Petroleum Products Corporation

• Site Profile
• Administrative Record Index (PDF): OU1 (10 pp., 396K), OU2 (7 pp., 257K)
• Continued Reuse Fact Sheet (PDF, 1 pp., 140K)
• Additional Site Documents including Five Year Reviews, Records of Decisions (ROD) and Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD).
• For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office (http://www.epa.gov/region4/foiapgs/submit.htm).

Site Background:
The Petroleum Products Corporation (PPC) Site is a former used oil re-refining site, located in the Town of Pembroke Park, Broward County, FL (5 miles south of the City of Ft. Lauderdale). The site lies within the radius of influence of two municipal public water well fields, those of the cities of Hallandale and Hollywood. The sulfuric acid/clay process was used in re-refining the used oil. This process generated sulfuric acid sludge as well as contaminated spent clay, which had to be disposed of. It is believed that these wastes were disposed of in a 18-to-20 foot deep, 0.7 acre pit(s). As a result of these past disposal practices, as well as catastrophic oil spills, there exists an estimated 30,000 to 60,000 gallons of used oil (contaminated with chlorinated solvents, transformer oil and heavy metals), floating on top of the Biscayne aquifer, a federally-designated sole-source aquifer. In addition, there are an estimated 130,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil. The oil and contaminated soil serve to contaminate the groundwater around the site, to a depth of about 50 feet below ground surface.

Site Responsibility:  The site is being addressed through a PRP group, State Oil Revolving Fund program and Federal actions.

Threats and Contaminants
The sulfuric acid/clay process was used in re-refining the used oil. This process generated sulfuric acid sludge as well as contaminated spent clay, which had to be disposed of. It is believed that these wastes were disposed of in a 18-to-20 foot deep, 0.7 acre pit(s). As a result of these past disposal practices, as well as catastrophic oil spills, there exists an estimated 30,000 to 60,000 gallons of used oil (contaminated with chlorinated solvents, transformer oil and heavy metals), floating on top of the Biscayne aquifer, a federally-designated sole-source aquifer.

Cleanup Approach
In late January 1997, EPA issued a Proposed Plan for the remediation of the contaminated soil (OU2). On February 25th, EPA and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) held a public meeting to describe a proposed OU2 remedy of in-situ solidification/stabilization (S/S). Although some of the public welcomed EPA's proposal, a vocal group attending the meeting objected to this proposal, since it may require the temporary relocation of trailer park residents living within tens of feet of the site. Small businesses housed in warehouses built on top of the sludge pits wanted to be adequately compensated for moving. In late September 1997, FDEP withdrew their support from the proposed in-situ S/S of the site's 130,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil.

Representatives of the steering committee have advised EPA that they would not sign-up to do the work under a CD. The federal PRPs have submitted a Position Paper advocating a natural attenuation/intrinsic bioremediation remedy. Over two dozen S. Florida municipalities are among the site's 4,000 PRPs.

Response Action Status
Immediate Action:  A bioslurping system (vacuum enhanced waste oil recovery) is currently operating 24 hours a day to recovery waste oil from the groundwater surface.  More than 25,000 gallons of light nonaqueous phase liquids have been recovered through this process since 1999.

Entire Site:  The response action is an interim action to recover as much waste oil as possible and to prevent further migration of the waste from the site.  In addition to recovery operations on site the nearby businesses and residential trailer park has been investigated to determine potential impact from this site.  Soil and water samples were collected and analyzed along with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). 

Annual groundwater monitoring has been underway for the previous five years to determine concentration levels and migration of the contaminants.  A monitoring well closure plan was developed and instituted to eliminate unidentified and repetitive wells in the area.

Cleanup Progress
As a result of an Interim Action Record of Decision (ROD) issued by EPA in 1990, efforts are being made to recover some of the waste oil. Soil and groundwater remediation were to be the subject of future RODs. Since mid-1994, about 3,000 gallons of used oil have been recovered. This is considerably below the recovery rates specified in the RD. Due to the low rate of waste oil recovery, the first phase of a Bioslurping system began operation in May 1999. The initial shake-down period for this system shows that it may be an effective method for recovering waste oil. System monitoring will continue and modifications will be made to optimize waste oil recovery.

The Bioslurping system was enhanced on September 10, 2001, for the phase 2 of the system. Operation and system recovery of waste oil has continued with minimal interruptions. Approximately 26,400 gallons of light nonaqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) has been recovered through March 2009. More than 2,792 gallons of emulsified hydrocarbons has been collected for this same period.

Annual groundwater sampling and monitoring has been conducted since May of 2003. Analytical results are being conducted to determine the impact of site contaminants and effectiveness of the site system for groundwater in the area.  In addition, a second Five-Year review report was completed September 2005.  Public notice was issued for the preparation of the review and has been made available in the local repository. In early 2009 an InterAgency Agreement was finalized between EPA and the USACE to address an RI/FS for OU2 (site soil).