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Starmet Fire Concord, MA - EPA Region I

Starmet Fire Concord, MA - EPA Region I. OSC Frank Gardner Health Physicist Tony Honnellio OSC Brent England. Site Profile. At approximately 2315 hrs on June 26, 2007, MassDEP notified EPA of a fire at Starmet Superfund Site in Concord, MA.

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Starmet Fire Concord, MA - EPA Region I

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  1. Starmet Fire Concord, MA - EPA Region I OSC Frank Gardner Health Physicist Tony Honnellio OSC Brent England

  2. Site Profile • At approximately 2315 hrs on June 26, 2007, MassDEP notified EPA of a fire at Starmet Superfund Site in Concord, MA. • NPL Site with history of involvement by EPA's removal and remedial programs. • High degree of public awareness and interest in site

  3. Site Profile • Constituents of concern at the Site have included depleted uranium and other radioactive materials.

  4. Site Profile • Rad waste stored on site until recently • Residual rad contamination still a concern

  5. Initial Response • MassDEP requested EPA assistance with air sampling at the Site to determine whether radioactive materials had been released during the fire. • EPA mobilized and integrated into the Unified Command

  6. Timeline • 26 June 2007 • 2000 - Fire starts in “Foundry Room” • 2030 - Fire largely extinguished by sprinklers • 2100 - Local FD finished extinguishing fire • 2345 - OSC Gardner mobilized to scene with EPA Health Physicist/Safety Officer Tony Honnellio • 27 June 2007 • 0200 - START arrived on-scene with equipment to support the incident • 0300 - Hazmat crews and facility reps. conducted entries to assess fire damage and return the alarms and sprinklers to service – EPA/START support decon ops by conducting personnel clearance monitoring • 0330 - EPA coordinated with the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center (NARAC) to prepare a computer-generated plume model based on current weather and site conditions. • 0400 - Based on plume model, EPA/START set up 6 air sampling stations for beta and alpha radiation around the perimeter of the site • 0430 to 0600 - Initial air sample screening indicated no readings above background for alpha and beta radiation • 0610 – EPA & START demobilized.

  7. Timeline • 27 June 2007 • 1045 – To account for decay of naturally-occurring radioisotopes (radon), EPA/START re-screened air samples. Results indicated no radiation levels above background conditions. • 1200 - EPA removal and remedial staff PIOs met with the Unified Command at Concord FD to discuss public outreach and next steps. • 28 June 2007 – Air samples sent to EPA’s NAREL lab for confirmatory analysis. Results confirm no radiation levels above background.

  8. Follow-upActions • Starmet staff segregated, containerized, and secured metal shavings involved in the fire. • EPA & START conducted field characterization using XRF. • EPA removal and remedial programs continue to follow up with future site activities as appropriate.

  9. Follow-up Actions • Hazard assessment was conducted by Concord FD, EPA, and START to identify immediate potential hazards. • EPA & START conducted full chemical inventory of facility. • Issues with improper storage - incompatibility • Current activities include radiological contamination assessment of hazardous materials. • Consult w/ EPA’s National Decon Team (NDT)

  10. Highlights – Equipment Use • Ludlum 2241-2 w/ “pancake” detector • RADeCO High Volume Air Samplers • Ludlum 3030 alpha/beta sample counter • XRF for follow-up characterization

  11. RADeCO High Volume Air Samplers • Designed to simplify air sampling procedures and provide higher accuracy to air sampling data. • Includes an enclosed air-turbine which rotates at speeds proportional to the air velocity of the sampled air. • The turbine's rotation is sensed by a reflective sensor/breaker disk. • The microprocessor converts the signal to volume and displays the FLOW RATE, TOTAL VOLUME and ELAPSED TIME on the LCD readout.

  12. Ludlum 3030 α/β Sample Counter • Simultaneous Alpha/Beta sample counting • SIZE: 9"X 6" X 9" • WEIGHT: Approximately 40 lbs (18 kg) • SOFTWARE: PC based to perform setup and calibration routines. Logging of data is also available with software collecting and storing.

  13. Highlights – Reachback/Support • EPA Health Physicist/SO on Site • NARAC – National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center • RERT - Radiological Emergency Response Team • Tech Support during Response • Confirmatory Sample Analysis at NAREL Lab in Montgomery, AL

  14. NARAC – National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center The National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center, NARAC, provides tools and services to the Federal Government, that map the probable spread of hazardous material accidentally or intentionally released into the atmosphere. NARAC provides atmospheric plume predictions in time for an emergency manager to decide if taking protective action is necessary to protect the health and safety of people in affected areas. Located at the University of California's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, NARAC is a national support and resource center for planning, real-time assessment, emergency response, and detailed studies of incidents involving a wide variety of hazards, including nuclear, radiological, chemical, biological, and natural emissions. In an emergency situation (if lives are at risk), event-specific NARAC support for non-NARAC customers can be requested through the Department of Energy Watch Office (202-586-8100).

  15. Radiological Emergency Response Team (RERT) • Staff of Technical Specialists at Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA) in Las Vegas, NV • National Air and Radiation Environmental Laboratory (NAREL) in Montgomery, AL

  16. Questions?

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