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SWMU Building 43 RCRA Facility Investigation Report Addendum
Section 1 - Introduction
This document is an addendum to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Investigation (RFI) Report for Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) Building 43, completed in December 2002. The RFI Report described the results of previous fieldwork conducted at SWMU Building 43 and recommended additional surface soil sampling to identify the extent of contamination. This addendum describes the results of the additional sampling, which was conducted in March 2003. Information regarding the site-specific background, closure standard, and phase I RFI findings are provided in the SWMU Building 43 RFI Report. References cited in this report can be found in the Bibliography (Volume 1-1 of the Environmental Encyclopedia).
This addendum to the RFI was prepared by Parsons under the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command (AMC) Contract F11623-94-D-0024, Delivery Order RL17. The Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE) provides technical oversight for the delivery order. Based on results of the RFI sampling, additional surface soil samples were collected and analyzed for arsenic, cadmium, barium, chromium, copper, nickel, zinc, mercury, and lead.
SWMU Building 43 was previously used as a makeshift ammunition demolition facility (Figure 1, RFI Report). It is located in the northeast corner of the inner cantonment, approximately 800 feet from the western edge of CSSA. The site includes a small three-walled cinder block building and the surrounding area. A small brick and steel burn box is located at the back of the building. The building dimensions are approximately 10 feet by 10 feet. Miscellaneous solid waste and ammunition were burned inside the burn box. Metal debris, fuses, shotgun shells, and casings are scattered across the ground surface of the site. Large sections of the site are covered in molten conglomerations of bomb fuses, bullets, spent casings, and other unidentified metal pieces. One large section of debris leads away from the back of the building towards the western edge of the site. Another section was located near the trees at the northern edge of the site. Additional scattered metal pieces surround the building. Historical aerial photographs of SWMU Building 43 are presented in Figure 7.
As described in the December 2002 RFI, soil gas surveys conducted during 1995 and 1996 revealed tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) at SWMU Building 43. In 1996, a geophysical survey was conducted at the site. No geophysical anomalies were detected. In August 1997, an unexploded ordnance (UXO) surface sweep was conducted. No UXO was found and none is thought to exist in the vicinity of SWMU Building 43.
Six soil borings were advanced between February 29 and March 1, 2000 to characterize surface and subsurface soils at SWMU Building 43. Elevated metals concentrations (arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, and zinc) were identified in the topmost foot of soil throughout the site, exceeding the applicable Risk Reduction Standard 1 (RRS1) standards. The lateral extent of the metals contamination in surface soil was not identified during this investigation. Subsurface soil samples indicate that metals contamination is limited to surface soils; therefore, the vertical extent of contamination has been identified.
Although low levels of methylene chloride, dichlorodifluoromethane, ethylbenzene, and toluene were detected in several samples, further investigation to address these chemicals is not considered warranted. Methylene chloride is a common laboratory contaminant. Dichlorodifluoromethane was only detected in one sample, and the concentration was very low. Neither methylene chloride nor dichlorodifluoromethane are considered contaminants of concern at the site. Although ethylbenzene and toluene are possibly related to fuel use at the site, the concentrations detected were very low and were limited to only one sample. No further actions are recommended to address VOCs.
Lastly, during March 2001, a swipe sample was collected from charred areas inside Building 43. All dioxins and furans in the samples collected at SWMU Building 43 were below reporting limits (RLs); therefore, RRS1 criteria were met with regard to the wipe samples.