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Incineration at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Superfund Site, Commerce City, Colorado

Site Name:

Rocky Mountain Arsenal Superfund Site

Location:

Commerce City, Colorado

Period of
Operation:

July 1993 - July 1995

Cleanup
Type:

Interim response

Vendor:

T-Thermal Sub-X® Liqui-Datur® Incinerator
Manufactured by T-Thermal Incorporated
and cross-licensed by
Nittetu Chemical Engineering, Limited

Technology:
On-Site SQI Incineration

- High-temperature oxidation in a down-fired, SQI
- High-energy venturi scrubber for particulate emission control
- Packed tower caustic scrubber for neutralization of exhaust gases
- Residuals transported to off-site handling facility

Cleanup Authority:
CERCLA and State: Colorado
- U.S. Army, PRP, and EPA enter into Federal Facilities Agreement 2/89 - includes 13 interim response actions
- ROD signed 12/9/96
- DoD Lead

SIC Code:
NA
Point of Contact:
Colonel Eugene H. Bishop
Program Manager
Rocky Mountain Arsenal
Commerce City, CO 80022-2180
(303) 289-0467 - Public Affairs Office
(303) 286-8032 - SQI Information Hotline

Contaminants:
Organochloric and organophosphoric pesticides and metals
- ardrin
- dieldrin
- vapona
- copper
- zinc
- arsenic

Waste Source:
Evaporation basin used to store manufacturing wastewaters

Type/Quantity of Media Treated:
Liquids
- 10.9 million gallons

Purpose/Significance of Application:
Innovative design used to capture metal particulates; 250,000 pounds of copper recovered and recycled

Regulatory Requirements/Cleanup Goals:
Destruction and Removal Efficiency (DRE) of 99.99% for all constituents of concern as required by Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) incinerator regulations in 40 CFR part 264, subpart O

Results:
Monitoring and trial burn data indicate that all DRE and emission standards have been met

Description:
RMA was established in 1942 and historically has been used for manufacturing and demilitarizating chemical incendiary weapons. Portions of RMA were leased for the private production of agricultural chemicals including pesticides from 1947 to 1982. Between 1957 and 1982 an evaporation pond (Basin F) was used for disposal of various wastewaters from the site's manufacturing process and wastes from demilitarization activities.

The Army and the on-site chemical manufacturer were designated as responsible parties in a Federal Facilities Agreement (FFA) entered into in 1989. The FFA specified 13 interim response actions (IRAs), including the remediation of Basin F. A Record of Decision (ROD) for all operable units at the site was signed June 11, 1996.

The Army selected SQI to dispose of Basin F liquids. The SQI system included an atomizing liquid injection system; an incinerator chamber; a quench chamber; a spray dryer; a venturi scrubber for particulate matter control; a packed-tower scrubber for neutralization of off-gases; and a residuals handing facility.

Full-scale operation of the SQI began in July 1993, and incineration of approximately 10.9 million gallons of Basin F liquid was completed by July 1995. The SQI was decommissioned, dismantled, and sold for parts, per the FFA, upon completion of the project. All applicable and relevant or appropriate requirements were met throughout the project.

The actual cost for remediation of Basin F was approximately $93,000,000, including $14,800,000 in capital costs and $78,500,000 in operation and maintenance costs.