Interstate Heat Treating, Inc. Site%3A Fact Sheet #1

              Interstate Heat Treating, Inc. Site
Fact Sheet #1
August 2003
Danville, Illinois
Background
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency issued an administrative
order on July 3, 2003 to seal this former industrial site at 2603
Georgetown Road in Danville based upon determining that conditions at
the site may pose a potential health hazard from drums of chemicals left
at the abandoned facility. The seal order prohibits entry to the site by
anyone except personnel authorized by the Illinois EPA to perform official
response actions. Additionally, those who enter the site must comply with
applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
regulations. Responding to a citizen complaint about abandoned
automobiles at the site, Illinois EPA inspectors visited the facility with
Vermillion County Public Health officials and discovered abandoned drums,
tanks and other containers that might contain hazardous substances.
Several drums within the building were labeled â€oeBarium Chloride,†
which is a hazardous substance that may cause injury from ingestion,
inhalation or skin contact. Illinois EPA staff took more than 20 samples of
the contents of storage drums, process tanks and other containers on
three occasions from July 2 through July 24, 2003. Analytical results
revealed some hazardous substances at the site.
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You say that the site is
â€oesealed.† Is it secure
so that children cannot
enter the site?
Illinois EPA has placed large warning signs at the site indicating that
the site may pose an immediate danger to the environment and
public health. Illinois EPA has also attempted to restrict access to the
building by securing the doors to the building with locks and chains.
The drums and tanks that contain hazardous substances are inside
the building.
Currently, children can get onto the site, since the fence does not
extend fully around the south side of the site. It is important that
parents warn children not to go onto the site. While
representative sampling has been done to identify hazardous
substances in abandoned drums and other containers above ground
on the site, it is important to note that the full scope of hazards at
the site (both chemical and physical) has not yet been determined.
What action is being taken
to remove the chemicals
from the site?
Illinois EPA has referred this matter to the Illinois Attorney
General’s Office (IAGO). The IAGO will be filing a complaint
against persons that may be responsible for the site conditions in the
Vermillion County Circuit Court. The complaint will request, in part,
an order requiring complete identification of all wastes on-site and
safe removal and proper disposal of all hazardous substances from
the site.
In addition, Illinois EPA and U.S. EPA technical staff will evaluate the
site during the week of August 18th regarding the potential for using
federal emergency response funds to remove hazardous materials
that pose an immediate threat to public health and the environment.
Should I be concerned Illinois EPA and Illinois Department of Public Health recommend that
Fact Sheet #1 - Interstate Heat Treating, Inc., Danville Illinois Page 1 of 2
http://www.epa.state.il.us/community-relations/fact-sheets/interstate-heat-treating/interstat... 5/18/2012
For more information, you may contact:
about the safety of my
child, who attends the
Vermillion Area Special
Education’s Safe
Schools Program (the
former McMillan School)
across the street from the
site?
all persons stay away from the site. As long as people do not come
into contact with the abandoned drums or vats of chemicals, there
should be no exposure to the contents. Again, while some drums
were found outside, the identified hazardous materials are inside the
building.
Why types of chemicals or
other hazardous
substances were found
from the samples taken?
At present, barium metal and barium chloride are the contaminants
of concern. Trace amounts of other materials were found, but at
levels too low to be considered hazardous.
Do any of these chemicals
pose a health risk to
persons who work, attend
school or play near the
site?
As stated above, according to the sample results to date, there
should be no risk to people who stay off the site. Warning signs have
been posted and there is a fence around the site (except the south
side). In addition, Illinois EPA is making this fact sheet available to
parents of all the children who attend the Middlefork School at
McMillan School so they will be aware that it is important to stay
away from the site. We will also send this fact sheet to residents
immediately adjacent to the site and the news media, and it will be
posted on our web site, www.epa.state.il.us.At the initial inspection,
Illinois EPA staff checked for, but did not find, any chemical vapors
coming from materials at the site.
Will there be a danger to
people in the area when a
cleanup of the hazardous
substances takes place at
the site?
Illinois EPA or U.S. EPA will require a work plan and a health and
safety plan from whoever removes the hazardous substances.
Further, Illinois EPA or U.S. EPA will provide oversight during the
work to make sure that precautions are taken to protect the health
and safety of nearby residents, workers and school children.
Can you tell me what steps
will be taken to clean up
or remove the hazardous
substances?
Specific cleanup steps cannot be determined until Illinois EPA staff
has discussed a work plan with the parties that will be doing the
cleanup. We will then be able to tell concerned citizens how the
cleanup or removal will proceed.
Will there be future
updates about activities at
the site?
Yes. Illinois EPA will issue another fact sheet or news release as soon
as a decision is made about actions that need to be taken at the site.
If you know of anyone who would like to be added to the mailing list
to receive further updates on this site, please have them contact
Carol Fuller at the phone number or e-mail address listed below.
Carol Fuller
Community Relations Coord
Illinois EPA
(217) 524-8807
Maggie Carson
Public Information Officer
Illinois EPA
(217) 557-8138
Cary Ware
IDPH Toxicologist
Champaign Regional Office
2125 S. First St.
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 278-5000
Fact Sheet #1 - Interstate Heat Treating, Inc., Danville Illinois Page 2 of 2
http://www.epa.state.il.us/community-relations/fact-sheets/interstate-heat-treating/interstat... 5/18/2012