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NPL Site Narrative for Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (Bldg. 915)
ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC. (Building 915)
Sunnyvale, California
Federal Register Notice: August 30, 1990Conditions at proposal (June 24, 1988): The Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (Building 915) Site covers 5.5 acres at 915 De Guigne Drive in Sunnyvale, Santa Clara County, California. The company manufactures semiconductor/microprocessor devices on the site. Three other sites are nearby: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., placed on the NPL in June 1986; Signetics, Inc., proposed in October 1984 (and later dropped); and TRW Microwave, Inc. (Building 825), also being proposed at this time. The sites are owned and operated by semiconductor/microprocessor manufacturers and have contributed to a commingled plume of ground water contaminated with organic solvents.
Building 915 was constructed on former agricultural land in 1973. At that time, three underground acid neutralization tanks were installed to the north of the building. The building's operations also involved underground tanks for storage of waste organic solvents. In 1981, the company identified trichlorobenzene in wells near the building. High levels of other solvents, including trichloroethylene, were present in on-site soils. According to the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (CRWQCB), soil contamination resulted from leaking tanks and spills during the handling of solvents. Contamination from Building 915 has the potential to reach nearby deeper ground water (230-700 feet) that supplies municipal wells within 3 miles and provides drinking water to an estimated 201,000 people in Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, and Mountain View.
In January 1982, the company completed removal of three tanks and approximately 5,600 yards of contaminated soil and transported the materials to a hazardous waste facility regulated under Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Since late 1982, Advanced Micro Devices and Signetics have operated a system to pump out contaminated ground water, treat it with activated carbon, and discharge the treated water to Calabasas Creek and South San Francisco Bay.
On June 21, 1984, CRWQCB issued a Cleanup and Abatement Order under the California Water Code requiring Advanced Micro Devices, Signetics, and TRW Microwave to develop a joint plan preventing further contaminant migration.
Since October 1985, under CRWQCB supervision, Advanced Micro Devices has been operating a system to pump out contaminated ground water, treat it by air stripping, and discharge the treated water to Calabasas Creek and South San Francisco Bay. In October 1986, the company submitted to CRWQCB a study of hydrogeological conditions and a plan for remedial action.
This facility obtained Interim Status under Subtitle C of RCRA when it filed a Notification of Hazardous Waste Activity and Part A of a permit application to treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste. Later, it withdrew its Part A and converted to generator-only status with EPA or State approval. Hence, it satisfies a component of EPA's NPL/RCRA policy.
Status (August 30, 1990): EPA and CRWQCB are reviewing a draft remedial investigation report submitted by Advanced Micro Devices. The facility now uses about 80 percent of the treated ground water as process water before it is discharged to the local sewage treatment system.
For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.