Source: http://www.watertowndailytimes.com, May 7, 2015
By: Elaine M. Avallone

Cleanup at the former Crown Cleaners property is in full swing.

Last fall, Kemron Environmental Services of Atlanta, Ga., began clearing brush and trees in a 20-foot perimeter around the buildings on the Route 3 Superfund site, removing debris from within. After a winter break, the contractor has resumed work at the 9-acre site and has hauled away 35 roll-off containers of wood and clothing debris from within the building, according to Jeff Bechtel, on-scene coordinator of the project.

According to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, restoration of the site will include extraction of contaminated soil and sediment that contains volatile organic compounds. Since these compounds have the ability to seep down through the soil and contaminate groundwater, all of the soil will be sent to a licensed off-site disposal facility.

Soil excavated on site, which contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, will be used to backfill the basements of the demolished buildings since the chemicals remain bound to the soil and will not affect the groundwater. The contaminated soil will be covered with at least two feet of clean soil. In addition, any wetlands that are disturbed will be restored.

An EPA news release said a health and safety plan is in place for the protection of the local community as well as the on-site workers.

“An air monitoring program will be instituted to ensure that no contaminants leave the site,” the release said. “The objectives of air monitoring are to ensure that dust suppression operations function as designed and action levels are not exceeded. Should action levels be exceeded during the work activities, an air monitoring network will immediately detect it and EPA and their contractors will take corrective action.”

Mr. Bechtel said the roof and window casings contain asbestos, with Bronze Contracting of Remsen brought in to handle abatement. He estimated the abatement will take about six weeks and the entire soil remediation phase is anticipated to be completed this summer.

“The big unknown is the basements, which are filled with water,” Mr. Bechtel said.

Once the hazardous material and debris are removed, demolition of the buildings can begin. Between the main building and the powerhouse, there is 96,000 square feet of space. Mr. Bechtel said the metal in the building will be recycled, as will the limestone walls.

“The limestone is unstable,” Mr. Bechtel said. “It can’t be used for structure, but will be used for fill. Everything will go away.”

The town of Wilna took ownership of the Superfund site in 2012 and plans to turn the parcel into a park once the cleanup is complete.

Before the purchase by Crown Cleaners of Watertown Inc. in the late 1970s, the property was used by St. Regis Paper Co. to produce paper bags from 1890 to the 1960s.

While it was used as a dry cleaning and laundry facility, wastewater was discharged through the foundation walls into the ground and used dry cleaning machine filters were improperly disposed of on the property. Operation of the dry cleaners ended in 1991 and, during that year, the state discovered contamination in the village public water supply. A water treatment system was installed at that time to protect public health.

The property was placed on the EPA Superfund list in 1991 because of ground and water contamination from the former dry cleaning facility. The EPA secured the property in 2001 and removed numerous sources of contamination inside the main building, including sludge and debris, 5,000 gallons of waste oil and asbestos-containing material. The unstable portion of the building and large smokestack were demolished at that time. After years of testing and study, the EPA finalized its cleanup plan in 2012. Last year, the agency committed $3.1 million to fund the cleanup.

Once the buildings are demolished and the soil is cleaned up, the EPA will oversee the design of a groundwater treatment plan using chemicals called oxidants.