Environmental Cleanup Site Information (ECSI) Database
Site Summary Report - Details for Site ID 1271, Wastech - Hunt Street   

This report shows data entered as of May 19, 2013 at 9:26:26 AM

This report contains site details, organized into the following sections: 1) Site Photos (appears only if the site has photos); 2) General Site Information; 3) Site Characteristics; 4) Substance Contamination Information; 5) Investigative, Remedial and Administrative Actions; and 6) Site Environmental Controls (i.e., institutional or engineering controls; appears only if DEQ has applied one or more such controls to the site).  A key to certain acronyms and terms used in the report appears at the bottom of the page.

Go to DEQ's Facility Profiler to see a site map as well is information on what other DEQ programs may be active at this site.

Site Photos
Click to View Photo	Picture Date	Caption	Size
View Photo	05/21/2009	Vegetation at the top of the Columbia Slough bank.	223 Kb

General Site Information
Site ID: 1271	Site Name: Wastech - Hunt Street		CERCLIS No: 091297440
Address:	701 N Hunt St. Portland 97217
	County: Multnomah		Region: Northwest
Other location information:
Investigation Status:	Listed on CRL or Inventory
	Brownfield Site: No	NPL Site: No	Orphan Site: No	Study Area: No
Property:	Twnshp/Range/Sect: 1N , 1E , 10		Tax Lots: 1500, 1400, 1200
	Latitude: 45.5857 deg.	Longitude: -122.6729 deg.	Site Size: 6.72 acres
Other Site Names:	Alexander Paper Products   Waste Management Wastech Facility

Site Characteristics
General Site Description:	The site is artificially elevated above the immediate surroundings, apparently by fill placed during site-use as a construction debris landfill. The surface is largely paved and a large industrial building shelters recycling operations. The site is separated from the bank of the Columbia Slough by a Portland greenway zone with native vegetation and recently planted trees.
Site History:	From 1920-65 the site was used for lumber and shingle production. From 1971-73 the site was filled as a construction debris landfill. From 1974-79 the facility was operated by Resource Recovery By-Products as a transfer station for all types of salvage and recycling. From 1979 to the mid-1980s Alexander Paper Products collected paper at the site for recycling. Waste Management acquired the site in the mid-1980s and the Wastech facility accepts primarily paper and wood products for recycling.
Contamination Information:	This facility is limited to recycled paper products; no hazardous materials exist on-site. Facility was previously operated by Resource Recovery By-Products. This was a transfer station for all types of salvage and refuse. The facility now accepts only paper products. (8/8/02 CWH/SAS) In 2001, soil boring logs recorded by a contractor to Wastech indicated oily sludge. Subsequent laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of petroleum products in the diesel and lube oil range. PCBs were also detected in several samples. The old lube oil refinery sludge pond may be the source of contamination and was filled as a construction debris landfill. Heavy petroleum contamination was found along the northern edge of property, adjacent to Columbia Slough. Risk of release to Slough is considered high due to records indicating inadequate containment and closure of the landfill.
Manner and Time of Release:	Suspect that main source of petroleum found is an old oil sludge pond that received its wastes from a lube oil refinery that operated on N. Argyle from approximately 1924 until 1965.
Hazardous Substances/Waste Types:	Widespread petroleum contamination was found in soils beneath the site with TPH concentrations as high as 13,000 ppm in the southeast corner of the property. Associated with the petroleum contamination, elevated levels of lead, PCBs, and PAHs, were also found. Groundwater samples from temporary points contained TPH as high as 3,100 ppb and low concentrations of VOCs.
Pathways:	Concern for groundwater contamination although local use is minimal. Subsurface path to waters and sediment of Columbia Slough. In a survey of the Columbia Slough shoreline adjacent to the property, two pipe discharges were discovered. Water from both discharges left an orange stain and was topped with a faint sheen. One pipe was found near the east border of the site where an old map indicates a drain from the old oil sludge pond.
Environmental/Health Threats:	Aquatic and terrestrial species in the Columbia Slough are threatened by migration of site contaminants into the waterway. Subsurface methane below the building slab was discovered during construction in the fall of 2000 when welding ignited a small fire. A methane venting system was installed to remove methane from below the slab and to vent the methane to the atmosphere at the roof of the building. There are no records of follow-up indoor air testing after system installation and the methane system has not been evaluated by DEQ.
Status of Investigative or Remedial Action:	A hazardous waste site inspection was conducted by EPA in June 1980; EPA's file memo indicated hazardous materials were not accepted or processed at the facility and all vehicles/haulers observed passing through the weigh station at the time of the site inspection were carrying baled waste paper and other paper products. Although site was added to CERCLIS, EPA found that no hazardous substances were generated, stored, or disposed of on-site. Based on existing site information, the file was closed and referred to DEQ. It is a low priority for site screening. (5/3/02 CWH/SAS) The EPA review was cursory. April 2000 well logs indicate oily sludge along the north end of the site (which is the south bank of the Columbia Slough). (8/8/02 CWH/SAS) Site recommended for a Site Investigation under a high priority. (12/2/02 RKW/SRP) Letter Agreement signed for high priority Site Investigation (SI). A Site Investigation was completed in the summer of 2003. Widespread petroleum contamination was found in soils beneath the site with associated lead, PCBs, and PAHs. Groundwater samples from temporary points contained TPH and low concentrations of VOCs. Negotiations on a voluntary agreement for an RI/FS are ongoing (12/29/03 RKW/SRS). Quarterly groundwater monitoring results from RI indicate very little groundwater contamination. Lead and arsenic slightly elevated in two wells. Lead and zinc elevated in pipe #1 discharge (7/05 RKW/SRS). (3/9/07 RKW/SRS). An RI report has been submitted but DEQ considers it incomplete since the Columbia Slough bank was not sampled. Stormwater source control work also needs to be done. (1/20/10 RKW) Bank sampling was completed in 2007 and soils analyzed for metals, PCBs, PAHs, and SVOCs. Metals arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, zinc, and mercury were all found at concentrations greater than DEQ default background concentrations. Arsenic was found at concentrations up to 10 mg/kg and lead up to 250 mg/kg. A variety of PAHs were widely detected with benzo(a)pyrene up to 0.43 mg/kg. The PCB Aroclor 1260 was found at concentrations up to 0.13 mg/kg. Additional bank stability analysis was performed and the erosion potential was determined to be low. Stormwater source control sampling was completed in late 2007. The metals copper, lead, and zinc were the only constituents detected and zinc the only contaminant exceeding benchmark stormwater values. The zinc has been attributed to the metal roof on the building. DEQ is preparing a staff report to document a recommendation for a conditional no further action determination for the site. An Easement and Equitable Servitude (EES) for the site would be required. The EES would include: 1. Maintaining existing landfill gas controls 2. Development of a Soil Management Plan (SMP) for the site 3. Procedures for notifying DEQ of subsurface work 4. Contaminated soil management procedures 5. Protocols for maintaining and inspecting the asphalt cap 6. Protocols for maintaining and inspecting the stability of the Columbia Slough bank 7. Measures for protecting excavation and construction workers 8. Residential and agricultural use of the property would be prohibited (10/13/11 RKW) Facility is preparing for retooling and will be used for processing waste plastics into synthetic crude oil. The stormwater and methane mitigation systems will remain in place.
Data Sources:

Substance Contamination Information
Substance	Media Contaminated	Concentration Level	Date Recorded
ACENAPHTHENE	Soil	8.9 ppm	4/18/2003
ACENAPHTHYLENE	Soil	2.3 ppm	4/18/2003
ANTHRACENE	Soil	6 ppm	4/18/2003
ARSENIC	Soil	94 ppm	4/19/2003
BARIUM	Soil	530 ppm	4/18/2003
BENZENE	Groundwater	2.2 ppb	4/19/2003
BENZO(a)ANTHRACENE	Soil	18 ppm	4/18/2003
BENZO(a)PYRENE	Soil	18 ppm	4/18/2003
BENZO(b)FLUORANTHENE	Soil	19 ppm	4/18/2003
BENZO(ghi)PERYLENE	Soil	7 ppm	4/18/2003
BENZO(k)FLUORANTHENE	Soil	20 ppm	4/18/2003
BUTYLBENZENE,n-	Groundwater	1.1 ppb	4/18/2003
BUTYLBENZENE,sec-	Groundwater	1.7 ppb	4/18/2003
CADMIUM	Soil	7.7 ppm	4/18/2003
CHROMIUM	Soil	430 ppm	4/18/2003
DIBENZOFURAN	Soil	4.9 ppm	4/18/2003
DICHLOROBENZENE,1,4-	Soil	0.58 ppm	4/18/2003
FLUORANTHENE	Soil	90 ppm	4/18/2003
FLUORENE	Soil	5.7 ppm	4/18/2003
INDENO(1,2,3-cd)PYRENE	Soil	7.1 ppm	4/18/2003
ISOPROPYLBENZENE,P-	Groundwater	1.7 ppb
ISOPROPYLBENZENE,P-	Soil	0.04 ppm	4/18/2003
LEAD	Soil	1,600 ppm	4/18/2003
MERCURY	Soil	1 ppm	4/18/2003
NAPHTHALENE	Soil	7.8 ppm	4/18/2003
PCB 1016	Soil	2.2 ppm	4/18/2003
PCB 1242	Soil	29 ppm (composite sample)	4/19/2002
PCB 1248	Soil	15 ppm	4/18/2003
PCB 1254	Soil	18 ppm	4/18/2003
PCB 1260	Soil	32 ppm (composite sample)	4/19/2002
PCB 1260	Soil	1.9 ppm	4/18/2003
PHENANTHRENE	Soil	36 ppm	4/18/2003
PROPYLBENZENE,n-	Groundwater	1.5 ppb
PROPYLBENZENE,n-	Soil	0.4 ppm	4/18/2003
PYRENE	Soil	26 ppm	4/18/2003
SILVER	Soil	1.6 ppm	4/18/2003
TOLUENE	Soil	1.2 ppm	4/18/2003
TOTAL PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS (TPH)	Groundwater	3,500 ppm	4/18/2003
TOTAL PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS (TPH)	Soil	9,300 ppm (composite sample)	4/19/2002
TOTAL PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS (TPH)	Soil	13,000 ppm	4/18/2003
TRIMETHYLBENZENE,1,2,4-	Soil	2.3 ppm	4/18/2003
TRIMETHYLBENZENE,1,3,5-	Groundwater	1.2 ppb	4/18/2003
TRIMETHYLBENZENE,1,3,5-	Soil	0.78 ppm	4/18/2003
XYLENEs	Groundwater	2.3 ppb	4/18/2003
XYLENEs	Soil	3.0 ppm	4/18/2003

Investigative, Remedial and Administrative Actions
Action	Start Date	Compl. Date	Resp. Staff	Lead Pgm
RISK ASSESSMENT  (Primary Action)	06/04/2007	07/10/2008	Robert Williams	VCP
View Full Report Showing Action History

Key to Certain Acronyms and Terms in this Report:

• CERCLIS No.: The U.S. EPA's Hazardous Waste Site identification number, shown only if EPA has been involved at the site.
• Region: DEQ divides the state into three regions, Eastern, Northwest, and Western; the regional office shown is responsible for site investigation/cleanup.
• NPL Site: Is this site on EPA's National Priority List (i.e., a federal Superfund site)? (Y/N).
• Orphan Site: Has DEQ's Orphan Program been active at this site? (Y/N). The Orphan Program uses state funds to clean up high-priority sites where owners and operators responsible for the contamination are absent, or are unable or unwilling to use their own resources for cleanup.
• Study Area: Is this site a Study Area? (Y/N). Study Areas are groupings of individual ECSI sites that may be contributing to a larger, area-wide problem. ECSI assigns unique Site ID numbers to both individual sites and to Study Areas.
• Pathways: A description of human or environmental resources that site contamination could affect.
• Lead Pgm: This column refers to the Cleanup Program affiliation of the DEQ employee responsible for the action shown. SAS or SAP = Site Assessment; VCS or VCP = Voluntary Cleanup; ICP = Independent Cleanup; SRS or SRP = Site Response (enforcement cleanup); ORP = Orphan Program.

You may be able to obtain more information about this site by contacting Robert Williams at the Northwest regional office or via email at williams.robert@deq.state.or.us. If this does not work, you may contact Gil Wistar at (503) 229-5512, or via email at wistar.gil@deq.state.or.us or contact the Northwest regional office.

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