Pacific Southwest, Region 9: Superfund
Serving Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Islands, and Tribal Nations
PCB Wastes
EPA #: FMD980637987
State: Pacific Island Trust Territories(PI)
County: The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
City: 8 sites scattered throughout the Trust Territories
Congressional District: 01
Other Names:
Bulletin Board
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Description and History
NPL Listing History
NPL Status: Deleted
Proposed Date: 12/30/82
Final Date: 09/08/83
Deleted Date: 03/07/86
The PCB Wastes site is composed of eight separate locations scattered throughout the United States-administered Trust Territory and several independent islands of the Pacific. These subsites are located on the islands of Koror in the Republic of Palau, Moen in Truk State, Yap, Kosrae, with two each on Ponape and Majuro. In 1982, an investigation revealed polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in drums and transformers and some pesticides and chemicals improperly stored at the subsites. A previous oil spill was apparent at one area formerly used to store transformers. Some subsites stored intact transformer oil containers in unsecured areas open to the general public. These areas represented a threat to public health and the environment because of their proximity to human populations, groundwater supplies, and marine resources. The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands are populated with approximately 116,000 people.
Contaminants and Risks
Contaminated Media
- Soil and Sludges
Soil was contaminated with PCBs, pesticides, and other chemicals. People who came into direct contact with contaminated soil were at risk.
Cleanup Complete
Entire Site: In 1984, the subsites were cleaned up in conjunction with a larger integrated action at 31 areas throughout the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. PCB fluids were blended and burned on the islands. Other PCB and hazardous wastes were transported to an approved disposal facility in the United States. During the removal action, soils and waste oils were sampled in the field using a portable testing kit that allowed for the segregation of wastes for transport. Only one subsite had contaminated soils. Testing was conducted before and after removal of contaminated soils to determine whether PCBs remained. No PCBs were found in structures or soils after removal actions were completed. The EPA, with the concurrence of the Trust Territory Environmental Quality Commission, determined that all appropriate cleanup actions had been completed at the PCB Wastes site and that no further cleanup was required.
Cleanup Results to Date
All the cleanup goals at the PCB Wastes site have been met through the removal of hazardous wastes and contaminated soil, thereby eliminating all exposure pathways. The EPA has determined that the site is now safe for nearby residents and the environment. The PCB Wastes site was deleted from the NPL in 1986.
Potentially Responsible Parties
Potentially responsible parties (PRPs) refers to companies that are potentially responsible for generating, transporting, or disposing of the hazardous waste found at the site.
Online information about the PRPs for the site is not yet available.
Public Information Repositories
The public information repositories for the site are at the following locations:
The most complete collection of documents is the official EPA site file, maintained at the following location:
Superfund Records Center
Mail Stop SFD-7C
95 Hawthorne Street, Room 403
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 820-4700
Enter main lobby of 75 Hawthorne street, go to 4th floor of South Wing Annex.
Contacts
EPA Site Manager
Mail Code SFD
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
EPA Community Involvement Coordinator
1-800-231-3075
Mail Code SFD
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
EPA Public Information Center
State Contact
PRP Contact
Community Contact
Other Contacts
After Hours (Emergency Response)