Site Remediation: Former United Solvents of America

OPPORTUNITY

Arson at the United Solvents of America site in Sanford, Florida, resulted in the destruction of the facility and the catastrophic release of stored chemicals to soil and groundwater. Both volatile organic halogens (VOHs) and aromatics (VOAs) were detected, including benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, xylenes, ethyl acetate, and tetrachloroethylene. The property owner was required under Florida Department of Environmental Protection Consent Order to perform Site Assessment and remediation activities under 62-780, Florida Administrative Code protocols.

SOLUTION

• Collect, field test, and chemically analyze soil samples to determine extents of soil impacts.
• Drill deep soil borings to characterize aquifer conditions.
• Install monitoring wells at varying depths to characterize groundwater conditions and contaminant distributions.
• Perform slug testing to calculate groundwater seepage velocities.
• Perform well and pollution source inventories in the site vicinity.
• Perform soil excavation above and below water table to remediate impacted soil.
• Install and operate biosparging system to remediate both VOHs and VOAs within groundwater.
• Perform Post-Active Remediation Monitoring (PARM) following completion of excavation and biosparging.

SUCCESS

• Site owner performed significant portion of biosparging equipment operation and monitoring, resulting in significant cost savings.
• PARM activities demonstrated soil and groundwater quality improvement to meet all regulatory limits.
• Site Rehabilitation Completion Order Without Conditions successfully obtained from Florida Department of Environmental Protection.