Public Meeting on Remedial Activities at Badin Business Park Tuesday November 19, 2019 Stanly County Commissioners Meeting Room Presentation by Anna Wade and Sam Olson, Duke Environmental Law & Policy Clinic Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMUs) Requiring Corrective Action . 12.3.114GROUNDWATER .- .I, A I. Forrner Lagoon Anea a ENVIRONEERING, INC. i swmus REQUIRING CORRECTIVE ACT swn?'?wl?Ni; ?Aocs REQUIRING CORRECTIVE ACTION May 2007 Feet mam mu ?1.100 1.109 2.200 mom. NORIH CAROLINA cur mm nu: Hazardous Waste Management CERCLA State Laws Regulations Timeline of Hazardous Waste Management in Badin Alcoa-Badin Works opens and begins aluminum smelting operation 1917 EPA publishes first RCRA regulations EPA lists spent potliner as a hazardous waste 1980 1988 Superfund Section Screening Site Investigation Report completed 1989 Cleanup of the site transferred from CERCLA to RCRA 1991 2001 RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) performed Timeline of Hazardous Waste Management in Badin Alcoa-Badin Works opens and begins aluminum smelting operation 1917 DEQ’s Superfund Section completed the Site Inspection Report 2001 2014 RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) performed Clinic filed a Superfund petition with EPA Region 4 2016 2019 Corrective Action Phases RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) performed in 2001 Phase 1: Update of site geological and hydrological model and establishment of remedial objectives Completed 2010 Phase 2: Identification of potential treatment technologies Completed 2009 Phase 3: Engineering Data Collection Work Plan Phase 4: Refine Corrective Measures Alternatives Completed 2012 ? Phase 5: Justification and Recommendation of Selected Corrective Measure Alternative ? Largest SWMU areas with buried spent potliner Upcoming slides will discuss at each site: 1) Site description 2) Spent potliner waste 3) Contamination threats North End SWMU Area 2019 aerial view from Google Earth • • • Represents original active facility Highest number of monitoring stormwater outfalls Highest number of monitoring wells Topography (shape of the land) North End SWMU Area is a natural valley that was progressively filled in from 1916 to 1968 1913 topography Red arrows point to sites where spent potliner was dumped in a valley draining into Badin Lake, from 1910s to 1970s Estimated fill thickness by 1970 in color By 1970s, cyanide and fluoride were leaching from unlined fill material (in color) into surface water and Badin Lake. Map source: Environeering, Inc., Raleigh, NC: “Phase III – Engineering Data Collection for the Corrective Measures Study, Badin Works Facility, Badin, North Carolina”, October 31, 2012 Buried spent potliner found throughout fill material in 1989 Estimated fill thickness by 1970 in color Map of borehole (soil pits) locations SWMU No. 1 On-site Landfill SWMU No. 44 Pine Tree Grove Area Red areas: labeled as spent potliner Badin Lake Pink areas: reported spent potliner contamination Map source: Law Engineering, Aluminum Company of America: Report of Environmental Services North End Subsurface Exploration (1989). Buried spent potliner found throughout fill material in 1989, and still in 2001 1989 data Boring ID B-1 B-2 B-3 B-4 B-5 B-6 B-6" B-8 B-9 B-10 B-11 B-12 B-13 B-14 B-15 B-15 B-16 B-17 B-25 B-26 B-27 B-28 B-29 B-32 B-49 B-50 B-50 B-51 B-51 B-52 B-53 B-53 B-65 B-79 B-81 1 Total CN1 Depth, ft 1 - 2.5 6 .5 - 8 No boring sample 15.5 - 17 15.5 - 17 No boring sample 3.5 - 5 3.5 - 5 1 - 2.5 6 - 7.5 18.5 - 20 1 - 2.5 3.5 - 5 3.5 - 5 8.5 - 10 4 8.5 - 10 12.5 - 14 18.5 - 20 17 4 13.5 - 15 3.5 - 5 3.5 - 5 3.5 - 5 8 - 9.5 18.5 - 20 3.5 - 5 18.5 - 20 13.5 - 15 10 - 11.5 18.5 - 20 3.5 - 5 3 18.5 - 20 Total CN reported in mg/kg Total F2 65 39 2,500 1,500 0.7 3.9 49 180 11 32 1.6 2.5 19 6.7 4.2 6 16 50 2.7 6.3 1.8 8.4 8.8 20 67 2.4 13 18 560 58 320 43 9.7 58 1.5 1.2 2 1,400 94 530 310 560 1,300 570 890 1,300 1,300 1,100 430 930 1,100 1,100 180 2,200 210 590 3,900 970 2,300 3,000 770 1,200 50 1,200 110 180 2001 soil sample from Pine Tree Grove Area (PTG) SPL depth, ft Water table, ft 2.5 - 6.0 2.0 - 7.5 0.3 - 5.0 0.3 - 16.0 13.5 5.0 - 16.0 15.0 5.0 - 10.0 6.0 15.0 Soil Sample ID Depth, ft Amenable CN 1 1 Total CN Total F 2 Water table depth, ft PTG-SB-1 18.0 0.2 0.52 7,400 PTG-SB-2 15.0 < 0.25 1.1 670 PTG-SB-3 15.0 10.7 10.9 14,600 PTG-SB-4 28.0 < 0.25 1.5 570 PTG-SB-5 5.0 < 0.25 0.57 6,900 PTG-SB-6 20.0 < 0.25 6 2,000 PTG-SB-7 15.0 < 0.25 2.6 3,300 1 Amenable and Total CN reported in mg/kg 2 and F in mg/kg in both tables Total F reported in CN mg/kg Red: Sample with chemical signature of spent potliner 4 to 10 4 to 10 4 to 10 4 to 10 4 to 10 4 to 10 4 to 10 Soil samples below water table at PTG 7.0 7.0 11.0 5.0 - 12.0 11.8 11.5 5.0 - 8.0 5.0 - 8.5 5.0 - 8.5 18.0 Source: Law Engineering, Aluminum Company of America: Report of Environmental Services North End Subsurface Exploration (1989). MFG, Inc., RCRA Facility Investigation, Volume I of II, Total FBadin reported in mg/kg Alcoa Works, Badin, North Carolina (2001). 2 SWMU No. 1 On-site Landfill Map of borehole (soil pits) locations. SWMU No. 44 Pine Tree Grove Area Badin Lake Known locations of buried spent potliner are not shown in Alcoa’s cross sections of the North End SWMU area. Red areas: labeled as spent potliner Pink areas: spent potliner contamination but not labeled Map source: Law Engineering, Aluminum Company of America: Report of Environmental Services North End Subsurface Exploration (1989). MFG, Inc., RCRA Facility Investigation, Volume I of II, Alcoa Badin Works, Badin, North Carolina (2001). North End SMWU Area: Contamination threats in groundwater MW-1 MW-2 MW-3 MW-4 MW-5 MW-6 MW-7 MW-8 MW-9 MW-10 MW-11 MW-12 MW-13 MW-14 MW-14(D) MW-15 MW-16 MW-17 MW-18 MW-19 MW-20 MW-21 MW-22 MW-23 MW-24 MW-25 MW-25A MW-26 MW-27 MW-28 MW-29 Available Cyanide (mg/L) 2001 2012 Fluoride (mg/L) 2001 2012 1.2 3.9 < 0.01 0.48 0.054 2.7 < 0.01 0.24 0.494 x < 0.01 0.14 < 0.01 < 0.1 216 1 81.5 2.6 3700 < 0.1 15.7 45 1.6 0.84 20 < 0.01 0.42 < 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.01 0.078 0.14 0.93 Dry 0.76 0.091 0.13 0.024 0.11 < 0.01 0.25 < 0.0018 NS NS 0.22 < 0.0018 0.58 < 0.0018 0.011 0.039 < 0.0018 < 0.0018 NS NS < 0.0018 < 0.0018 < 0.0018 0.034 < 0.0018 < 0.0018 < 0.0018 NS NS NS 1.4 NS NS NS NS 0.095 < 0.0018 0.70 15.5 < 0.1 0.1 < 0.01 0.58 1710 2340 Dry 1250 88.3 6.5 12.5 439 < 0.2 18 0.020 J NS NS 49 6 1800 0.03 J 14 23 1.2 0.51 NS NS 6.4 7.3 0.29 13 0.03 J 0.040 J 0.06 NS NS NS 4500 NS NS NS NS 300 0.030 J 52 Red: Contamination exceeds NC 2L groundwater standards Gray: contaminated well in 2001 not resampled in 2012 Wells in spent potliner not dry despite cap installment in 1997 Increase in cyanide and fluoride between 2001 and 2012 Source: MFG, Inc., RCRA Facility Investigation, (2001); Environeering, Inc., “Phase III – Engineering Data Collection for the Corrective Measures Study, 2012. SMWU No. 2: Alcoa-Badin Landfill ALCOA-BADIN LANDFILL GROUNDWATER SWMUS REQUIRING CORRECTIVE ACTION swu3?""A?NB"Aocs mm CORRECTIVE m" MDIN WSINESS PARK CAROLINA SMWU No. 2: Alcoa-Badin Landfill 2019 aerial view from Google Earth • Accumulated waste from 1916 to 1980 • Caught fire in 1991 and burned for 3+ months • Deepest deposits of fill material, > 42 feet deep SMWU No. 2: Alcoa-Badin Landfill topography SWMU No. 2 was a natural valley used as a dump (right), graded between mid-1970s and 1990s (left) Estimated fill thickness by 1970 in color Red arrow points to natural valley draining into Little Mountain Creek SMWU No. 2 has unknown quantities of contaminants, including spent potliner Geophysical survey of electromagnetic conductivity in 2012 Red represents high levels of buried carbon-rich waste, including spent potliner 6.5 acres (out of 14) identified as having hazardous waste Source: Geo Solutions Limited, Inc. February 2008. Contamination hotspot in deepest area of fill, from 1970s plant renovations SMWU No. 2 is still leaching contaminants into Little Mountain Creek floodplain Geophysical survey of electromagnetic conductivity in Little Mountain Creek floodplain, 2019 Improper scaling may distort level of contamination in floodplain Contaminant plumes (red) in groundwater going past collection trench (dotted line). SWMU No.2: Contamination threats in groundwater Plant Area Cyanide and fluoride increases in Little Mountain Creek due to ongoing leaching from landfill Monitoring Well 3 Alcoa-Badin Landfill 6/7/91 7/15/91 9/16/92 12/8/92 2/17/93 5/6/93 0.2 Mi 8/9/93 12/1/93 3/7/94 5/11/94 8/30/94 12/15/94 6/26/96 9/25/96 12/5/96 4/22/98 10/21/98 9/24/99 1/5/00 ¯ 0 MW-3, upstream 0.1 MW-5, downstream Red: Contamination exceeds NC 2L groundwater standards Pink: Values above detection limit 8/1/11 11/14/11 5/8/12 8/3/12 Monitoring Well 5 Total Cyanide Free Cyanide Fluoride Total Cyanide Free Cyanide Fluoride < 0.005 < 0.05 0.111 0.068 < 0.05 0.136 < 0.005 < 0.05 0.2 0.19 < 0.05 0.1 < 0.01 < 0.01 0.2 0.22 0.029 0.1 < 0.01 < 0.01 0.209 0.242 0.288 < 0.2 < 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.2 0.14 0.032 < 0.2 < 0.01 < 0.01 0.18 0.24 0.068 < 0.1 < 0.01 < 0.01 0.2 0.031 0.031 0.1 < 0.01 0.013 < 0.2 0.282 0.019 < 0.2 < 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.2 0.113 0.024 < 0.2 Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, Earthstar < 0.01 < 0.01 0.51 GeoEye, < 0.01 < 0.01 0.51 < 0.01 < 0.01 < 0.2 DS, USDA, Geographics, CNES/Airbus AeroGRID, 0.188 USGS, 0.017 0.3 0.01 the GIS < 0.01User