Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Eastman Specialties Corporation in Chestertown, Maryland
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
The five Areas Of Concern (AOC’s) at the site include: groundwater contamination from the wastewater treatment lagoons and impoundments, a spill from the sludge roll-off, a spill of heat transfer fluid, a release of Benzoic Acid, and leaking of hydrogen peroxide from a tank.
The US EPA Region III and the MDE will decide if additional information or sampling at the facility is required to determine whether the environmental indicators have been met or if further corrective action is required at the facility.
The EPA determined the Environmental Indicator for Current Human Exposures Under Control was completed on September 13,2016. Also, EPA the determined the Environmental Indicator for Current Migration of Groundwater Under Control was completed on September 8, 2016.
On May 15, 2017 EPA issued a Corrective Action Final Decision . EPA's proposed remedy for the Facility consists of the following components: 1) natural attenuation 2) performance and maintenance of a groundwater monitoring program; and 2) compliance with and maintenance of existing Institutional Controls (ICs) that restrict certain land and groundwater uses at the Facility.
Site Description
Interactive Map of Eastman Specialties Corporation, Chestertown, Maryland
The facility opened in 1959 by the Lehigh Chemical Company.
The facility currently (as of June 3, 2010) operates and generates hazardous waste which includes spent solvents from the lab, self-manufactured fuel, toluene waste, phthalic anhydride, and phthalate esteer filter cake and API separator sludge.
The 12 different solid waste management units are: former sludge drying areas (two), a sludge roll-off area, a filter cake roll-off, a hazardous waste storage area, a satellite accumulation area, a parts cleaners area, trash compactor, a universal waste area, a wastewater treatment lagoons and impoundments, a wastewater treatment system, and a former separation pond.
Results from the remedial action are documented in the Closure Report dated January 15, 2007, and submitted to the Maryland Department of the Environment.
Contaminants at this Facility
Of the five AOC’s, only the groundwater contamination from the wastewater treatment lagoons and impoundments released hazardous materials into the environment.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
Institutional controls consist of following components: 1) natural attenuation 2) performance and maintenance of a groundwater monitoring program; and 2) compliance with and maintenance of existing Institutional Controls (ICs) that restrict certain land and groundwater uses at the Facility.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
Site is under continued use.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of the EPA Region 3 with assistance from Maryland Department of Environmental Protection.