|US EPA |Region 9: Superfund | Site Overviews - PCB WASTES

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PCB WASTES


EPA #: FMD980637987

State: TRUST TERRITORIES()

County: The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands

City: 8 sites scattered throughout the Trust Territories

Congressional District: 01

Other Names:

Bulletin Board

Description and History

NPL Listing History

NPL Status: Deleted

Proposed Date: 12/30/1982

Final Date: 09/08/1983

Deleted Date: 03/07/1986

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.

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Contaminants and Risks

Contaminated Media:

Soil and Sludges

Soil and Sludges

Soil was contaminated with PCBs, pesticides, and other chemicals. People who came into direct contact with contaminated soil were at risk.

Who is Involved


The site was addressed through Federal actions.

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Investigation and Cleanup Activities


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

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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.

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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.

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Documents and Reports

No documents found

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Community Involvement

Public Meetings:

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Public Information Repositories

File cabinet

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) 536-2000

Enter main lobby of 75 Hawthorne street,
go to 4th floor of South Wing Annex.

The public information repositories for
the site are at the following locations:

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Additional Links

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Contacts

Name Phone Number Email Address
EPA Site Manager Christopher Lichens 415-972-3149 Lichens.Christopher@epa.gov Mail Code SFD71
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
EPA Community
Involvement Coordinator
David Cooper 415-972-3245
1-800-231-3075
Cooper.David@epa.gov Mail Code SFD63
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
EPA Public Information
Center
415-947-8701 r9.info@epamail.epa.gov
State Contact
PRP Contact
Community Contact
Other Contacts
After Hours
(Emergency Response)

US EPA

(800) 424-8802

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