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Stepan Chemical Company

1.0 Site Identification

2.0 Site Status Summary

The site is located in the Borrough of Maywood, NJ. Principal radioactive contaminants at the site are process wastes from the thorium extracted from the monazite sands using a chemical separation process. The residual alkaline thorium phosphate tailings are stored in three licensed underground storage areas. The license is in timely renewal. The cleanup of the licensed burials is part of a Record of Decision prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)for Soils and Buildings at the FUSRAP Maywood Superfund Site (August 2003). Site cleanup will be guided by the USACE-NRC FUSRAP Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (July 2001). In November 2004, Stepan and the United States reached a settlement on their respective obligations to remediate the site. In December 2004, licensee wrote to the NRC and informed staff of their views on how the site remediation will be addressed. In September 2005, the NRC conducted a coordinated with NJDEP safety inspection of the site. The MOU and the ROD commit USACE to clean up the licensed burials to meet at least the NRC standards required under 10 CFR 20.1402; Radiological criteria for unrestricted use, or a more stringent criteria.

Since the acquisition of the Maywood Chemical Works (MCW) by the Stepan Company in 1959, the Stepan Company has been manufacturing specialty chemicals and other products at the Maywood facility. In late 1960s, Stepan Company conducted some site cleanup on the original MCW plant site property on both east and west sides of the NJ State Route 17. In accordance with the NRC regulations at the time (NRC subsequently rescinded the regulation), the waste materials were relocated to three burial areas on property currently owned by Stepan Company.

3.0 Major Technical or Regulatory Issues

The decommissioning schedule is in major part contingent upon implementation of the November 2004 settlement between the United States and the Stepan Company, the Formerly Utilized Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) Appropriations, USACE's notification to NRC that is prepared to take possession of the burial pits and NRC issuance of Confirmatory License Suspension, and USACE's greater FUSRAP Maywood Superfund project schedule and funding priorities. The November 2004 settlement between Stepan and the United States provides for the decommissioning financial obligations of the parties. The staff has not identified any major offsite environmental issues that will not be addressed during decommissioning of the facility. On September 29, 2005, Region I conducted a site safety inspection accompanied by the NRC project manager and an NJDEP representative. Since April 2005, the USACE has initiated CERCLA site remediation in an non-licensed area of the site. On October 20, 2005, Stepan wrote to NRC and advised of their and USACE's site remediation scheduled activities. Staff is closely working with the licensee and USACE in order to initiate a Confirmatory License Suspension Order to Stepan. Staff evaluated a December 2005 USACE's request for an NRC 20.2002 authorization to release very low activities residuals offsite at a RCRA Subtitle C waste disposal facility in Grandview, Idaho. In April 2006, NRC determined that USACE is not eligible for a 20.2002 authorization since USACE is not an NRC licensee or an applicant. However, the NRC noted that instead the Stepan Company may request for such an authorization since the Stepan license is not yet in abeyance. The NRC, licensee, and the USACE further examined this option and concluded NRC does not have statutory authority to grant authority to such a request by licensee. During an August 2006, Management meeting between NRC and USACE, other alternatives were discussed. USACE continues to ship waste from the Maywood site and has devised alternative approaches to its 20.2002 request to NRC. During period of December 2006-January 2007, staff working in coordination with USACE discussed with the licensee the framework for a confirmatory license suspension order. In December 2007, Stepan provided its latest update on the complotted new warehouse replacing the existing warehouse over pit#3. In December 2007, Congress authorized USACE as an arranger to dispose of FUSRAP Maywood site waste at a RCRA Subtitle C facility in Grand View, ID, resolving the earlier maywood site 11(e).2 byproduct waste disposal.

4.0 Estimated Date For Closure

09/01/2010

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Monday, April 14, 2008