Mid-Atlantic Corrective Action

Safety Kleen Systems, Inc. (Silver Spring)

On This Page

• Status
• Background
• Cleanup History
• Contaminants
• Community Interaction
• Institutional Controls
• Documents and Reports
• Photos, Maps and Diagrams
• Community Information
• Reuse Information
• Questions

EPA ID:MDD000737395
Location:
1448 Desoto Road
Baltimore, MD 21230
Property Area .25 acres
Congressional District:
Other Names: n/a
Last Update: March 2013

Contacts

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Status

The Safety Kleen Silver Spring Maryland Service Center began operation in 1982 and was closed and decommissioned in April 1996. The former service center consisted of approximately 10,300 square feet which was used as an accumulation point for spent solvents and other fluids generated by Safety Kleen customers. All wastes stored at the site were ultimately shipped to an off-site Safety Kleen recycle center or a contract reclaimer. Previously, two 12,000 gallon underground storage tanks (USTs) were used at the site: one tank was used to store spent parts washer solvents and the other tank stored product (mineral spirits based solvent). Two loading units were used to transfer waste parts washer solvent to the underground storage tanks. There were also two areas designated for container storage.

The USTs were removed in April 1996 when the entire site was decommissioned. During the removal activities, soil was excavated from the tank pit and confirmatory soil samples were taken from the walls and floor of the excavation and along the trench containing the pipes running from the return and fill station to the tanks. The results from these samples detected total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) as mineral spirits and a number of volatile organic compounds in the soil. Groundwater monitoring at this site has been on-going since July 1989 and have historically shown detections of TPH, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and some volatile organic compounds. Based on these findings, the former tank pit area, former return and fill station area, and the former piping trench have been the focus of remedial efforts at the site.

Safety Kleen has operated a Soil Vapor Extraction (SVE) system at the site since August 1993 (see Figure 2). It is located just south of the former tank area. The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) issued a Post Closure Permit for the area in February 2001, which includes remediation goals and requirements for the cleanup of the groundwater and soil. The contaminant concentrations in groundwater have shown an overall decreasing trend over the past five years, although there have been some fluctuations from the overall trend. The concentrations of a number of contaminants have already dropped, and remained, below the clean up objective levels specified by the post-closure care permit. However, TPH concentrations, although significantly reduced, still remain above the permit-prescribed level.

The SVE system recovery rate has diminished to zero asymptotically. An attempt was made to recover additional contaminants by operating the system in a pulsing mode by turning it off for a period of time and then on again. However, no significant additional recoveries were attained. In August 2004, with the MDE approval, Safety-Kleen conducted a pilot test for in-situ treatment of residual TPH and VOC contaminants using a Modified Fenton’s Reagent. The method involves injecting a reagent of hydrogen peroxide and an iron catalyst into a contaminated. plume. The pilot test did not have a substantial effect on remediating TPH or other volatile organic compounds in groundwater.

The Maryland Department of the Environment is currently reviewing an application to modify and renew Safety-Kleen’s post-closure permit. An option under consideration for the permit renewal is decommissioning of the SVE system in conjunction with evaluation of alternative remedial technologies. Other options also being considered are conducting human health and environmental risk assessments for use as the basis for specifying further measures, adoption of institutional control measures, and evaluation of monitored natural attenuation.

EPA will continue to provide support to ensure RCRA Corrective Action goals are met during the post closure activities without duplication of effort.

On February 5, 2003 EPA classified the site as meeting Migration of Contaminated Groundwater Under Control Indicator EI 750.  On May 22, 2002, EPA classified the site as meeting Human Health Environmental Indicator EI 725 (site currently protective of human health).  Based on available data, there are no imminent threats to human health and the environment.   

EPA and Safety Kleen had a meeting on February 26, 2013 to discuss moving forward on RCRA corrective actions at the site. A groundwater monitoring event is planned to occur in April 2013 to assist in evaluating current conditions.

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Background

The Safety Kleen Silver Spring former service center was located in an industrial park and the surrounding area is zoned for light industrial use. The facility was in operation from 1982 to 1996, when it was decommissioned. The site is located in Silver Spring, Maryland, Montgomery County, approximately 500 feet south of the intersection of Tech Road and U.S. Highway 29 (Columbia Pike). The former service center has been redeveloped and now houses a bank and other businesses in the former warehouse buildings.

RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of MDE. The investigation and cleanup are being implemented in accordance with the State Post Closure Permit, effective February 1, 2001.

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Contaminants and Risks

The main contaminants in the groundwater and soil are total petroleum hydrocarbons, BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) and a number of volatile organic compounds.

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Community Interaction

Public participation is an important component of the MDE Post Closure Process. During the permitting process, MDE solicited public comment on the permit by noticing in local newspapers

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Institutional Controls

No institutional controls are currently in place, since the site is still undergoing active remediation.

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