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HAZARDOUS CLEANUP FINISHED AT FORMER ICE CREAM FACILITY

Release Date: 03/10/1997
Contact Information: Liza Judge, Community Involvement, (617) 918-1067 Richard Haworth, On-Scene Coordinator, (617) 573-5756

BOSTON -- Cleanup crews from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management have removed drums of oil and corrosive chemicals from Chuckleberry's, a former ice cream production facility in Woonsocket, R.I.

On February 27, RI DEM officials removed approximately 600 gallons of refrigerant oil from the site. The following day, EPA shipped 29 drums of pollutants, including corrosive and flammable chemicals and capacitors containing polychlorinated biphenyls, from the abandoned site.

Deterioration of the containers could have caused a release of these chemicals. Since the facility closed, the City of Woonsocket police and fire departments have contended with trespassing and vandalism at the facility and they responded to a fire at the facility in 1993.

"Despite the diligent efforts of Woonsocket officials, vandalism was a problem at this facility, and the site posed a risk to neighbors and fire fighters if the chemicals inside were involved in a fire, said John P. DeVillars, administrator of the EPA's New England office. "EPA spent approximately $64,000 from the federal cleanup fund to complete this work which we hope will facilitate reuse of the building."

During the month-long cleanup, which began in late January, EPA contractors sampled, consolidated and repackaged the drums and containers of industrial cleaners and adhesives to prepare for disposal. The EPA also provided a security guard when workers were not on-site.

Forat least fifty years Chuckleberry's Corporation produced ice cream at the 675 Manville Road facility. In 1993, the corporation dissolved and the facility was closed. In the aftermath of a 1993 fire, the RI DEM removed several bottles of reactive and corrosive chemicals from the facility.

After attempts to have the property owner remove the chemicals were unsuccessful, RI DEM and the city contacted EPA last September. In October, EPA inspected the facility and sampled the contents of some of the containers. Results showed the presence of trichloroethane, benzene and trichloroethylene, which can be toxic.