Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Solvents & Petroleum Incorporated in Syracuse, New York
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- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
Enhanced natural biodegradation via oxidation has been selected as the remedial alternative for the area of the site that is concurrent with the location of a former gasoline station. Several times per week, SPS injects air (air sparging) into monitoring well MW-1S, which is located within the boundary of the former gasoline station.
To address contaminated subsurface soils, the New York State Department of Conservation (NYSDEC) required the Permittee to prepare a deed restriction for future use of the property. This deed restriction was prepared shortly after issuance of the current permit renewal. The data collected via the groundwater performance monitoring program (required via the renewed Permit) indicates that the plume of 1,2-DCE and vinyl chloride is under control and occupies a very small area.
Site Description
The Solvents and Petroleum Service, Inc. (SPS) facility is located at 1405 Brewerton Road in Syracuse, New York. The current owner is a distributor of organic and chlorinated solvents to industries in the Central New York region. Solvents are stored in above-ground steel or stainless steel tanks, and in drums, either in buildings or in open sided pavilions. Hazardous wastes are collected from clients and temporarily stored on-site prior to off-site disposal. Hazardous wastes are stored in three areas:
- storage area for non-ignitable containerized wastes (Building 2),
- storage area for ignitable containerized wastes (Building 1), and
- four 5,000 gallon transfer tanks.
In addition, SPS has several trailers staged at the north end of the property for container storage. When sufficient quantities of waste have accumulated, the waste is shipped via registered waste hauler to a permitted recycler. All wastes shipped off-site are sent to reclamation facilities or fuel blending operations. The areas of the site not occupied by buildings or storage tanks have been covered with asphalt or concrete. The western portion of the site consists of a large concrete slab on grade that serves as a secondary containment pad. The containment pad drains to a sump along the north side of the property. A chain-link fence to control site access surrounds the facility.
Prior to its current use, the site was occupied by several commercial enterprises, including a gas station, a car repair shop, and a car wash.
Since 1985, two spills of solvents have been reported on the SPS property. The spills involved less than 100 gallons of solvents, and SPS made efforts to contain and clean up the spills. Because of these reported spills and the historical uses of the property, the impact to groundwater quality has been under investigation since the early 1990's.
Contaminants at this Facility
High concentrations of aromatic compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) have been found in the vicinity of the former gasoline station. These compounds are normally found in gasoline. Additionally, concentrations of 1.2-DCE and vinyl chloride have been found in monitoring wells at the SPS facility.
Based upon the groundwater monitoring data collected over the past 10 years, the New York State Department of Conservation (NYSDEC) has concluded that plumes of groundwater contamination at the facility are essentially stable and that active hydraulic containment of the plumes is unnecessary for the protection of human health and the environment.
Responsibility at this Facility
The New York State 6NYCRR Part 373 Hazardous Waste Management Permit addresses:
- The storage and management of hazardous waste; and
- The implementation of the final Corrective Measures.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) renewed the 6NYCRR Part 373 Hazardous Waste Permit in March 2006.