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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStudy Session - Fire Department Overview of PCB Contaminatio • ��� �- DTSC PRESENTATION to H.B. City Council Study Session Fieldstone Property & Residential Area April 7,.2003 5:00 p.m. AT3 00NN*BFMMAYCrTyQMW o. 2 Fieldstone Site Information • 42 acres at the northeast portion ofthe Bolsa Chica Wetlands • Site extends from the end of Hartfield to the Flood Control Channel • Has always been undeveloped land • Source of contamination unknown Investigation and Results • Several sampling events took place from 1998 to 2001 • 2-acre area of contamination identified Opposite end of Graham to end of Bankton • PCBs found in amounts up to 3,220 parts per million; most detections under 100 ppm • Contamination limited to upper 4 feet of soil 1 Project Progress • Orange County Healthcare Agency conducted initial oversight • Referred to DTSC in January 2002 • Fence and Post Order Issued • Consent Order Signed • Draft Remedial Investigation Workplan received PCBs and Health Effects Excerpts from 2/13/03 Presentation by Dr. Mike Schum DTSC Toxicologist PCBs Overview • A group of 209 man-made organic chemicals • Used as coolants and insulators in electrical equipment including capacitors and transformers • Production banned in the US in 1977 • Accumulate in the environment and can cause harmful effects in humans and wildlife 2 1 PCB Chemical Forms • The 209 different PCBs are called'congeners, which differ in chlorine content • Very low solubility in water - • Most PCBs at the site ofhighly chlorinated type which bind to organic material in soil PCBs in the Environment • Occur world-wide in air, food and water at very low levels(parts per billion)from industrial releases, electrical fires, accidental and illegal dumping • Nearly all humans now have measurable levels in blood and fatty tissues PCB Health Effects • PCB mixtures considered to be probable human carcinogens by the USEPA • Lifetime exposures produced liver and thyroid tumors in laboratory animals • Cancer from occupational exposures in humans suggestive but not definitive 3 l PCB Noncancer Health Effects • Acute exposures may cause acne and skin rashes • Most effects related to long term exposures or high concentrations in food, especially fish PCB Exposures • Direct contact with contaminated soil (ingestion and dermal contact) are the main route of exposure at this site (no exposure from fish, meat or eggs) Preventing PCB Exposures • Primary route of exposure at this site is likely to be from contaminated soil • Avoid all direct contact with known or suspected areas of contamination • Children should not play in contaminated dirt or eat dirt • Frequent hand washing is best prevention after working or playing in yard 4 Residential Area Sampling Preventing PCB Exposures (continued) • PCBs do not build up in garden crops, but PCBs in soil may still be attached to some vegetables • Garden produce should be washed First Round of Investigation July 2002 • Five residential yards sampled • All samples located along the sides of yards adjacent to Wetlands Findings • Two residential yards affected 5 Second Round of Investigation September 2002 • Perform additional sampling within the two residential yards to determine the distribution of PCBs Findings • PCBs limited to upper 1 foot • Detectable concentrations found in yards Third Round of Investigation November 2002 • Collected samples from three adjacent yards Findings • PCBs detected in two yards Fourth Round of Investigation January 2003 • Performed additional sampling from the Round Three yards • Collected samples from three adjacent yards Findings • Extent of PCBs determined at Round Three yards • PCBs detected in adjacent 3 yards 6 i Fifth Round of Investigation March —April 2003 • Eight yards sampled • Results pending in three yards • Five yards with results received • PCBs not detected in two of the five yards • Two yards had very low detections • One yard had 2.8 ppm Summary • Total of nineteen yards sampled • PCBs detected at 11 yards(above detection limit)—results pending at three yards • Highest concentration of PCBs detected at 200 parts per million in yard closest to Fieldstone Property • Concentrations generally decrease with increasing distance from Fieldstone Property • Detections of PCBs limited to shallow soil (generally upper 6 inches) Future Activities - Residential • Scope of work being developed for emergency soil removal'contractor • Risk assessment will determine which yards require excavation and amount of soil necessary to remove • Sampling will be done to confirm PCBs have been removed 7 Future Activities — Fieldstone " Property • Remedial Investigation—workplan under development • Remedial Investigation—fieldwork expected to last 2-3 weeks • Analysis results within 30 days after • Report of investigation expected about 30 days after all analysis results received 1 Future Activities — Fieldstone Property (Continued) • Health risk assessment to follow investigation. • Feasibility study • Draft Remedial Action Plan (RAP) 8 r STUDY SESSION BLURBS Study Session #1 The Director of Administrative Services, Finance Officer, and Auditors (Caporicci & Larson, CPAs) will provide a review of the city's fiscal year 2001/2002 Comprehensive Annual Financial Audit Report. Study Session #2 Acting Fire Chief Duane Olson will introduce Tom Cota, Branch Chief, and representatives from the Department of Toxic Substances Control who will present an overview of the issues associated with the Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) contamination found in the Fieldstone property inside the Bolsa Chica area and impacted residential properties in Huntington Beach near the end of Graham. The report will include a plot plan of the project scope, relevant data on the PCB health threat, and the current action plan for remediation. Ray Silver