Environmental Remediation Projects - Contaminated Soil And Debris Removal At The Site Of A Navy F/A 18 Jet Crash

Location: Tennessee

Client: Federal Government

Chase established a grid system in the remediation area. The remediation area consisted of three “zones”. Samples were obtained in opposite quadrants of the all grids using a flame ionization detector. Grids which contained field screening results above 50 ppm were excavated using tracked excavating equipment. Chase placed the material into a stockpile. After obtaining approval from the state, the waste soil was loaded in dump trucks and taken for disposal. The plane debris was loaded into roll-off containers for disposal. Debris removal was completed in Level C personal protective equipment due to the hazards associated with removal of carbon fibers contained in the plane pieces.

The plane crash impacted a small stream that bisected Zone One. Chase personnel excavated the stream bank and placed rip-rap in the areas of remediation. Chase personnel also completed improvements to the property’s access roads and improvements to surface drainage pathways. Approximately 1000 tons of non-hazardous hydrocarbon impacted soil and plane debris were disposed.

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Jet Crash Clean-Up

  • Project: PCB Remediation

    Location: Hawaii

    Client: Federal

    Chase was contracted to provide contaminated soil removal at a Nature Preserve located in the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge. The site had been the former location of a LORAN navigation station operated by the US Coast Guard until the mid 1960’s.

    This project was complicated due to several factors. The area excavated was located on a coral atoll located approximately 450 miles northwest of Honolulu, Hawaii. The site is home to several threatened and endangered species.

    Chase established a grid system in the remediation area utilizing a coordinates established during previous site investigations. Each grid was excavated using tracked excavating equipment. Chase placed the material into DOT approved soil bags and transported it out of the affected area using an all-terrain forklift. The bags were weighed and placed into cargo containers, which Chase then loaded onto a small lightering barge. The lightering barge transported the containers to a larger barge anchored approximately one mile offshore. The containers were transferred to the larger barge using a crane. The cargo containers were shipped to Oregon for disposal.

    The material excavated contained a substantial amount of debris which consisted of concrete, metal grates, glass, machine parts, metal pipes, truck axles, steel beams, and rebar.  This material was segregated by hand or using the excavator and placed into separate cargo containers.

    Another complicating factor was the proximity of the remediation site to the ocean. The excavation was scheduled so that soil/debris were excavated near the retaining wall during periods of low tide. The material excavated near the retaining wall was stockpiled and allowed to drain prior to loading into the soil bags.

    After each grid was excavated, a Chase technician obtained confirmatory samples and completed field immunoassay testing using the SDI Rapid Assay PCB test kit. Over 800 tests were completed.

    A total of 1690 CY of non-hazardous PCB soils were disposed. There were a total of six-55 gallon drums of capacitors, transformers and batteries, which were disposed of as hazardous waste and eight drums of soil which was disposed of as TSCA waste. There were eight cargo containers of debris disposed.

  • Project: Mercury Cleanup At A University Hospital

    Client: Private

    Chase Environmental Group, Inc. (Chase) was contacted by to evaluate potential mercury contamination in the Clinical Engineering department. The initial request was in response to a mercury spill that occurred in the subject area and as a result of subsequent airborne mercury vapor monitoring performed by the University.

    Chase utilized Lumex 915 – Light mercury vapor analyzer to define potential contamination in the spill area, elsewhere in the Clinical Engineering space and throughout the adjacent corridors. The affected area was divided into four zones for staging, screening and subsequent removal of items.

    1. Hot Zone (Area 1) - All items were staged onto carts in this area and removed for subsequent screening. The entrance to the area was double flapped with 6 mil polyethylene sheeting to control vapor migration from the affected area. The HVAC was shut down and return air ducts were sealed prior to work in this area.

    2. Warm Zone (Area 2) –As carts exited the hot zone, a Lumex RA 915- Light was used to screen all items prior to being transferred onto a clean cart for transportation to the release zone (Area 3). Reusable instruments, personal items, and other materials that could be readily treated were cleaned with Mercon wipes and other mercury-specific chemicals to all practical extent. Non-cleanable items removed were segregated in the warm zone and packaged as necessary for disposal;

    3. Release Zone (Area 3) - As pre-screened items were transferred onto clean carts into the final release zone, a second Lumex RA 915- Light was used to recheck all items. Items in excess of defined release levels were re-cleaned or returned to the warm zone for additional cleaning.

    4. Support Zone (Area 4) – The area between the second partition and the third partition was used as the support zone. All PPE and supplies were staged in this area. This area remained at ambient levels throughout the cleaning process.

    All remaining desks, shelves, tools, light fixtures, sink basins, sink traps, walls and floors were screened and detail cleaned through the use of mercury vacuum systems, wet mopping, wet wiping and use of chemical wipes. This process was completed multiple times for each item or area remaining until all surface measurements and ambient readings were <1µg/m3.

    Waste characterization testing was performed on discarded personal protective equipment, cleanup supplies, and other solid waste that was deemed to be potentially contaminated. Items shown by testing to be non-hazardous was disposed of as solid waste. Known or presumed contaminated items were handled as hazardous waste and delivered to the University's hazardous waste storage facility for proper handling and disposal.

  • Project: Air Sparge System Installation

    Location:Louisiana

    Client: Private

    Chase Environmental Group (Chase) was contracted to construct an air sparge system for the remediation of volatile contamination beneath an active natural gas compressor station.

    Chase installed an above ground air compressor system which included filters, condensate tanks and control systems which were connected to a series of vertical and horizontal well systems. Chase installed the below grade piping and manifolds which allowed for the flow of compressed air to two separate impacted areas. Below grade piping consisted of one and two inch PVC piping which was connected to steel piping once the line was above ground. All piping was leak tested using the method specified in ASTM E1003-13.

    One area include five vertical wells and and the other was a system of three 750' long horizontal wells, which were screened forty feet below grade. During system operation, pressurized air was introduced into each impacted area via a manifold that was constructed by Chase. Each manifold was constructed inside a NEMA enclosure and had a series of pressure gauges and valves which are used to control air pressure introduced into each well.

    Chase personnel installed a series of carbon canisters and sensors on point of compliance vent wells which were installed to measure the movement of the plume due to the air sparging. Piezometers were also installed to verify water level measurements during the operation of the system.

  • Project: PCB, Lead And Cadmium Paint Removal

    Location: Indiana

    Client: Goverment

    Chase Environmental Group, Inc. was responsible for the turn-key removal of approximately 6,000 square feet of flaking paint in the air return plenum of a facility.

    Chase prepared the work plan, and completed the work during back shift hours so that there would not be a disruption of factory operations. The work was performed in the plenum approximately 16 feet above the factory floor. Chase installed fall protection rigging and a solid floor, a ceiling access portal, a complete negative air containment, a 200 amp temporary electrical service, and job lighting in preparation for the paint and rust removal. The containment entailed operating articulating lifts in very close proximity to closely spaced and sophisticated computer controlled milling equipment on the factory floor.

    Once the containment was erected and certified, Chase used dry ice blasting and hand scraping to remove loose rust and paint. Following the paint removal, Chase prepared the surfaces for painting using detergent wipes. All surfaces were then primed and painted. All loose debris was retrieved and the top surface of the ceiling tiles were vacuumed using HEPA equipped vacuum cleaners. All wastes were bagged and shipped to a facility permitted to receive PCB contaminated materials.

    The entire project, including a change order that increased the scope of the project by 20 percent, was performed 3 weeks ahead of the schedule promised for the base bid.

  • Project: Groundwater Treatment System Operation And Maintenance

    Location: Kentucky

    Client: Private

    Chase Environmental Group was contracted for the operation and maintenance of the ground water extraction and remediation system at an active manufacturing facility. This project included operations, maintenance and monitoring of a system treating ground water contaminated with Tetrachloroethylene. The treatment components included well pumps, Dual Phase extraction, filtration, air stripping and carbon adsorption.

    The system was designed to facilitate the extraction, treatment and discharge of groundwater from on-site shallow wells and extraction points. The extracted groundwater is treated by a counter-current, shallow tray, air-stripping unit, filtration and carbon adsorption. The groundwater is contaminated with Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and its degradation products.

    O&M includes routine maintenance of filters, Activated carbon as well as repairs to the pumps and dual phase extraction system, well pumps and air stripper. Chase has added additional instrumentation in order to better control various functions and disposes of spent filters and activated carbon.

    Chase completed an upgrade to this system and installed mechanical and digital flow meters to the influent lines as well as an air flow monitor to the dual phase extraction system.

  • Project: Excavation, Concrete Demolition, UST Removal

    Location: Louisville, KY

    Client: Private

    Chase removed three UST's, consisting of (2) 30,000 gallon and (1) 15,000 gallon steel lined concrete tanks, which were installed in the 1940's. The excavation footprint necessary to remove the tanks and the contamination plume was approximately 300' x 65' x 42 ft deep. An auger cast pile shoring system was installed to a depth of 60' around the entire footprint to provide wall stability during excavation. Due to the extent of contamination, the excavation depth went approximately 15' fellow the groundwater table. Once the contaminated soils were removed. Chase employed a mobile oil recovery system and a mobile groundwater treatment system to clean the impacted groundwater to required limits. 

    Two underground concrete vaults approximately 35,000 gallons in size were uncovered during excavation activities. These vaults along with an underground coal silo, three foot thick concrete slab, foundation footings and coal conveyor system were demolished and the concrete and reinforcing steel disposed. 

    Over the course of the project Chase excavated and disposed of approximately 40,000 tons of contaminated soil and debris, recovered approximately 30,000 gallons of free product oil from the water table, treated approximately 1.3 million gallons of water and placed approximately 28,000 cubic yards of backfill material to required compaction specifications. 

    The project was completed in nine months, well within the contractual timeframe, and at a cost which was under the client's budgeted amount.

  • Project: Drainage Ditch Remediation And Reconstruction

    Client: Private

    Chase remediated portions of a site drainage ditch located on an active railyard facility. The ditch ran north-south along the edge of a paved area and is the main drainage ditch for the railyard. Water management was critical.

    At the northern limits of the impacted area Chase install a rock check dam constructed of stone and geotextile to divert water run-on. Approximately 100 feet south another rock check dam was constructed to divert water run-off and isolate the initial area of excavation. Water was diverted downstream using pumps and sediment filtering canisters. Debris, asphalt and impact soil were removed from the ditch section, stockpiled and later characterized and disposed. The ditch was backfilled with clean fill. AquaBlok barrier material was applied at a depth of six inches using a slinger truck. The AquaBlok was hydrated using onsite water. After hydration, the northern rock check dam was removed and relocated one hundred feet south of the southern rock check dam and the process was repeated.

    After the ditch was remediated and reconstructed, asphalt was replaced. The total petroleum hydrocarbon levels present in the soil were 500 ppm. The depths of impacted soil removal ranged from two to 10 feet. Approximately 3,000 tons of soil was taken for disposal.