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Fact Sheet
May 2006
Mid-America Tanning Site, Sergeant's Bluff, Iowa - Public Availability Session
INTRODUCTION
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hold a public availability session on Thursday, June 8, 2006, at City Hall in the Council Chamber, 401 Fourth Street, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa. The purpose of the public availability session will be to provide additional information about activities at the Mid-America Tanning (MAT) Superfund Site in Sergeant's Bluff, Woodbury County, Iowa.
BACKGROUND
The Mid-America Tanning (MAT) facility was an active hide-processing plant from 1969 to 1989. In 1973, the plant began using a chrome tanning process, which generated chromium wastes that were disposed of at the site in an unlined burial trench, impoundment basins, and soil areas adjacent to the impoundments where wastes were land-farmed.
When the facility ceased operations in 1989, there was an estimated 5,000 gallons of chromium tanning solution on site along with 525 gallons of sulfuric acid used in the tanning process. At that time, the contaminated source areas posed a threat through direct contact and through migration into the surrounding ground water.
Although it was determined that no significant threat to ground water existed, there was potential for further contamination of an adjacent wetland area.
Since 1990, EPA Region 7 Superfund Division has initiated a number of cleanup actions to address contamination at the site. These actions included removing contaminated drums and tanks and consolidating contaminated debris and soil onsite, and listing the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) to facilitate further investigation and remedial action.
Part of the remedial action addressed two, one-acre aeration lagoons where residual process sludge and liquids were capped in place with floating high density polyethylene (HDPE) covers. In 2004, after these remedial actions were completed and found to have met the goals of EPA's Record of Decision, the site was deleted from the NPL. In 2005, EPA Region 7 initiated an emergency action in response to a discharge of fluid from the east lagoon. Additional planned actions are listed below.
ABOUT THE CONTAMINATION
Chromium is the contaminant of concern within the sludge lagoons. Chromium salts were used in the tanning process in order to shorten process times and produce leather that combines most of the chemical and physical properties sought in the market place. The presence of hydrogen sulfide gas was observed during past remediation activities at the MAT site; however, the concentration of hydrogen sulfide was well below harmful levels during both the 2005 removal action.
SITE UPDATE
As a result of the 2005 release, EPA has decided to perform an additional action to further reduce the potential for exposure to contaminants. The proposed action is to solidify the contents of the east and west aeration lagoons which will decrease the possibility of further releases of material from these lagoons.
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR
EPA will hold a public availability session on Thursday, June 8, 2006, at
City Hall Council Chamber
401 Fourth Street
Sergeant Bluff
The meeting will start at 5:00 p.m.
EPA staff will give short presentations at 5:00 and 6:30, and will then be available to answer questions. If you need more information about the meeting, please contact:
Beckie Himes
Community Involvement Coordinator
U.S. EPA
Toll Free: 1-800-223-0425
e-mail: himes.beckie@epa.gov
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Site-related documents which provide details of the nature and extent of contamination and the work that has been completed at the MAT site are part of the Administrative Record, available during normal business hours at the following locations:
City Hall
401 Fourth Street
Sergeant's Bluff, Iowa
EPA Region 7
Records Center
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact:
Beckie Himes
Community Involvement Coordinator
EPA, Region 7,
Office of External Programs
901 North 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66101
913-551-7003
Toll-free 1-800-223-0425
E-mail: himes.beckie@epa.gov
