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NPL Site Narrative for V&M/Albaladejo
V&M/ALBALADEJO
Almirante Norte Ward, Puerto Rico
Federal Register Notice: December 23, 1996
Conditions at Proposal (June 1996): The V&M/Albaladejo site, located in the Almirante Norte Ward of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, consists of as many as five relatively small areas where refuse such as cables, batteries, and electrical equipment was burned to allow for recovery of the metals they contained. The burn areas are scattered around the property boundary separating the privately owned V&M and Albaladejo farms. Open burning of refuse began at an unknown point in time and continued until 1986 on the V&M property and until 1988 on the Albaladejo property. Only limited information concerning the specific nature and quantity of waste burned at the site is available. However, surface soil samples collected during a site inspection conducted in January 1989, were found to contain elevated levels of antimony, cadmium, copper, silver, and lead.
The site is located in a rural limestone upland containing the outcrop areas of the Aymamon Limestone, the Aguada Limestone, and the Cibao Formation, all of which contain karst aquifers that have been developed for public supply. Sixteen active Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority wells exist within four miles, the closest of which lies less than one mile east-northeast of the site. These wells provide drinking water to more than 52,550 people and may be affected by the migration of contaminants from the site in ground water.
In November 1994, EPA initiated a CERCLA removal assessment by conducting a site visit during which samples were collected from 16 locations. Three exposed burn areas were observed during this site visit. The soil in these areas were stained green and laden with debris. Results from the soil samples collected revealed elevated levels of arsenic, antimony, cadmium, copper, lead, and silver within the burn areas and in drainage routes near the sinkholes. A removal action, including the excavation and disposal of contaminated soils within the burn areas and adjoining areas, will be proposed in the winter of 1996.
Status (December 1996): A Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study to define the extent of contamination will be conducted in the spring of 1997.
For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.