DEC will detail proposed $5 million cleanup of former Abex site in Medina

Staff Reports Posted 31 January 2018 at 5:06 pm

MEDINA – The state Department of Environmental Conservation will detail a proposed $5.1 million of the former Abex Manufacturing facility in Medina at 3959 Bates Rd. The DEC will present a cleanup plan during a public meeting at 6;:30 p.m. on Feb. 21 at Ridgeway Town Hall, 401 West Ave.

The public can make comments at the meeting, or submit them during the 45-day comment period.

The site was originally part of the 48-acre parcel known as the former Abex Corporation Foundry. The 48-acre parcel was subdivided in September 1992 into 2 parcels – 36.7 and 12.3 acre parcels. The 12.3-acre parcel that contains the former foundry buildings was purchased by Brunner International. The 36.7-acre parcel ownership was transferred from Abex to MCG Intermediate Holdings Inc. in 1995 and then in 2006 to County of Orleans Industrial Development Agency.

The former foundry was constructed in the early 1950s. Prior to development the parcels were undeveloped woodland and tilled farmland, according to the DEC fact sheet.

The lagoons were used to collect wash water from the foundry process as well as storm water discharge. The former foundry and manufacturing facility used foundry sands for the casting of metal parts. Foundry sands and waste have been identified across the site and within the settling lagoons. Settled foundry sands in the lagoons was reclaimed for reuse at the former foundry facility by staging adjacent to lagoons or were collected for disposal.

Several Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments were conducted on the site and the adjoining Brunner parcel from 1990 to 2008, the DEC said. The Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments indicated the disposal of remaining foundry sand inventory on site, accumulation of sediment in two of the lagoons, reclaimed foundry sand was staged near the lagoons, and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) concentrations in foundry sand disposal area exceeded state standards and guidance values.

A spill of Dasco Kleen and Dasco ARC 417 occurred December 1999 at a pond located behind the former foundry building. A review of past site development and use indicates that site disposal of waste occurred primarily on the western half of the site while the eastern portion of the site has remained largely unaffected by site operations or disposal.

A remedial investigation was conducted under a DEC approved work plan. A total of 159 environmental media samples were collected for laboratory analysis. Investigational activities included:

• Groundwater monitoring well installation and groundwater sampling

• Soil borings and subsurface and surface soil sampling including the lagoons and drainage swales/ditches at the site,

•  Soil gas sampling, and

• Surface water sampling.

The laboratory results indicate that the surface and subsurface soil, groundwater, and surface water are impacted above the DEC’s standards and guidance levels for semi-volatile organic compounds and metals, the DEC said.

The impacts appear to be a result of historical activities conducted at the site. Based on the investigation results, the DEC is recommending that the site be remediated.

The remedy proposed for the site includes the following:

• The excavation of all soils in the lagoon areas and along the perimeter of the site that exceed the industrial or protection of groundwater soil cleanup objectives (SCOs).

• The soil/fill material excavated will be transported off-site for disposal at a permitted landfill facility.

• Site restoration activities will include backfill of the excavation areas with clean fill and restore the site to existing grade.

• A cover system will be installed at the site which will include the placement of one foot of cover across approximately 9.50-acres of the site.

• A Site Management Plan will be developed. The Site Management Plan will include an Institutional and Engineering Control Plan that identifies site use restrictions and engineering controls.

The estimated cost to implement the proposed remedy is $5.1 million. Oversight of the cleanup activities will be provided by the DEC.

The DEC is accepting written comments about the proposed remedial action plan for 45 days, from Feb. 2 through March 19.

For more on the proposed cleanup, click here.

Return to top