Section 17. HAZARDOUS/TOXIC WASTES
EMERGENCY STABILIZATION AND CLEANUP OF DIOXIN SITES
Mark D. Ryckman, Executive Vice President
Frank G. Nilsch, Vice President
Ryckman's Emergency Action & Consulting Team
Environmental Crisis Engineers
St. Louis, Missouri 63141
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this treatise is to present state-of-the-art integrated engineering investigation/
remedial action programs for dioxin contaminated sites. Site hazard assessment procedures, personnel
decontamination systems, dioxin cleanup and stabilization strategies, and destruction methodologies
will be illustrated through review of case histories involving work at Times Beach, Missouri, an abandoned Agent Orange manufacturing facility and a dioxin contaminated truck terminal.
INTEGRATED ENGINEERING INVESTIGATION/REMEDIAL ACTION PROGRAM
REACT develops a fast track engineering plan complete with personnel safety plans and medical
surveillance programs maintained on personnel. The remedial action plan includes site hazard assessment, evaluation and selection of stabilization and cleanup strategies which are compatible with
ultimate disposition or treatment methodologies.
The most desirable ultimate disposition method for dioxin wastes is thermal destruction. Consequently, wastes are packaged in fiber charge containers to avoid multiple waste handling and inherent liabilities.
REACT prepares a reclamation/decon plan which is presented to regulatory officials concurrent
with activation of initial field operations that include preparation of personnel decon and equipment
staging areas. Surface contamination problems are addressed initially with emphasis on: isolating the
site from storm water, fugitive dust or vapor transport control, erosion control, interim containment
programs for leaking vessels or process units, pipe isolation and decontamination programs, reactor
removal and decon operations, and process decon or demolition programs.
Subsurface considerations include: initiation of subsurface geotechnical contaminant migration
investigations, soil or river bank stabilization programs for areas adjacent to rivers or estuaries, in-
place soil treatment or soil exhumation operations, thermal destruction, and site closure and stabilization.
Deferred action alternatives for dioxin sites include: entombment utilizing engineered storage,
geotech/impermeable liner membrane systems, clay caps with asphalt covers, bentonite slurry trenches,
coffer dams/pile retention barriers, and underground fabric/carbon filtration barriers.
PERSONNEL DECONTAMINATION SYSTEMS
At each site, a hot-line is established to separate the contaminated work areas from the decontamination zone. Mobile decon trailers with airlock systems, showers, self-contained water supply
systems and wastewater collection systems were used for decon support operations at Times Beach,
Missouri for the Corps of Engineers and for the Environmental Protection Agency.
Personnel entering dioxin contaminated Times Beach, Missouri, don level B protective clothing
consisting of saranex suits, GMC-H dual cartridge equipped full-face respirators, latex boot coverings
over steel toed boots, surgical inner gloves, and viton outer gloves with all seams taped. Prior to
leaving the contaminated areas, particulates were rinsed off protective apparel including suits and
masks. Next personnel passed through a two-stage boot wash and removed protective clothing prior
to entering the personnel decontamination system. Two layers of protective clothing are worn to
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