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Fact Sheet
April 2007
Proposed Cleanup Plan Released for Public Comment, Nashua Corp. Label Products Division, Omaha, Nebraska
INTRODUCTION
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 invites the public to comment on the proposed final cleanup plan for the Nashua Corp. Label Products Division facility in Omaha, Nebraska.
The public comment period will start on April 26, 2007, and end on May 26, 2007. All written comments must be sent to the address below. EPA will hold a public availability session so community members can ask questions about the proposed final cleanup plan. See the section below for details.
BACKGROUND
The 11-acre facility is located at 3838 South 108th Street in an industrial area of Omaha near the Interstate 80 and Interstate 680 interchange. The facility makes pressure and thermal sensitive labels and electrostatic copy paper. The facility used solvent and/or water-based adhesives and inks, toluene, xylene, methanol, and TCA (known as 1,1,1-trichoroethane) in its manufacturing processes. The use of these chemicals resulted in the generation of hazardous wastes. These hazardous wastes were treated, stored, and disposed at the facility.
THE CONTAMINATION
Soil and groundwater contamination in the immediate facility area occurred when gallons of toluene and other solvents leaked from underground storage tanks and seeped into the soil. The primary contaminants of concern were toluene, xylene, and TCA.
The facility sampled and analyzed soil at various on and off-site locations. Also, the facility installed 37 groundwater monitoring wells to collect groundwater samples. In addition, the facility built a waste collection system to gather wastes from the coating area and mixing room and discharged the wastes to a gravel pit.
EPA issued a cleanup order, officially known as an Administrative Order on Consent, to the facility to investigate and clean up releases of hazardous wastes. EPA issued the order under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
The facility volunteered to conduct immediate cleanup actions, known as interim measures, in addition to performing the cleanup actions in the cleanup order.
PROPOSED CLEANUP PLAN
The proposed final cleanup plan includes:
- Completed Interim Measures, which includes a collection trench system and dual-phase extraction system: Fluids, water, and contaminants were collected from the trench via the water/product recovery well and separator. Five hundred gallons of toluene were collected during one year of the five-year collection trench system. The dual-phase extraction system removed soil gas vapors above the water table and water below the water table. The material and soil gas vapor were then treated to get rid of the contaminants. The dual-phase extraction system removed more than 46,000 pounds of toluene and other hydrocarbons during its two-year operation.
- Installation of fencing to prevent trespassing and unauthorized access to the facility will be continued. The fencing serves as a barrier to direct contact with contaminated areas.
- Using existing state and local regulations and ordinances to restrict groundwater use.
- Deed restrictions and notices to forbid exposure to subsurface soils without proper notification and worker protection.
- Monitored natural attenuation: Natural attenuation is using natural biological processes to degrade contaminants. The facility will be required to continue groundwater monitoring to confirm the continued decrease in contaminant levels at rates consistent with cleanup objectives. The facility has been conducting groundwater monitoring for more than 16 years. It is estimated that contaminants could be reduced to cleanup levels within 10 years.
EPA encourages the public to review and comment on the proposed final cleanup plan. Comments should be submitted by May 26, 2007. The administrative record is available at the following locations:
W. Dale Clark Library
215 S. 15th Street
Omaha, NE 68102
(402) 444-4800
Hours of Operation:
Mon. - Thurs., 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Fri. - Sat., 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sun., 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.
EPA Region 7 Records Center
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66101
(913) 551-7166
Hours of Operation:
Mon. - Fri., 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
1200 "N" Street, Ste. 400
Lincoln, Nebraska 68509
(402) 471-2186
Hours of Operation:
Mon. - Fri., 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (by appointment only)
A formal public hearing has not been scheduled but will be held if there is sufficient public interest. Request for a public hearing must be made in writing to the EPA contact listed on page 1 and must state the nature of issues to be raised at the hearing. EPA will evaluate any request and hold a formal hearing if it finds that a hearing will contribute to the decision-making process by clarifying significant issues affecting the proposed final cleanup plan. EPA will make a final cleanup plan decision only after the public comment period ends and all comments are reviewed. EPA may modify the proposed final cleanup plan or choose another one based on any new information and comments from the public.
Individuals may write to the EPA contact on page 1 to join the mailing list. Joining the mailing list will allow an individual to receive any updated information directly throughout the cleanup process.
PUBLIC AVAILABILITY SESSION
Thursday, May 10, 2007
5 p.m. - 7 p.m.
W. Dale Clark Library Mtg. Rm. 1
215 S. 15th Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68102
EPA will be available to answer questions about the proposed final cleanup plan. All members of the public are welcome to attend any time between 5 p.m and 7 p.m. Nashua representatives also will be available.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Please submit your written comments about the proposed final cleanup plan to:
EPA Region 7
Superfund Division
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66101
Phone: 913-551-7701
Toll free: 800-223-0425
E-mail:france-isetts.pauletta@epa.gov
If you have questions or want to receive further information, please contact:
Shawntell Martin
Office of External Programs
U.S. EPA Region 7
901 N. Fifth St.
Kansas City, KS 66101
Phone: 913-551-7003
Toll free: 1-800-223-0425
martin.shawntell@epa.gov
