic yards of lead-contaminated soils remain onsite. 

Cleanup Progress

In 1985, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) excavated contaminated soil and battery casings from the western portion of the site and moved them away from nearby residents to the interior of the site. A Remedial Investigation was conducted from January 1986, to February 1988. In August 1988, the Feasibility Study was completed. A Record of Decision (ROD) was signed by U.S. EPA on September 16, 1988. On September 12, 1991, an Administrative Order by Consent was executed under which certain Potentially Responisble Parties (PRPs) constructed a fence around the perimeter of the USL Site to prohibit access. This action was an emergency protective measure to eliminate direct contact with the hazardous materials at the USL site. 

Following a December 1991 Order by the District Court, the PRPs/Defendants, U.S. EPA and the Department of Justice entered into settlement negotiations. These negotiations continued for several years, while U.S. EPA explored alternative remedies for the contaminated soil and battery casing chips. In August 1992, U.S. EPA implemented certain components of the 1988 ROD remedy, while the other components were being reconsidered. This first phase of the Remedial Action (Phase I - RA) addressed offsite contaminated areas, secured onsite soils and battery casing chips, and also secured other site-related areas, leaving only onsite contaminated soil and battery casing chips (within the area fenced during the 1991 emergency action), to be remediated. A ROD Amendment was signed on June 27, 1997, that revised the cleanup levels for lead-contaminated soils at the USL site. As a result, the projected costs for remediating the site have been revised downward to $16.6 million from approximately $74 million. Remedial Design/Remedial Action (RD/RA) negotiations ended on July 31, 1998. The Settling Defendants signed a Consent Decree (CD) for RD/RA that was filed in Federal court in Dayton, Ohio, on July 31, 1998, and entered on September 28, 1998. On April 23, 1998, U.S. EPA issued a Notice of Authorization to Proceed with the RA.  Physical construction activities for the RA was completed in late 1999.  On September 28, 2000, U. S. EPA approved the PRPs' RA Report.  Deed restrictions are being placed on the site.  In September, 2006, U.S. EPA issued a second five-year review for the Site.

The U.S. EPA is in the process of establishing deed restrictions and institutional controls for the site. Also, the PRPs have invoked the informal dispute resolution process of the CD to resolve the matter concerning the issuance of the final certification of the remedial work. Currently, all parties are working to resolve the dispute resolution. The site deed restriction and institutional controls are expected to be in place by July 2007. Plans are underway to sell the site.

Contacts

Remedial Project Manager, U.S. EPA
lolita hill (hill.lolita@epa.gov)
(312) 353-1621

Community Involvement Coordinator, U.S. EPA
rafael gonzalez
(312) 886-0269

Aliases

UNITED SCRAP LEAD CO INC (SIA)

 

Site Profile Information

This profile provides you with information on EPA's cleanup progress at this Superfund site.