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EPA to Clean Up Old Chemical Manufacturing Site

Posted on: Monday, 12 September 2005, 09:00 CDT

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency expects to begin clean- up work to address growing health concerns at the old M.J. Daly industrial site in Ludlow, Ky., within a few weeks.

"This site has been on our radar for a couple years," said Art Smith, on-scene coordinator for the EPA.

The M.J. Daly Co. occupied the site from the 1950s to the 1980s.

The chemical manufacturing business mixed and packaged solvents, acetates, alcohols and ketones. Some of those chemicals remain on the property.

There's a large amount of blue dye in the factory, which exploring neighborhood cats blunder into enough that residents have come to call them "the Smurfs." Smith said the dye is non- hazardous.

Contamination at the site is not threatening to the surrounding neighborhood, but can cause adverse health risks to trespassers on site, Smith said. There is evidence that people have been inside the building removing metal for scrap, and there is potential for neighborhood children to explore the property.

Exposure to the chemicals could cause skin irritation, dizziness and nausea. Long-term exposure could create more serious health problems, such as increased cancer risks.

The EPA cleanup includes decontaminating and removing tanks, pipes and drums on site in addition to decontaminating and demolishing the building. After that's done, it will test the soil for contamination and remove underground pipes.

Smith expects the site to be cleared within four months, but said it could take longer if crews are called away to assist with recovery projects in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. Regardless of any holdups, he expects the area to be decontaminated by next summer.

Source: Cincinnati Post

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