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SCRDI Bluff Road

SCRDI Bluff Road
EPA ID: SCD000622787
Location: Columbia, Richland County, SC
Congressional District: 06
NPL Status: Proposed: 12/30/82; Final 09/08/83
Project Manager
Site Repository:
Richland County Public Library
7421 Garners Ferry Road
Columbia, SC 20209
Documents:About Adobe Portable Document Format

Site Background:
The South Carolina Recycling and Disposal, Inc. (SCRDI) Bluff Road site covers 8 acres, 4 of which were used for waste storage. Approximately 7500 drums and numerous smaller containers of toxic, flammable, and reactive wastes were stored on the site, from 1975 until it was closed in 1982. It was closed after a groundwater investigation by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) and EPA revealed the presence of contaminants in the site's soils and groundwater. A surficial cleanup of the site was performed in 1982-1983. Major site contamination was found to be present in both the site soils and the groundwater, even after the removal activities. Major soil contaminants included acetone, chloroform, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, toluene, chlorobenzene, and tetrachloroethane. Significant groundwater contaminants include acetone, 1,1-dichloroethane, toluene, 1,2-dichloroethene, aluminum, and iron. The site is located in a rural and remote area. The nearest residence lies 1 mile away. Approximately 3,500 people live within 4 miles of the site. About 1200 people work immediately across the street from the site at a Westinghouse Nuclear Fuel Rod Manufacturing facility. All residential wells closest to the site in the community of Hopkins, were sampled by EPA. The data did not show that any site contaminants had reached those wells. A large plume of contaminated groundwater spreads southeast from the site. Other sampling has shown no signs of contamination in Myers Creek, some 3200 feet from the site.

Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
A surface removal action in 1982-1983, financed by a number of the PRP's and assisted by EPA and SCDHEC, removed all drums and surface materials from the site. In 1984 SCDHEC began studying further remediation needs at the site until responsibility was transferred to EPA. EPA issued 139 Special Notice letters leading to an Administrative Order on Consent on April 21, 1988 with 43 PRP's to perform the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS). The RI/FS was completed in 1990. The Record of Decision (ROD) was issued on September 12, 1990. EPA subsequently entered into two Consent Decrees to include the PRPs who had participated in the removal and RI/FS activities, and another for the formerly recalcitrant PRPs who bore the majority of costs for the remedial design and remedial action. Construction of the soil remedy, the SVE system, was started and completed in 1994. The soils reached their cleanup goals in late 1996. EPA approved the soil remedy as complete in March 1997 and the system was removed from the site by early April 1997. The groundwater remedy is currently operating. The groundwater remedy is a series of 8 extraction wells, a treatment system with air strippers, and a series of 10 reinjection wells. The system's construction was began in October 1995 with operation of the system beginning on August 8, 1996.  Full scale operation began on September 4, 1996. As of June 1, 2009, the treatment system has recovered, treated, and reinjected over 718  million gallons of groundwater. The average total VOC concentration since startup is approximately 634 ug/L in equilization tank TK-1. Approximately 3,889 pounds of VOC's have been effectively removed and treated to discharge limits since startup of the system. The system operation is maintained by a full time employee at the treatment system building.  In April 2003, a 5-year review was conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers. The purpose of a Five-Year Reviews is to determine whether remedial actions at the Site remain protective of human health and the environment. The Five-Year Review found that the remedial actions taken continue to be protective of human health and the environment. Preparation of the second Five Year Review was completed and the document issued on September 30, 2008. Groundwater sampling data is collected semi-annually and reported to the Region.

 

For information about the contents of this page please contact Donna Bledsoe

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