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NPL Site Narrative for Arctic Surplus
ARCTIC SURPLUS
Fairbanks, Alaska
Federal Register Notice: August 30, 1990Conditions at proposal (October 26, 1989): The Arctic Surplus Site covers 22 acres in the southeast part of Fairbanks, Alaska. The site is bounded to the north by a residential subdivision, to the south by the Alaska Railroad, to the west by Fort Wainwright, and to the east by low-density residential property. On-site are a variety of buildings, storage trailers, and discarded military equipment.
Salvage operations at the site were conducted from 1946 to 1976 by a number of parties, including the Department of Defense (DOD). Approximately 3,500 to 4,000 drums are visible on-site. They contain unknown quantities of various oils, fuels, and chemicals; many drums are leaking. Other wastes on-site include unknown quantities of asbestos rolls, batteries and battery acid that was drained onto the ground during battery recycling activities, and ash piles from incineration of transformer casings.
In September 1988, contractors for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation conducted a site inspection and detected significantly elevated levels of lead, zinc, PCBs, phenanthrene, pyrene, and copper in on-site soils. Ground water beneath the site is shallow and contains elevated levels of lead and zinc. Over 12,000 people obtain drinking water from wells within 3 miles of the site.
In May and June 1989, EPA emergency staff assessed the site to determine if a removal action was warranted. An inventory showed that approximately 1,700 drums contained liquids or sludges, some flammable or corrosive. Chlordane, a very toxic pesticide, was detected in soils at concentrations as high as 320,000 parts per million.
EPA started a removal action in September 1989 to stabilize the site and to prevent unauthorized access. Leaking drums were overpacked, loose asbestos was stabilized, and a chainlink fence was erected. Additional activities are anticipated for the spring and summer of 1990.
Status (August 30, 1990): On April 17, 1990, EPA issued a CERCLA Consent Order to DOD to complete the necessary removal activities at the site. A second consent order with DOD, issued on June 21, 1990, calls for a removal action to address all surface and containerized contaminants. The work is scheduled to be completed in two phases, from July 31 through October 15, 1990 and from June 1991 through completion.
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.