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NPL Site Narrative for RSR Corp.
RSR CORP.
Dallas, Texas
Federal Register Notice: September 29, 1995Conditions at Proposal (May 10, 1993): The RSR Corp. site is on the west side of Dallas in Dallas County, Texas. The site consists of areas of contaminated soil located south of the Trinity River, between Norwich and Hampton Roads, and north of the Missouri Pacific Railroad tracks. RSR's secondary lead smelter, located at 1111 West Mockingbird Street at the corner of Westmoreland Road and Singleton Boulevard, emitted lead into the atmosphere. Before RSR acquired the facility in 1971, the smelter had operated continuously since 1936 as Southern Lead, Southern Smelter, or Murph Metals. The smelter processed lead slag and scrap from battery manufacturing. Operations stopped in 1984.
Because the wind blows predominately from the south, the lead emitted by the smelter was carried north and deposited in a mixed residential-commercial area that includes 170 homes, parks, schools, churches, playgrounds, day care centers, recreational facilities, and businesses. About 70 people work at a school on the site. EPA conducted tests in 1992, and found battery casing chips contaminating areas approximately 1.5 miles west and 3 miles southwest of the smelter. In addition, areas near the smelter are contaminated from battery casing chips and slag that have been used as fill for residences, driveways, and gardens.
In 1968, the City of Dallas began a series of legal actions against RSR Corp., including fines, lawsuits, and compliance agreements for violations of air emission standards.
In 1982, monitors placed by the City and the Texas Air Control Board found that air lead levels near the smelter exceeded EPA's National Ambient Air Quality Standard. In 1983, the State, City, and EPA ordered RSR to conduct soil cleanup and control stack and fugitive emissions from the smelter. EPA ordered these actions under an administrative order on consent (AOC) issued under CERCLA Section 106. In the same year, the Dallas Housing Authority processed a Comprehensive Improvement and Assistance Plan application for its West Dallas housing projects located to the northeast of the corner of Westmoreland and Singleton. The City ordered RSR to stop lead smelting operations in 1984. In 1986, EPA confirmed completion of all soil cleanup and other activities under its 1983 order in the neighborhoods within 0.5 miles of the smelter.
In July 1991, the Texas Water Commission (TWC) notified EPA that hazardous wastes had been found in the West Dallas area as a result of a citizen's complaint. EPA sampling confirmed elevated levels of lead and began working with residents to remove the contaminated soils and replace them with clean soil.
Status (September 1995): From 1991 to June 1994, EPA conducted removals at 420 residential and high risk areas (schools, church playgrounds, parks, etc.). In August 1993, EPA signed an AOC with the Dallas Housing Authority (DHA) to conduct a remedial investigation (RI), demolition, and removal at the public housing complex. In October and November of 1993, EPA collected blood samples from 558 children in the complex. In November 1994, EPA completed the remedial investigations and human health risk assessments for the residential areas around the RSR smelter. In March 1995, DHA completed the demolition of 167 buildings and removal of approximately 24,000 yd3 of contaminated soil from the public housing area. In May 1995, EPA completed the remedial investigations and human health risk assessments for the smelter facility. The RI and feasibility study (FS) for the former RSR processing area and disposal sites are near 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.