EPA RCRA ID: WVD980554760
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Facility Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Enforcement and Compliance
- Related Information
- Contacts for this Facility
Cleanup Status
Note: The lead agency for managing cleanups at this facility is the West Virginia Department of Environment (DEP).
This facility is one of EPA Region 3's high priority Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action sites. The former electrode manufacturing plant had two waste lagoons that were closed in 1990. The closure included excavation of the former lagoons, placement of clean fill, installation of a fence and a quarterly groundwater monitoring program. The groundwater flows from the lagoons towards the Ohio River. The groundwater monitoring determined that the groundwater had low concentrations of several Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from waste that was disposed of in the lagoons. With the removal of the source material, the levels of the contaminants detected during the monitoring program decreased over time as the natural movement of the groundwater flushed the aquifer. A round of groundwater sampling was completed in 1997. Analytical results from the 1997 sampling event revealed low levels of 1,1,1- trichloroethane (up to 5ug/l) and tetrachloroethene (up to 6 ug/l) in a few of the monitoring wells. Site visits have been conducted by the West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) and EPA during the past few years. In addition, an extensive file review was conducted of all previous investigative activities, including all groundwater monitoring reports. Based on the site inspections and file review, it was determined that additional groundwater sampling was needed to confirm groundwater quality at this facility. Additional groundwater samples were collected during the week of June 21,2004. EPA and WVDEP evaluated the data and requested that BOC address the low level groundwater contamination issue. BOC applied a Hydrogen Release Compound remedial treatment at the site and conducted several rounds of groundwater sampling. The last two rounds of sampling (May and August 07) revealed that all contaminants were below Maximum Contaminant Level (MCLs). Therefore, WVDEP and EPA have decided that Corrective Action at this facility is complete and no further action other than routine maintenance of the former lagoon cap will be required. A Public Notice summarizing EPA's decision for the site was placed in a local newspaper in June 2008, and a 45-day comment period closed without comments. On-site monitoring wells were abandoned in accordance with West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) regulations.
Environmental concerns at the facility were limited to the two wastewater lagoons. After the lagoons were excavated and the sludge and contaminated soil were removed for off-site disposal, potential impacts to groundwater became the focus of environmental concern. Several rounds of groundwater samples were collected from 26 on-site monitoring wells during the 1980’s to assess groundwater quality. Analysis of groundwater samples from site monitoring wells revealed the presence of volatile organic compounds above benchmark concentrations. In 1991, a consent order (Order Number HW-271-91) was issued by the State of West Virginia to Airco requiring the quarterly monitoring of compliance wells at the site for a minimum of 2 years.
On August 24, 2017, the EPA conducted a Long Term Stewardship assessment to assess whether the remedy was implemented and protective of human health and the environment. EPA determined that the remedy institutional and engineering controls have been fully implemented and no control deficiencies were identified.
Cleanup Actions or environmental indicators characterizing the entire facility are shown below. It is not intended as an extensive list of milestones/activities. This listing, and all the data on this page, come from EPA’s RCRAInfo and are refreshed nightly to this page. For this table and the Cleanup Activities Pertaining to a Portion of the Facility table that follows, a blank in the Status column could mean the action either has not occurred or has not been reported in RCRAInfo.
Cleanup Activities Pertaining to the Entire Facility
| Action | Status | Date of Action |
|---|---|---|
| Human Exposure Under Control Human Exposure Under Control(CA725) | ||
| Groundwater Migration Under ControlGroundwater Migration Under Control (CA750) | ||
| Remedy DecisionRemedy Decision (CA400) | ||
| Remedy ConstructionRemedy Construction (CA550) | ||
| Ready for Anticipated Use Ready for Anticipated Use (CA800) | ||
| Performance Standards AttainedPerformance Standards Attained (CA900) | ||
| Corrective Action Process TerminatedCorrective Action Process Terminated (CA999) |
For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Cleanup Activities Pertaining to a Portion of the Facility
| Action | Area Name | Date of Action |
|---|
For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Facility Description
Link to a larger, interactive view of the map.
The former Airco Site is located in Newell, Hancock County, West Virginia. The site property is bounded on the west by the Ohio River, on the north by Mountaineer Park, which consists of a racetrack and casino/hotel complex, and on the south by Dry Run, a small stream that flows along the southern edge of the property to the Ohio River. South of Dry Run is a large gravel quarry. The eastern portion of the property contains an inactive manufacturing facility (the former Airco Welding plant). A portion of the former Airco Site was purchased by Mountaineer Park in the autumn of 2003. The western portion of the site is currently occupied by an active BOC industrial gas manufacturing plant.
Airco (now a part of BOC Gases) formerly manufactured wire electrodes for automatic welding machines at the facility. Process wastewater was discharged to two lagoons located at the site. The wastewater discharged to the lagoons was designated as K062 (spent pickle liquor) and D002 (waste exhibiting the characteristic for corrosivity). The lagoons were closed in 1990 in accordance with State and Federal regulations. The closure included excavation of the lagoons, replacement with clean fill, fencing off the lagoon area and groundwater monitoring .
The Airco Welding Site is bounded on the west by the Ohio River. The only residential population in the study area are a few scattered homes to the south and two trailer parks, one approximately ½ mile northeast of the facility, and one approximately one mile southeast of the facility.
Contaminants at this Facility
The main contaminants in the groundwater are 1,1,1-Trichloroethane and Tetrachloroethene.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
Institutional and Engineering Controls at the facility include:
- Groundwater use is limited to non-potable purposes
- Former Lagoon Areas are capped with a 30-mil polyvinyl chloride (PVC) geotextile liner, sandwiched between two layers of sand that is placed on top of the old lagoons
- Maintenance of fences around the former lagoon areas and a quarterly groundwater monitoring program.
Institutional and Engineering Controls help ensure human exposure and groundwater migration are under control at a cleanup facility. Where control types have been reported by states and EPA in EPA’s RCRAInfo, they are shown below. Not all control types are needed at all facilities, and some facilities do not require any controls. Where there are blanks, the control types may not be needed, may not be in place, or may not be reported in RCRAInfo.
Are Controls in Place at this Facility?
|
Control(s) Type |
Control(s) in Place? |
Areas Subject to Control(s) |
Documents available on-line: |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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Institutional ControlsNon-engineering controls used to restrict land use or land access in order to protect people and the environment from exposure to hazardous substances remaining in the site/or facility. (CA 772) |
Informational DevicesInformational Devices (ID) |
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Governmental Controls (GC) |
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Enforcement and Permit Tools (EP) |
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| Proprietary ControlsProprietary Controls (PR) | ||||
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Engineering ControlsEngineering measures designed to minimize the potential for human exposure to contamination by either limiting direct contact with contaminated areas or controlling migration of contaminants. (CA 770) |
Groundwater ControlGroundwater Control (GW) |
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Non-Groundwater |
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For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Enforcement and Compliance at this Facility
EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) provides detailed historical information about enforcement and compliance activities at each RCRA Corrective Action Site in their Enforcement and Compliance Historical Online (ECHO) system.
RCRA Enforcement and Compliance Reports from ECHO
Related Information
For more information about this facility, see these other EPA links:
- RCRA information in EPA’s Envirofacts database
- Information about this facility submitted to EPA under different environmental programs as reported in EPA’s Facility Registry Services
- Alternative Names for this facility as reported by EPA programs in EPA’s Facility Registry Services
- Cleanups in My Community provides an interactive map to see EPA cleanups in context with additional data, and lists for downloading data
- Search RCRA Corrective Action Sites provides a search feature for Corrective Action Sites
Documents, Photos and Graphics
Contacts for this Facility
EPA Region implements and enforces the RCRA Corrective Action program for and federally recognized tribes.
For further information on this corrective action site, use the Contact Information for Corrective Action Hazardous Waste Clean Ups listings that are accessible through Corrective Action Programs around the Nation.