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Fact Sheet
May 2006
Public Information Center Opens, Building Dismantlement Begins - PCB Treatment, Inc. Superfund Site (PTI), Kansas City, Kansas
SITE UPDATE
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces the opening of a Public Information Center adjacent to the Superfund site cleanup being conducted at the former PCB Treatment, Inc. (PTI) facility located at 45 Ewing Street, Kansas City, Kansas. The Public Information Center opened May 15, 2006, located north of MO-KAN Trailer Repair at 955 State Line Road, Kansas City, Mo.
The Center will be open to the public to provide written materials describing both the Superfund cleanup program and the cleanup of the PTI facility. An EPA representative will typically be at the Center Monday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. until the project is completed. Anyone with questions regarding the cleanup should feel free to visit the Public Information Center or contact EPA by telephone or e-mail.
In accordance with the settlement agreement for the PTI site in Kansas City, Kansas, the Steering Committee representing former customers of the former PTI operation have submitted design documents for the controlled dismantlement and site cleanup of the 45 Ewing Street building. The design documents have been reviewed and approved by EPA and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).
The proposed approach described in the design documents is very similar to the one very successfully used at the former PTI location in Kansas City, Missouri during 2005. The process ensured public safety throughout the removal process by controlling the physical and contamination-related hazards associated with dismantling a building in a populated area. EPA issued a notice to proceed to the Steering Committee on May 10, 2006.
Construction crews mobilized to the site during the week of May 8, 2006 to prepare the contaminated structure for controlled dismantlement. Work to be performed during the remainder of May 2006 will include removal and disposal of asbestos-containing materials, PCB-containing electrical fixtures, milled concrete with PCB concentrations greater than 50 parts per million (ppm) and animal wastes from within the building. Scaffolding will be erected on the north and south sides of the building. The scaffolding will be cantilevered from the former PTI building floors above adjacent structures.
Dismantlement of the five-story structure is scheduled to begin in early June 2006. The dismantlement will proceed on a floor-by-floor basis, beginning at the roof and working downward.
Building debris will be conveyed to the basement for loading through interior shafts within the building. Dust suppression and air monitoring will be conducted during all phases of dismantlement and loading to ensure that hazardous levels of potentially contaminated dust are not released from the property.
Building material containing elevated levels of PCBs (greater than 50 ppm) will be transported for disposal at the BFI Lone Mountain facility in Waynoka, Oklahoma. Non-regulated building debris (PCB concentrations less than 50 ppm) will be transported for disposal at the Courtney Ridge Landfill located in Sugar Creek, Missouri. Truck routes have not been determined at this time; however the Unified Government has been informed of the building dismantlement and disposal of building debris.
Following removal of the above-ground elements of the building, work will continue to remove below-grade building components, except in cases where removal would threaten structural integrity of the adjacent structures. Soil testing will be performed following building removal to assure that unsafe levels of PCBs do not remain. Soil excavation will proceed until approved cleanup levels are achieved. Excavated areas will be restored to grade using clean backfill and covered with a gravel surface.
Rail lines adjacent to the PTI building on the east and west will be removed. Soils with PCB concentrations greater than 1 ppm will be excavated and disposed. The railroad tracks located east of the PTI building will be replaced.
Removal activities at the 45 Ewing site are anticipated to be complete during September 2006. Following completion of site restoration, redevelopment of the restored land can proceed in accordance with private market conditions.
The cleanup of the building is being performed by a steering committee representing eleven former PTI customers (the Steering Committee) under the oversight of EPA and KDHE. Twenty (20) federal agencies were also former PTI customers and have contributed their allocated share of the cost of the Site cleanup.
BACKGROUND
PCB Treatment Inc. (PTI) began operations at 2100 Wyandotte Street, Kansas City, Missouri in 1982. A portion of the operation moved to 45 South Ewing Street, Kansas City, Kansas in 1984. Initial operations included decommissioning and storage of PCB-containing items. PCB oils and PCB-contaminated components were shipped offsite for incineration. Reusable metal was salvaged. PTI also performed a de-chlorination process for PCB-contaminated oils.
PTI operated at 45 Ewing Street from 1984 until 1987, authorized by EPA under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Decommissioning and PCB removal activities were terminated in 1987, after TSCA authorizations were not renewed by EPA. Between 1987 and 1991, the owner of the building attempted different methods to decontaminate the building. None of these attempts were successful at reducing PCB concentrations to required levels.
PTI operated on the all floors of the five-story 45 Ewing facility. The more than 1,500 customers of PTI included the federal government, rural electric cooperatives, utility companies, cities, states, and large and small businesses.
Site investigations have concluded that portions of floors and walls remain PCB-impacted in excess of acceptable levels. Soils adjacent to the facility were also found to contain PCBs.
SUPERFUND INVOLVEMENT
The PTI Site was referred to the EPA Superfund program in 1995. Superfund is the federal program with authority over the cleanup of abandoned and uncontrolled hazardous waste sites throughout the country.
Under the Superfund law, EPA is able to require those parties deemed responsible for the site contamination to perform cleanup work at the site. Responsible parties at the PTI site include owners, operators, and transporters and generators that sent hazardous materials to the facilities for treatment or disposal.
In accordance with the EPA agreement for the Site, the selected remedy will be implemented by the Steering Committee with the oversight of the EPA and state agencies. The Steering Committee consists of eleven customers of the now defunct PTI Corporation who have agreed to perform the cleanup work.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
EPA encourages community members to review the Administrative Record for the site. Documents related to the facility, including design documents for the building removal, are available as part of the Administrative Record. The Administrative Record is available for public review at the following locations during normal business hours:
Kansas City, Kansas
Main Public Library
625 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas City, Kan.
Kansas City, Missouri
Main Public Library
Government Documents
14 W. 10th St.
Kansas City, Mo.
EPA Region 7
Records Center
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, Kan.
EPA Public Information Center
955 State Line Road
Kansas City, Mo.
See our Fact Sheet (Nov. 2005) for additional information.
Questions about the Site may be addressed to:
Fritz Hirter
Community Involvement Coordinator
EPA Region 7
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
(913) 551-7003
Fax: (913) 551-7066
E-mail: hirter.fritz@epa.gov
Pauletta France-Isetts
Remedial Project Manager
EPA Region 7
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
(913) 551-7701
Fax: (913) 551-9701
E-mail: france-isetts.pauletta@epa.gov
Toll-free (800) 223-0425
