Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Washington Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action regulations apply to this facility due to the burning of waste fuel containing hazardous waste at the former fire training area in 1989.
Cleanup Status
EPA initiated discussions with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (Authority) in 2005 regarding the need to begin addressing the RCRA corrective action regulatory requirements.
While initial communications addressed facility wide corrective action, priority was given to addressing jet fuel contamination in the vicinity where construction was about to begin on new fuel storage tanks. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (Authority) cooperated with EPA Region III and VADEQ to address investigation and remediation of the former fuel tank area. Removal of contaminated soil was completed in January 2006. The Authority agreed to monitor groundwater in the area to confirm natural attenuation of any remaining contamination. Subsequent investigation of the groundwater area indicates the contamination is no longer present.
With respect to the facility wide evaluation, Dulles provided information on the status of releases from known solid waste management units at the facility - in two large submittals. EPA and VADEQ evaluated the submitted information and determined additional data and information is needed to assess the RCRA environmental indicators and the overall RCRA corrective action status. Information provided by representatives of Loudoun and Fairfax Counties was considered during EPA and VADEQ’s assessment of the facility.
On March 19, 2007, EPA requested the Authority to submit a workplan to address Phase I Environmental Indicator Information Needs. The Authority submitted a workplan on April 30, 2007 and implemented the workplan in May. The Authority submitted reports of investigation in August, October, and November. On November 27, 2007, the Authority submitted a workplan for additional investigations.
On August 24, 2016, the Corrective Action Final Decision for the facility was issued which stated VA DEQ's remedy for the Facility consists of the following two components: 1) perform and maintain a groundwater monitoring program; 2) compliance with and maintenance of institutional controls that restrict certain land and groundwater uses at the Facility.
RCRA Corrective Action clean-up activities at the facility will be implemented through a Land Use Control Implementation Plan.
Site Description
Interactive Map of Washington Dulles International Airport, Dulles, VA
View larger mapThis facility is an international airport and its operations include fuel distribution, fuel storage, deicing, deicer storage and recycling, vehicle maintenance, vehicle painting, electrical distribution, fire training, and refurbishing. Parts of the airport are leased and used by the tenants for various other activities, and include automobile rental agencies and hotel(s).
Contaminants at this Facility
Contaminants of concern include contaminants related to fueling, deicing, vehicle maintenance, painting, and fire training activities that have taken place at the facility.
In the mid to late 1990's, investigation and remediation took place at the former Fire Training Area pursuant to the requirements of VADEQ’s RCRA Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Operations Program. Chemicals of concern that were identified in soil included silver, chromium, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, sec-butylbenzene, n-propylbenzene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, 2-butanone, 4-isopropyltoluene, and tert-butylbenzene. Chemicals that were identified in groundwater included dichloroethene, dichloroethane, and trichloroethane.
Several investigations and remediation of petroleum related releases have been addressed by VADEQ Petroleum Program.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
| Restrictions or Controls that Address: | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
|
Groundwater Use
|
X
|
|
|
Residential Use
|
X
|
|
|
Excavation
|
X
|
|
|
Vapor Intrusion
|
X
|
|
|
Capped Area(s)
|
|
X
|
|
Other Engineering Controls
|
|
X
|
|
Other Restrictions
|
|
X
|
Institutional Controls (IC) and Engineering Controls (EC) for the site include:
- IC: Prohibition on the use of groundwater for potable uses.
- IC: Site is only for non-residential use.
- A soil management plan (SMP) for "areas of concern (AOC) and Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs)
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
The facility is under continued use.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of the Virginia DEQ with assistance from the EPA Region 3.