Final Remedial Action Completion Report for the ... - Rvaap.org

Remedial Action Completion Report
June 2008
1.2.1 Load Lines 1 - 4
Remediation of Soils and Dry Sediments at RVAAP 08-11 (LLs 1-4)
Page 1-5
Industrial operations at the RVAAP primarily consisted of 12 munitions assembly facilities
referred to as “load lines.” LLs 1-4 were used between 1941 and 1971 to melt and load
trinitrotoluene (TNT) and Composition B, a mixture of TNT and cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine
(cyclonite or RDX), into large-caliber shells. The operations of the primary load lines produced
explosive dust, spills and vapors that collected on the floors and walls of various process
buildings. Periodically, the floors and walls would be cleaned with water and steam. The
resulting liquid contained TNT and Composition B and was known as “pink water” for its
characteristic color.
Various industrial operations associated with the munitions loading process and munitions
rehabilitation activities were also conducted during the operation of LLs 1-4. As a result of these
operational activities, soils, sediments, and other media became contaminated with explosives.
In 1951, soils contaminated with accumulated explosives were removed from LL 1 and replaced
with clean fill. No other remedial actions, except salvage and building demolition activities,
have been conducted at LLs 1-4.
The RVAAP has been inactive since 1992. The only activity still being carried out from the
wartime era is the infrequent demolition of munitions and explosives of concern (MEC) found at
the RVAAP. The Army has completed the salvage activities and demolition at LLs 2-4, with the
exception of floor slabs and foundations which are contracted to be removed by others in 2008.
1.3 NATURE AND EXTENT OF CONTAMINATION
The summary of the nature and extent of contaminated shallow soils and dry sediment for which
the remedial action was performed is based on the Phase I and II remedial investigations (RIs)
for LLs 1-4 (SAIC 2003; Shaw 2004b, 2004c, 2004d). Evaluation and data collected for LLs 1-4
during the Phase I and II RIs show that historical operations resulted in contamination of shallow
soils and dry sediment primarily in the vicinity of former production buildings and in various
settling tanks and drainage ditches near those buildings. The wash water from the floors and
walls that contained contaminants infiltrated into the soils around the buildings, drained into the
network of storm sewers, or was directed by surface flow through channels to surface water. The
chemicals of concern (COCs) included metals, explosives, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and
semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). Based on evaluations conducted during the RIs,
explosives were mobile in water and had the potential to leach from the soils. Inorganics, PCBs
and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were not expected to readily leach from soils.
Contamination varied considerably within each load line by type and frequency of contaminant
detected, concentration, and depth. Based on the RI data, LL 1 was the most contaminated (i.e.,
widest variety of contaminants detected, highest frequency of COC detection, and highest COC
concentrations) and LL 4 was the least contaminated of the four load lines.
The soil and sediment contamination detected at LLs 1-4 was generally surficial in nature,
between ground surface and 3 feet below ground surface (bgs). As mentioned previously, the
likelihood of migration was minimal for inorganics, PCBs and SVOCs identified as the COCs;
however, explosive constituents may have leached from soils via infiltration. Based on the
available data, the estimated quantity of soils and dry sediments to be removed was 15,000 cubic
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