Superfund

Waterloo Refinery Assessment

U.S. EPA Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) Region 6

Waterloo, Arkansas

dse assessed the environmental impacts of an abandoned oil refinery located in a remote area of Arkansas. The assessment was targeted at identifying wastes and chemicals of concern that would pose a threat to local residents and remediation workers. Asbestos was a major concern because of the large quantity of damaged suspected ACBMs believed to be present on-site. Pipe insulation was observed scattered across the site and concentrated in several large piles which appeared to have been in place for many years. dse collected water and sludge samples from waste pits and visually inspected the approximate 80 acre facility. dse designed a sampling strategy that limited the number of asbestos samples collected to control costs and complete the inspection under an accelerated schedule. dse prepared a report including drafted site plans identifying sample locations, site photographs, summary tables and conclusions/recommendations. In addition, air samples were collected in strategic locations to establish baselines for negative exposure assessments. Three different types of asbestos were identified in 11 different materials with an estimated total volume of more than 1,500 cubic yards. dse personnel prepared an abatement specification and performed a walk through with qualifying abatement firms.