TCEQ Begins Clean Up of Copper Foundry
JANUARY 2012
The TCEQ Superfund Section Remediation Division should begin the clean up process in February 2012. The twelve properties identified during the site inspection in August 2010 are the starting points for further testing for contaminants. As the work progresses, updates will be made available on this Web site.
NOVEMBER 2011
In August 2011 Dee Foundries applied for an amendment to its air permit 79690.The amendment proposes several changes including equipment replacement designed to reduce fugitive PM10 emissions and to control odor emissions by reducing the production of oil sand cores by about 80% to cores made from Phenolic Ester No Bake binder (PENB). The amended air permit is presently with the TCEQ section manager for review.
As for the clean up of the site, Dee Foundries was placed under the Voluntary Clean up Program in May, but has recently been moved to TCEQ's Corrective Action program under Solid Waste Registration number 31538. A project manager will be assigned to the site soon. This program oversees the cleanup of sites contaminated from industrial and municipal hazardous and industrial nonhazardous wastes. The goals are to ensure that sites are assessed and remediated to levels that protect human health and the environment and to facilitate revitalization of contaminated properties.
MAY 2011
At the EPA community meeting held May 19, 2011 at the Carnegie Library, representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and Texas Department of State Health Services were available to discuss the findings of the Dee Foundries site inspection report. EPA's presentation reviewed the activities since August 2010. Few community residents attended the meeting, but those who came had the opportunity to speak about their continued concerns regarding the daily air emissions from the operations of Dee Foundries and those properties which were not selected for sampling.
A total of 60 samples were collected including background samples, potential source samples, soil and sediment samples, and required quality assurance/quality control samples. Surface soil samples were collected from 20 residential properties and one commercial property that are located near the Dee Foundries site and analyzed for inorganics and semi-volatile organic compounds. All analytical results were compared to 1. background soil concentrations and 2. the EPA Region 6 health-based screening levels.
Metals found consistently higher than 3 times the background concentrations were copper (all receptor soil samples), nickel and zinc. Semi-volatile compounds detected were generally consistent with concentration detected in background samples. Only 2 metals were detected above the EPA Region 6 screening level: copper at 1 residential property and lead at 5 residential properties.
EPA Region 6 screening value for copper is 3100 mg/kg and for lead 400mg/kg. The detected concentrations above screening values were copper at 3160 mg/kg and lead from 1590 mg/kg to 520 mg/kg.
In addition 10 sediment samples, including one duplicate sample were collected from the Little White Oak Bayou: 3 upstream locations which served as background and 6 downstream locations plus one duplicate. Only 1 downstream locations detected copper at 3 times the background concentration. All lead detected at downstream sampling locations were similar to or less than the background concentration. Low levels of semi-volatile compounds were detected but were below their respective screening levels.
Based on the results of the Site Inspection, the Dee Foundries site does not meet the criteria for listing on the federal National Priorities List. However, the site has been referred to EPA's Removal Section for consideration. Three options for future actions:
* EPA will work with Dee Foundries to perform cleanup
* EPA will perform a cleanup
* TCEQ will perform the cleanup
The cleanup will involve only contaminated soil sites. Little White Oak Bayou has not been referred to EPA's Removal Section. The health report based on the current findings will be issued through Texas Department of State Health Services and mailed to those who attended the meeting. This report should be available by August 2011.
EPA Completes Site Inspection - English
Background
In September 2009 the Northside Village community contacted Air Alliance Houston for assistance in resolving air pollution problems in the neighborhood related to Dee Foundries, located at 2408 Everett. Dee Foundries, a non-ferrous foundry and casting facility established in 1934, is currently producing aluminum and bronze castings. The facility was grandfathered from the requirements of installing pollution control equipment or meeting emission limits since it was built before the Texas Clean Air Act went into effect in 1972. In 2001 the Texas State Legislature passed HB 2912, groundbreaking legislation which ended the era of grandfathered facilities in Texas, created major reforms in environmental legislation and changed the name of the TNRCC to the TCEQ.
Various investigations were carried out by the City of Houston's Bureau of Air Quality Control (BAQC, now Bureau of Pollution Control and Prevention), the TCEQ, and the City of Houston's Department of Health and Human Services. The most compelling evidence was the results of the soil samples and in-home swipe samples taken by the Department of Health and Human Services which showed various levels of heavy metal contamination, in particular copper and aluminum. With this information Air Alliance Houston asked the EPA to review the data. The evidence from several samples collected from residential yards exceeded the Region 6 Human Health Media-Specific Screening Levels (R6 MSSLS) for copper. This finding led to the EPA taking further action.
In response to community concerns regarding long-term exposure to industrial chemicals and heavy metals, EPA conducted a site assessment to evaluate environmental conditions in the community surrounding the Dee Foundries facility. In February 2010 EPA initiated a Preliminary Assessment to include a review of existing information, an onsite visual inspection of the facility, a survey of the area surrounding the facility, and the identification of pathways for potential exposure to industrial chemicals. The Preliminary Assessment was completed for the Dee Foundries site in May 2010 and was available to community members at the meeting held on May 13th at the City of Houston Carnegie Library, 1050 Quitman. The report identifies contaminants of concern and evaluates potential receptor pathways.
Based on the Preliminary Assessment, EPA proceeded to further investigate Dee Foundries through a Site Inspection. The purpose of the Site Inspection was to document site conditions, determine the presence or absence of contamination by the collection of environmental samples, and to determine if the site qualified for remediation under the federal Superfund Program. Field activities for the Site Inspection occurred in August 2010 and focused on additional soil samples and surface water sediments.
In February 2010 Air Alliance Houston conducted a brief health survey of twenty households in the immediate area surrounding the foundry. The findings of this survey were sent to the EPA for review, and as a result EPA requested a Health Consult Letter from the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS). The health problems reported on the initial survey included cancer (breast, kidney, bone), kidney disease, anemia, heart disease, asthma, upper respiratory problems (nonsmokers), skin rashes such as psoriasis, headaches, and stomach problems. The Letter Health Consultation was released in June. The following are the recommendations by the state health department:
1) Parents of children living where copper-contaminated soil has been identified should take precautionary measures to lessen children's exposure by:
• ensuring all household members and guests wash their hands before eating.
• monitoring their children's behavior while playing outdoors to prevent their children from eating soil.
• showering and/or washing their hands if they have contact with on-site soil before playing with children.
• ensuring that any clothing worn home from Dee Foundries does not come into contact with children and is washed separately from children's clothing.
2) Responsible environmental agencies should collect soil samples from nearby playgrounds (public or school) to identify whether there is an exposure pathway for children.
TDSHS also recommended that additional soil samples be collected from nearby playgrounds. TCEQ Superfund Division completed the soil sampling of 26 sites, including residential property, Little White Oak Bayou, and the playground area of the nearby Ketelsen Elementary School located at 600 Quitman. The results of the soil study should be completed and available to the public by December 2010.
On July 15, 2010 TCEQ monitored the site area using two PM10 samplers (particulate matter smaller than 10 microns) and one Total Suspended Particle (TSP) sampler to measure particulates larger than PM10. Sampling was done in three to five 1-hour runs, 1 upwind and 2 downwind, simultaneously. The foundry's operations were operating at high levels during the monitoring. A&B Labs did the analysis of the sampling. The PM10 concentrations were compared to the 24 hour National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) and the Air Quality Index scale developed by the EPA.
The results show that the concentrations of PM10, aluminum, copper, manganese, nickel and zinc were below a level that would be expected to cause adverse health effects. Exposure to the levels of metals measured in these samples would not be expected to cause short-term adverse health effects, according to TCEQ toxicologist Lindsey Jones, M.S. Also, Ms. Jones believes that if the facility was operating at maximum capacity, it is "unlikely that these concentrations would contribute to elevated long-term concentrations." EPA will schedule a follow-up meeting after the Site Inspection is completed. The community will be notified as to the time and place of the meeting.
Click here for the EPA Preliminary Assessment Report
Click here for the Texas Dept. of State Health Services Letter Health Consultation
Click here for the Texas Dept. of State Health Services Letter Health Consultation
