# Presentation: 413188

## Koppers, Inc.

**Corrective Action**
**At**
**Koppers, Inc.**
**North Little Rock Facility**

## Koppers, Inc.  NLR – Facility Description

**Location:**
**	****2201 Edmonds Street**
**	****North Little Rock, Pulaski County, AR**
**Size:  ≈155 acres**
**Activities:**
**Active wood treatment plant producing railroad ties pressure-treated with creosote.**
**Previously produced treated lumber, utility poles, & bridge piling materials using pentachlorophenol, chromated copper arsenate, and creosote.**

## Koppers, Inc.  NLR – Aerial Photgraph

## Koppers, Inc.  NLR – Zoning

**N**

## Koppers, Inc.  NLR – Operational History

_**1907 – present**_
**	****Pressure-treated various wood products using creosote / oil mixtures**
_**Early 1950s – 1964**_
**	****Chromated copper arsenate (CCA)**
**	****also used as a preservative**
_**Early 1960s – 1982**_
**	****Pentachlorophenol (PCP)**
**	****also used as a preservative**

## Pre-1970
Waste preservative mixture and water (waste) collected in sump
Waste pumped to unlined lagoons

Early 1970s
Tank and API oil/water separator added
PCP effluent treatment system added

1975
Two unlined SIs (SI#1 and SI#2) put into service in place of unlined lagoons
Sprayfield Area put into service – received wastewater from SI#2

**Past Waste Treatment Description / History**

_**Pre-1970**_
**Waste preservative mixture and water (waste) collected in sump**
**Waste pumped to unlined lagoons**
_**Early 1970s**_
**Tank and API oil/water separator added**
**PCP effluent treatment system added**
_**1975**_
**Two unlined SIs (SI****#****1 and SI****#****2) put into service in place of unlined lagoons**
**Sprayfield Area put into service – received wastewater from SI****#****2**

## Past Waste Treatment Description / History

**SW corner of site - December 1949**

**Past Waste Treatment Description / History**

**lagoons**

**lagoons**

## Past Waste Treatment Description / History

**Past Waste Treatment Description / History**

**lagoons**

**lagoons**

## Past Waste Treatment Description / History

**Past Waste Treatment Description / History**

**lagoons**

**lagoons**

## Past Waste Treatment Description / History

**New SIs**

**Past Waste Treatment Description / History**

**lagoons**

## Past Waste Treatment Description / History

**  “****A series of impoundments ... were used from plant construction until approximately 1975.**
**	****By that time the series of individual impoundments had essentially become one large impoundment.”**
**- ****RFI / CMS Work Plan, October 1988, Sec. 2.3.2.1, page 2-6**

## 1975
	Surface Impoundments put into service
SI#1 – used as a surge basin
SI#2 – biological treatment with aeration
Sprayfield – water from SI#2 surface discharged (NPDES permit)

**Past Waste Treatment Description / History**

_**1975**_
**	****Surface Impoundments put into service**
**SI****#****1 – used as a surge basin**
**SI****#****2 – biological treatment with aeration**
**Sprayfield – water from SI****#****2 surface discharged (NPDES permit)**

## Part of SI#2 w/aeration and Sprayfield

**Past Waste Treatment Description / History**

**Part of SI****#****2 w/aeration and Sprayfield**

## Start of Groundwater Detection Monitoring

_**November 1980**_
**Koppers NLR submits RCRA Part A Application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency**
**Interim Status granted**
_**November 1981**_
**	****Installation of Groundwater Monitoring System -**
**	****4 wells (R-1 – R-4) installed**

## 1st 3008(h) Administrative Order

_**May 1, 1984**_
**Due to inadequate groundwater monitoring and assessment, USEPA issues a 3008(h) Administrative Order against Koppers NLR.**
**As part of the order, 3 new monitoring wells are installed:**
**R-5 (up-gradient)**
**R-6 and R-7 (down-gradient)**
**Accelerated monitoring program initiated**
**	****(monthly sampling vs. quarterly)****	**

## Discovery of Off-site Contamination

**	**_**July 5, 1984**_
**	****North Little Rock Health Department detects 11 components of creosote in a private well 1⁄2 mile down-gradient of the Koppers NLR facility**

## 3013 Administrative Order

**	**_**February 1985**_
**USEPA issues 3013 Administrative Order (requires investigation to determine how significant a threat the contamination poses) against Koppers NLR**
**Groundwater monitoring program changed from detection monitoring to assessment monitoring – assessment plan prepared**
**Data collected in the first quarter of the accelerated detection monitoring shows a significant increase of contamination in down-gradient wells**

## Assessment Plan Implementation

**	**_**May 1985**_
**	****Beginning of assessment plan implementation **
**	****Requirements:**
**Installation and monitoring of 35 wells, both on-site and off-site**
**Surface soil samples**
**Soil borings**

## USEPA Compliance Monitoring Evaluation

_**July 22-31, 1986**_
**USEPA Hazardous Waste Ground Water Task Force**
**conducts a Compliance Monitoring Evaluation at**
**Koppers NLR**
**Findings:**
**Uppermost aquifer characteristics not yet identified**
**GW flow direction and flowrate not determined**
**Alluvial sediments underlying the site not characterized**

## USEPA Compliance Monitoring Evaluation

**Extent of confining clay zone underlying the sediments not characterized**
**Rate and extent of migration of hazardous waste in groundwater not determined (required by regulations and further stipulated in 3013 Order)**

## USEPA Compliance Monitoring Evaluation

_**Improper monitoring well construction**_
_**Sampling deficiencies:**_
**No provision for detection or sampling of LNAPL or DNAPL that might be in wells**
**QA/QC sampling problems**
**Numerous laboratory deficiencies**

## USEPA Compliance Monitoring Evaluation

**Only 17 of the required 35 wells were installed**
**	****(all on-site)**
**17 SWMUs and 6 AOCs identifed, many with obvious contamination**
**SIs found to have high levels of creosote component contamination**
**7 wells sampled by USEPA found to be contaminated with creosote components**

## SWMUs & AOCs

**  “****Due to the number of SWMUs, and the similar waste constituents present in each, it is not, as yet, possible to assess the source(s) of site constituents found in the groundwater...”**
**- from DOCC, February 1991 (various places)**
**  ****“****Because of the close proximity of the various potential source areas, and the similar constituents present in each, it is both difficult and impractical to differentiate many of the SWMUs and AOCs into separate potential source areas.”**
**- RFI Report, 1995 Sec. 4.2, page 4-2**
**	****Translation:  The place is a mess.**

## SWMUs & AOCs

**1**

**2**

**3**

**1: Past Landfarm**** #****1**
**2: Past Landfarm ****#****2**
**3: Past Landfarm ****#****3**
**4: Waste Containment**
**	****Storage Facility**
**21: Stained Soil (AOC)**

**4**

**21**

**N**

## SWMUs & AOCs

**5**

**6**

**7**

**8**

**9**

**11**

**10**

**12**

**13**

**14**

**5: Former Sprayfield Area**
**6: Drip Track Area**
**7: Former Lagoon Area**
**8: Former Container Storage Facility**
**9: Former SI #1**
**10: Former SI #2**
**11: Primary API Separator**
**12: Former Secondary API Separator**
**13: Dehydrator Secondary Containment**
**14: Basement Beneath**
**	**** ****Treatment Cylinders**

**N**

## SWMUs & AOCs

**16: Former PCP Effluent System**
**17: Effluent Surge Tank**
**Areas of Concern**
**18: Tank Farm Area**
**19: Rail Car Unloading Area**
**20: Truck Unloading Area**
**21: Stained Soil ****(previously shown)**
**22: Treatment Cylinders**
**23: Visual Off-site Contamination ****(not shown)**

**SWMUs & AOCs**

**22**

**15**

**16**

**17**

**18**

**19**

**20**

**N**

## Past Waste Treatment Description / History

_**Landfarms in NE corner of site**_
**  “****[These units] received material from the clean-up of the Former Lagoon Area around 1980. The material contained creosote, carbon black oil, and possibly CCA.  The quantity of material deposited in this unit is unknown.”**
**- ****description of 3 landfarms**
**from DOCC, February 1991**
**§**** 3.2.1, § 3.2.2, § 3.2.3**

## SWMU #6 – Drip Track Area

## SWMU #6 – Drip Track Area

**Area where freshly treated wood is allowed to drip and dry after being removed from treatment cylinders.**
**From 1907 to 1987 the area consisted of railroad tracks on top of bare soil.**
**Soil borings showed visibly stained soil to depths of up to 3 feet. **

## SWMU #6 – Drip Track Area

_**1987**_
** **
**Visibly stained soil was removed**
**stored in SWMU ****#****4 prior to disposal**
**Liquid collection system installed**
**Continuous concrete pad poured beneath railroad tracks**

## Permit Application Issues

_**February 1987**_
**	****Koppers NLR submits revised Closure Plans for Surface Impoundments and Container Storage Facility in response to Part B Application NODs**
_**July 1987**_
**	****ADPC&E issues Notice of Intent to Deny RCRA Permit due to failure to submit a Technically Complete Application (Closure Plan issues)**
_**September 1987**_
**	****ADPC&E issues Final Decision to Deny RCRA Permit**

## Permit Application Issues

_**October 1987**_
**	****Koppers NLR petitions for, and receives, delay of effective date of denial to September 1, 1988 so units may be closed.**
_**January 1988**_
**	****Container Storage Facility certified closed**
_**June 1988**_
**	****ADPC&E approves modified closure/post closure plans for SIs.**
_**July 1988**_
**	****SIs receive last wastewater**

## SI Closure

_**August 8, 1988**_
**	****Completion of removal and disposal of bottom sludge and visibly contaminated soil from SIs**
_**August 16, 1988**_
**	****Sub-grade soil sampling of SIs**
** ****Contaminated with:**
** ****Arsenic**
** ****Chromium**
** ****Phenolics**
** ****PAHs**

## SI Closure

_**October 1988**_
**	****RFI/CMS Work Plan approved**
_**April 4, 1989**_
**	****Koppers NLR receives temp. authorization to discharge accumulated rainfall from SIs to NPDES outfall**
**	**

## SI Closure

**April 17, 1989:  accumulated rainwater in SIs**

## SI Closure

**SI Closure**

**April 17-21, 1989:  rainwater pumped from SIs**

## SI Closure

**April 27 – May 12, 1989:  backfill of SIs with clean soil**

## SI Closure

**Application submitted for**
**RCRA Post Closure Permit**
**for SIs**
_**May 13 – July 10, 1989**_
**Beginning of closure of SIs**
**with placement of**
**geotextile layers**
**and clay cap**

**SI Closure**

## SI Closure

**Geotextile**
**anchor**
**trench**

## SI Closure

**SI Closure**

**Geotextile**
**anchor**
**trench**

**Placement of 1****st**** geotextile layer**

## SI Closure

**Placement of clay cap material**

**SI Closure**

## SI Closure

**Compaction of clay cap material**

**SI Closure**

## SI Closure

**Sampling of clay cap for permeability testing**

**SI Closure**

## SI Closure

**SI Closure**

## SI Closure

**SI Closure**

## SI Closure

**SI Closure**

## SI Closure

**Installation of**
**drainage pipe**

**SI Closure**

## SI Closure

**August 2, 1989: Hydroseeding of soil cover**

**SI Closure**

## 2nd 3008(h) Administrative Order

_**December 27, 1990**_
**	****USEPA issues 3008(h) Administrative Order requiring:**
**Interim Measures**
**RCRA Facility Investigation**
**Corrective Measures Study**

## 2nd 3008(h) Administrative Order

_**February 11, 1991**_
**	****Interim Measures implemented:**
**Deep GW vertical delineation monitoring wells installed**
**  ****(****DNAPL encountered during drilling)**
**GW Pump & Treat system installed **
**Two GW recovery wells installed**
**One monitoring well converted to DNAPL recovery well**
**One monitoring well R-6 plugged and abandonded**
**   ****(due to anomalous water level readings)**
**New monitoring well cluster installed (3 wells)**

## Groundwater Pump & Treat System

**Site Preparation**

## Groundwater Pump & Treat System

**GW Recovery Well Schematic**

## Groundwater Pump & Treat System

**Groundwater Recovery Wellhead Components**

## Groundwater Pump & Treat System

**Groundwater Pump & Treat System**

**GW Treatment Plant**

## Groundwater Pump & Treat System

**Groundwater Pump & Treat System**

**Settling/surge & backwash tanks**

## Groundwater Pump & Treat System

**Groundwater Pump & Treat System**

**pH adjust & feed pumps – multi-media filter & activated carbon unit**

## ADPC&E Comprehensive Monitoring Evaluation

_**April 22-26, 1991**_
**Findings similar to EPA GWTF CME in 1986**
**Additional findings:**
** ****Inadequate number of monitoring wells **
** ****Some wells improperly placed to get representative**
**    ****samples of in-situ water quality**
** ****No procedures for DNAPL sampling/measuring**
** ****No updated map showing monitoring and recovery**
**    ****well locations**
** ****Sampling & Analysis Plan too generic**
** ****Wells not maintained or repaired in a timely fashion**

## RCRA Facility Investigation

_**Sept. 1992 – March 1993 and Sept. 1993 – Nov. 1993**_
** ****53 soil borings**
** ****61 monitoring wells installed**
**33 on-site**
**28 off-site **
** ****Lithologic sampling of confining clay layer**
** ****Characterization of the hydraulic properties of aquifer**
** ****Domestic and industrial well inventory**
** ****Geophysical logging**
** ****Sampling of surface water and sediments**
**    ****at plant exit locations**

## RCRA Facility Investigation

**Soil Borings**

## RCRA Facility Investigation – Supplemental Studies

_**April - July 1995**_
**Subsurface Investigation**
** ****3 deep test soil borings through confining clay layer**
** ****lithologic sampling**
** ****geophysical logging**
** ****3 monitoring wells installed in deep portion of aquifer**
** ****6 new monitoring wells installed near closed SIs**
** ****Recovery well (RW-3) installed**
** ****Aquifer tests conducted at well RW-3**
** ****Limited DNAPL recovery test at well RW-3**
** ****Elevation and location survey of all wells **

## RCRA Facility Investigation – Supplemental Studies

_**April - July 1995**_
**GW Sampling and Analysis**
** ****First ever site- wide, all-well sampling event**
** ****97 on-site monitoring wells**
** ****2 off-site residential wells**
** ****To provide a site-wide “snapshot” of GW conditions**
** ****Sampling and analysis of off-site sediments**

## RCRA Facility Investigation – Supplemental Studies

_**Results**_
**Subsurface Investigation**
** ****Areas with DNAPL characterized**
** ****several small areas “perched” on clay lenses**
** ****one small “pond” on confining clay layer (on-site)**
** ****one large “pond” in depression in confining clay layer both**
**    ****on- and off-site (up to 200 feet south of property boundary)**

## RCRA Facility Investigation – Supplemental Studies

**Confining clay layer contours & DNAPL “ponds”**

## RCRA Facility Investigation – Supplemental Studies

_**Results (continued)**_
**GW Sampling and Analysis**
** ****Plumes of VOCs, PAHs, and Phenols mapped**

## RCRA Facility Investigation – Supplemental Studies

**Plume contours - VOCs in Zone D**

## RCRA Facility Investigation – Supplemental Studies

**Plume contours - Phenols in Zone D**

## RCRA Facility Investigation – Supplemental Studies

**Plume contours - PAHs in Zone D**

## RCRA Facility Investigation – Supplemental Studies

_**Results (continued)**_
**Sampling and analysis of off-site sediments**
** ****All sediments found to contaminated with:**
** ****PAHs**
** ****Oil and grease**
** ****dioxin/furans**
** ****metals (in ditches only)**

## Post Closure Permit 24H

_**July 28, 1995**_
**ADPC&E issues Post Closure Permit**
**to Koppers NLR.**
**Recovery wells for DNAPL extraction required.**

## Interim Measures – RCRA Permit 24H

_**May 1996 to March 1997**_
** ****Test borings to further delineate the DNAPL “pond”**
** ****Analysis of boring data to determine optimum**
**    ****location for DNAPL recovery well**
** ****DNAPL recovery well RW-4 installed**
**  **
**Between 1998 and 2002**
**three more DNAPL recovery wells installed**

## Corrective Action Authority

_**2000**_
**Oversight of CA process transferred to ADEQ**
**3008(h) Order closed out**
**Permit 24H becomes CA document**

## Corrective Action Strategy

_**February 15, 2001**_
**Koppers submits Notice of Intent to enter into Corrective Action Strategy (CAS) Program**
_**February 22, 2001**_
**	****CAS Scoping meeting held**
_**March 13, 2001**_
**	****Risk Assessment Report filed by Koppers**
_**January 2002**_
**	****Two new DNAPL recovery wells installed (RW-6 & RW-7) and one old well refurbished (RW-4)**

## Original DNAPL Recovery System

**Original DNAPL Recovery System**

**Converted monitoring well**
**Submersible pulse pump (pneumatic)**
**Equipment shed**

## Original DNAPL Recovery System

**Original DNAPL Recovery System**

**Compressor**
**Pressure regulator**
**Air Filter**
**Air dryer**
**Pneumatic controller**
**DNAPL storage drum**
**Flow meter w/ chart recorder (not shown)**

## Original DNAPL Recovery System

_**Operation of System**_
** ****Pneumatic controller cycles pulse pump**
** ****Pump is off to allow DNAPL to collect and fill bottom**
**    ****of recovery well**
** ****Pump is turned on to pump collected DNAPL to**
**    ****storage drum**
** ****Cycle repeats**
** ****Level control in storage drum shuts off system when**
**    ****near full**

## Current DNAPL Recovery System

_**Enhanced System**_
**Through pumping and re-circulation of groundwater,  DNAPL elevations increase near the well (effect was discovered during RFI-SS testing at RW-3 recovery well).**
**This causes increased flow into the recovery well, thus shorter pump cycle times, and an increased DNAPL recovery rate.**

## Current DNAPL Recovery System

**Current DNAPL Recovery System**

**Recovery well**
**DNAPL recovery pump**
**GW extraction pump**
**GW re-circulation pump**
**GW re-circulation well**

## Current DNAPL Recovery System

**DNAPL recovery system – Well RW-6**

**DNAPL****Storage****tank**

**Current DNAPL Recovery System**

**RW-6****well head**

## Corrective Action Strategy

_**March 12, 2002**_
**	****Soil and Sediment Sampling and Analysis Work Plan (to supplement Risk Assessment Report) filed by Koppers**
_**April 30, 2002**_
** ****Koppers submits Corrective Action Strategy**
**    ****Proposed Performance Standards**
** ****Soil and Sediment Sampling and Analysis Work Plan**
**    ****(SSSAWP) implemented**
_**December 3, 2002**_
**	****Koppers submits results of SSSAWP**

## Corrective Action Strategy

_**August 18, 2003**_
**Koppers submits Human Health & Environmental Risk Assessment**
_**October 24, 2004**_
**	****Koppers submits CAS Proposed Performance Standards Supplement**
_**October 6, 2005**_
**	****Koppers submits letter concerning proposed Ground Water Institutional Controls**

## Corrective Action Strategy

_**February 1, 2006**_
**Human Health & Environmental Risk Assessment approved**
** ****On-site workers at risk (from surface soils)**
** ****Institutional Controls needed to prevent access to**
**    ****contaminated groundwater**
_**March 27, 2006**_
**	****Meeting with Koppers to discuss proposed GWICs**

## Corrective Action Strategy

_**March 6, 2007**_
**	****Koppers submits**** ****Draft Risk Management Plan**
** ****cover soils to prevent worker contact**
** ****North Little Rock city ordinance concerning wells in**
**    ****Activity Use & Limitations GWIC area**
** ****Active monitoring of buffer zone around GWIC area for**
**    ****land use changes**
** ****Continued recovery of DNAPL from subsurface**
** ****Monitored natural attenuation of GW contamination plume**

## RCRA Post Closure Permit 24H

_**March 8, 2007**_
**	****Draft Permit Renewal into Public Notice**
**	**
_**April 23, 2007**_
**	****Close of Public Comment period on**
**	****Draft Permit Renewal**
_**Permit Module XII(b)**_
**	****Standard Corrective Action procedure is contained in Module XII(b) of Draft Permit Renewal**
**	****Corrective Action will revert to standard procedure if CAS process does produce satisfactory results**

## Corrective Action at Koppers NLR

**Questions**