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Clean Up Work Begins in Sanford, Maine to Remove Contamination

Release Date: 09/05/2008
Contact Information: Paula Ballentine, (617) 918-1027 John Mckeown, (617) 918-1793; cell: (617) 312-5163

(Boston, Mass. - September 5, 2008) - EPA and its contractors earlier this week began work to carry out a short-term cleanup at the Stenton Trust Mill Site, located at 13 River Street in Sanford, Maine.

The Stenton Trust Mill Site is a five-story building that originally operated as a textile mill in the 1920’s. The 6.8 acres of zoned industrial reuse property currently has one light industrial business – a wooden toy manufacturer. The majority of this main mill building is empty and abandoned. The Site and surrounding properties are part of an ongoing EPA Brownfields project.

In April of 2007 the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (ME DEP) inspected the facility and cited it for improper container marking, improper storage of hazardous substances, failure to conduct inspections, report and remediate spills, and maintain proper records and licenses. To date the “potentially responsible party” has not taken any action to address the hazardous waste at the Site.

The City of Sanford Fire Department also conducted an inspection of the facility to assess the risk of fire and risks associated with fighting a potential fire in 2007. The fire department determined that the containers of hazardous substances in and around the building greatly increased the threat of fire and threat to responding firefighters.

Coordinating closely with ME DEP and town officials, EPA will perform a time critical removal action to mitigate any actual or potential exposure to the hazardous substances in and around the site, which include volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), semi-volatile organic compounds, PCB’s, universal wastes, and ignitable and corrosive wastes.

Removal action activities will include the consolidation and segregation of all hazardous materials in and around the old mill building; decontamination and preparation of the disposal of all hazardous waste, barrels, and wall surfaces; excavation and disposal of contaminated soil and materials to an EPA-approved facility; and the repair of any response-related damage to the property. The entire process should take about a year to complete.

While these actions take place EPA will perform air monitoring, provide site security as necessary and continue to provide information to the public as the cleanup continues.

Related information: EPA removal actions in New England (epa.gov/region1/superfund/basics/shrtterm)