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National Information |
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Superfund Program
Sharon Steel (Midvale Tailings)
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Site Type: Completed NPL City: Midvale County: Salt Lake Street Address: 7800 South 700 West Zip Code: 84047 EPA ID#: UTD980951388 Site ID#: 0800694 Site Aliases: Midvale Tailings, United Smelting Refining and Mining Company Congressional District(s): 02 |
Site Description
Sharon Steel, a former smelting and milling facility just south of Salt Lake City, covers about 530 acres in Midvale, Utah. It is next to Midvale Slag, another Superfund site.
In 1982, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ) became involved at the site when it learned that nearby residents were gathering tailings for use in gardens and children's sandboxes. The state tested the "sand" from the gardens and sandboxes and found high levels of lead.
Current Operation and Maintenance (O&M) activities include monitoring of ground water and the cap. EPA also worked with potential developers on site redevelopment options. EPA and the State chair a community forum that meets quarterly to provide community members with timely updates of site-cleanup activities at both Sharon Steel and Midvale Slag Superfund sites. It also gives the community input into site decisions.
Site Risk
The US Geological Survey (USGS) tested the ground water and found high levels of arsenic. Subsequent studies found the ground water to be contaminated with heavy metals, such as arsenic, iron, manganese and zinc. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) added it to the Superfund National Priorities List in 1990.
The greatest potential public health threat to people came from exposure to lead and arsenic through direct contact with or inhalation of contaminated soils, including dust. Children playing in nearby neighborhood soil or sandboxes were especially at risk.
| Media Affected | Contaminants | Source of Contamination |
| Air, surface water, ground water, soil, liquid waste | Lead, arsenic, heavy metals such as iron, manganese, and zinc | Wastes from former smelter site |
Cleanup Progress
The following cleanup activities have been completed by either EPA or UDEQ:
- Fencing the site, stabilizing the banks of the Jordan River and spraying the tailings to control blowing dust in 1989.
- Removal of old mill building in 1992 and 1993.
- Capping tailings and reclaiming of surrounding areas in 1995.
- Installation of groundwater monitoring wells on the perimeter of site to ensure contaminated ground water is not migrating from the site in 1995.
- Removal of contaminated soil in more than 600 properties (mostly residential) and replacement with clean soil by 1998.
Site Documents
Note: the document below is a large PDF file: 4.2 MBAbout PDF files
Sharon Steel Five-Year Review - 2004 (PDF - 4.2 MB)
Sharon Steel Five-Year Review, Annual Update December 2007 (PDF - 37 K, 3 pages)
Contacts
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