The Omega Chemical Corporation was a refrigerant and solvent recycling company that operated from 1976-1991 in Whittier, California

Whittier, California

Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...

. Due to improper waste handling and removal, the soil and groundwater beneath the property became contaminated and the area is now referred to as the Omega Chemical Superfund

Superfund

Superfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances...

 Site . Cleanup of the site began in 1995 with the removal of hazardous waste receptacles and a multimillion dollar soil vaporization detoxifying system.

History

The Omega Chemical Corporation processed hazardous wastes from refrigerants at their facilities to be recycled into commercial products . They primarily handled hydrocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons and stored the waste at their facilities in Whittier, California . Due to leakage and improper handling, transport, and storage practices, there has been contamination of groundwater and soil by volatile organic compounds (compounds that can easily evaporate in air), and other metals. Removal activities began under the supervision of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1995 after thousands of drums of hazardous wastes, contaminated cylinders of up to 20,000 pounds, and hundreds of contaminated, empty drums were reported at the Omega site. A CERCLA administrative order was administered to the owner of the site to begin clean up activities and the Omega Chemical Site PRP Organized Group was formed of potentially responsible parties to carry out the orders. Over 4,000 contaminated drums were removed from the property by this group and numerous soil and groundwater samples were evaluated for toxicity.

Tetrechloroethene (PCE)

Tetrachloroethene

Tetrachloroethylene

Tetrachloroethylene, also known under its systematic name tetrachloroethene and many other names, is a chlorocarbon with the formula Cl2C=CCl2. It is a colourless liquid widely used for dry cleaning of fabrics, hence it is sometimes called "dry-cleaning fluid." It has a sweet odor detectable by...

 is a chemical often found in dry cleaning and degreasing agents and has been determined by the Department of Health and Human Services to likely be a carcinogen. It has been experimentally shown to cause liver and kidney tumors in mice and rats with prolonged exposure.

Trichloroethene (TCE)

Trichloroethene

Trichloroethylene

The chemical compound trichloroethylene is a chlorinated hydrocarbon commonly used as an industrial solvent. It is a clear non-flammable liquid with a sweet smell. It should not be confused with the similar 1,1,1-trichloroethane, which is commonly known as chlorothene.The IUPAC name is...

 is a chemical commonly used as a solvent for metal cleaning and has been shown to remain in groundwater for a long time if leaked. Drinking TCE-contaminated water for a long time may cause liver and kidney damage, impaired fetal development, and possible immune system impairment. Prolonged exposure may also cause cancer.

Freons

Freons

Chlorofluorocarbon

A chlorofluorocarbon is an organic compound that contains carbon, chlorine, and fluorine, produced as a volatile derivative of methane and ethane. A common subclass are the hydrochlorofluorocarbons , which contain hydrogen, as well. They are also commonly known by the DuPont trade name Freon...

 are chemicals used as coolants in refrigerators and as a pressurizing agent in aerosols. The EPA reports that prolonged exposure to small amounts of Freon is unlikely to cause adverse health effects.

Risks

While the majority of the Omega site is paved in concrete, direct contaminated soil contact at the site is a small risk, with the exception of exposure to construction workers who worked at the site. The greater risks lie in soil vapor exposure and groundwater contamination. Groundwater contamination is moving to the southwest from Whittier so drinking-water supply wells in the vicinity of the site and to the southwest are at risk of contamination. Multiple buildings near the site have also documented higher levels of toxic soil vapors.

Cleanup Efforts

The EPA proposed a cleanup plan in 2009 in order to reduce vapor intrusion risk, direct exposure risk, and migration of contaminants further down-gradient and to deeper levels. To do this, they proposed the use of Soil vapor extraction

Soil vapor extraction

Soil Vapor Extraction is an in situ process for soil remediation where contamination is removed from soil by carrying it out through a medium such as air or steam. The extracted soil vapors are separated into liquids and vapors, and each stream is treated as necessary...

wells that remove and treat toxic vapors from the soil above the water table to keep them from contaminating the groundwater.