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NPL Site Narrative for Wasatch Chemical Co. (Lot 6)
WASATCH CHEMICAL CO. (LOT 6)
Salt Lake City, Utah
Federal Register Notice: February 11, 1991
Conditions at proposal (January 22, 1987): The Wasatch Chemical Co. (Lot 6) Site covers 3.7 acres in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. Wasatch began formulating various organic chemical products, including pesticides, on 15 acres in the early 1960s. Subsequently, the site was subdivided into parcels of 6 and 9 acres, which are now owned by two separate entities. Lot 6 has not been used since before 1980.
The Utah Department of Health estimates that approximately 2,300 cubic yards of wastes have been disposed in a concrete pond and in drums on Lot 6. During an inspection in June 1985, the State found 48 drums holding ignitable and reactive liquids and 13 pressurized gas cylinders in poor condition; several of the drums were leaking. Residential and commercial industrial areas are within a few hundred yards of the drum storage area. Approximately 85,000 people live within 3 miles of the site. Additional wastes from the operation were discharged into the 700 West Stream, a ditch that drains into the Jordan River.
Tests conducted by the State in June 1985 detected several chemicals, including pesticides and methyl isobutyl ketone, in ground water. 700 West Stream also has elevated levels of some of these compounds. About 60,000 people obtain drinking water from private wells within 3 miles of the site. The nearest well is within 2,000 feet. No alternative source of water is available in the area. The Jordan River/Surplus Canal is used primarily for industrial, irrigation (3 square miles), and recreational purposes.
In January 1986, the State requested the owner of Lot 6 and a number of other parties potentially responsible for wastes associated with the site to remove drums and other materials from Lot 6. When they refused, the State filed an action in Federal Court requiring the potentially responsible parties (PRPs) to remove the drums and compensate the State for its costs. In February 1986, the State and EPA negotiated a Consent Order under CERCLA Section 106 for the drums.
In April 1986, during a CERCLA emergency removal action, EPA detected dioxin in drums, standing water, and soil on the site. In the removal action, EPA (1) excavated contaminated soil, (2) transported nondioxin drums and soil and the cylinders to a hazardous waste landfill regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and (3) placed dioxin-contaminated materials in a temporary storage unit adjacent to Lot 6. EPA has reached a partial agreement with several PRPs to pay for a portion of the emergency action. The PRPs have also agreed to provide and maintain a storage facility for the dioxin materials pending final disposal.
Status (February 11, 1991): Under a partial Consent Decree issued by the State on September 30, 1988, the PRPs have conducted a remedial investigation/feasibility study to determine the type and extent of contamination at the site and identify alternatives for remedial action. The remedy planned will cover contaminated ground water, soils, sludges, and other wastes, as well as proper disposal of the dioxin materials stored on-site.
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.