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Site Type: Short Term/Removal (SHORT) 
AEROVOX
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map of site |
| New Bedford, Massachusetts |
| Bristol County |
| Street Address: | 740 Belleville Avenue |
| Zip Code: | 02745-6010 |
Congressional
District(s): |
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| EPA ID #: | MAN000103307 |
| Site ID #: | 0103307 |
| Site Alias: | |
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Description
The vacant Aerovox mill at 740 Belleville Avenue in New Bedford, MA consists of a 450,000 sq. ft. former manufacturing building located on approximately 10 acres of industrial-zoned land abutting the Acushnet River. From c.1940 to c.1977, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used at the facility in the manufacture of electrical capacitors and transformers. As a result of this manufacturing history, soils and groundwater at the site as well as the building itself are heavily contaminated with PCBs. This facility is considered one of the major sources of historic PCB contamination to New Bedford Harbor. See Section 2 of the Site's 1998 Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) for a more detailed discussion of the site's history and characterization.
See also: New Bedford Superfund Site, http://www.epa.gov/ne/superfund/sites/newbedford/ or http://www.epa.gov/ne/nbh/
Current Status
In 1997, due to the identification of very high levels of PCBs within the interior of the building and the presence of PCBs in uncapped soils outside the building, Aerovox prepared the 1998 Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA). The 1998 EE/CA evaluated three alternatives for demolishing the building, disposing the demolition waste, and capping the entire site. In 1999 EPA entered into an Administrative Order on Consent with Aerovox pursuant to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to perform the cleanup recommended in the 1998 EE/CA. In April 2001, Aerovox relocated to a new facility and in June 2001, filed for bankruptcy. The NTCRA was thus not performed and the building has remained vacant since April 2001. The EPA settled its claim in the bankruptcy and the proceeds, although insufficient, will contribute to the NTCRA funding.
Site risks remain consistent with those presented in the 1998 EE/CA, with PCBs in soil and groundwater posing a risk to human health and the environment. In addition, the long-term vacancy of the building poses a significant fire threat (other vacant mill buildings in the area have caught on fire recently). Air emissions created by a fire and run-off from fire suppression activities into the Harbor pose threats to human health and the environment. Moreover, since Aerovox vacated the building, significant deterioration has occurred including increased roof leaks and heavy water damage throughout the building. Trespassing and vandalism (and the potential for tracking contamination off-site) are a recurring problem.
In April 2006, after securing additional funding to supplement the bankruptcy proceeds, the EPA prepared a Supplemental EE/CA to a) update the cost estimates of the 1998 EE/CA, b) evaluate two new alternatives for the site, and c) allow additional public comment on these issues. In response to the public comments received, EPA is currently evaluating other approaches that would utilize off-site disposal instead of on-site disposal to address the risks posed by the PCB-contaminated building. In the meantime, the EPA has also commissioned additional site assessment efforts to ensure a safe and cost-effective demolition program, including 178 building samples, an underground utility survey and consultation with contaminated building specialists.
As part of these additional efforts, elemental mercury was identified in the building (used as controls and switches within the mill), some of which had spilled on to the floor. Approximately 25 pounds of mercury was removed and disposed offsite in December 2007, and approximately 1,000 pounds of mercury and associated debris was removed and disposed offsite in February and March 2008.
Other previous efforts by the EPA included a Removal Action for drum removal from 4/24/2004 through 11/17/2004, PCB sampling of the asphalt parking lot in spring 2004, a Conceptual Site Model assessment (including groundwater and surface water run-off sampling) in March 2006, and continued annual groundwater monitoring.
Photos
Links to Other Information
Press Releases about this site  | | |
Fact Sheet: Making Vacant Aerovox Site Safe, June 2006 (346 KB)  | | |
| Folha do Informacoes: Tonar o Loco do Edificio Aerovox Vago e Degradado Seguro, Junho de 2006 (346 KB) | | |
| Hoja de la Información: Conseguir que el Emplazamiento Vacio de Aerovox Sea Seguro, Junio de 2006 (448 KB) | | |
| Fact Sheet: What’s Been Going On at Vacant Aerovox Plant? April 2008 (278 KB) | | |
| O Que Vem Acontecendo na Fábrica Aerovox Desocupada? Abril 2008 (278 KB) | | |
| ¿Qué Ha Estado Pasando en la Planta Industrial Desocupada de Aerovox? Abril 2008 (278 KB) | | |
| Administrative Record Index, RCRA Administrative Order on Consent, September 22, 1999 (Opening file 299 KB with links to additional PDF files) | | |
| Administrative Record Index, Removal Action, July 1, 2004 (Opening file 327 KB with links to additional PDF files) | | |
| Administrative Record Index, Supplemental Engineering Evaluation / Cost Analysis (EE/CA), June 12, 2006 (Opening file 375 KB with links to additional PDF files) | | |
| Administrative Record Index, Supplemental Removal Action, May 1, 2008 (Opening file 125 KB with links to additional PDF files) | | |
| Site Progress Profile | | |
| View Records of Decision (RODS) on-line (EPA HQ) | | |
Public Record Locations
Wilkes Branch Library, 1911 Acushnet Ave, New Bedford, MA 02740 (508) 991-6214
EPA New England Records Center, One Congress Street, Boston, MA 02114 (617) 918-1440
Contacts
| Jeanethe Falvey |
| EPA Community Involvement Coordinator |
| Address: | |
| Phone #: | (617) 918-1020 |
| E-Mail Address: | falvey.jeanethe@epa.gov |
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