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Thermal Desorption at the Anderson Development Company Superfund Site, Adrian, Michigan

Site Name:

Anderson Development Company Superfund Site

Location:

Adrian, Michigan

Period of
Operation:

January 1992 to June 1993

Cleanup
Type:

Full-scale cleanup

Vendor:

Michael G. Cosmos
Weston Services
1 Weston Way
West Chester, PA 19380
(610) 701-7423

Technology:
Thermal Desorption - Solids pretreated by shredding, screening, and dewatering - Thermal processor consisting of 2 jacketed troughs - Hollow screw conveyors in the troughs mix, transport, and heat the contaminated soil - Soil residence time 90 minutes, temperature of soil/sludge 500-530xF - Treated soil was discharged into a conditioner, where it was sprayed with water

Cleanup Authority:
CERCLA and State: Michigan - ROD Date: 9/30/91 - PRP Lead

SIC Code:
2869 (Industrial Organic
Chemicals, Not Elsewhere
Classified)
Point of Contact:
Jim Hahnenburg
Remedial Project Manager
(HSRW-6J)
U.S. EPA Region 5
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60604
(312) 353-4213

Contaminants:
Chlorinated Aliphatics, PAHs, Other Organics, and Metals - MBOCA (4,4-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) primary contaminant concentration in untreated soil - Manganese at levels up to 10%

Waste Source:
Surface Impoundment/Lagoon

Type/Quantity of Media Treated:
Soil and Sludge - 5,100 tons treated - Moisture content: soil - not available, sludge - 65-70% (before dewatering), 41-44% (after dewatering) - pH: <7 (before dewatering), 10.9-11.2 (after dewatering)

Purpose/Significance of Application:
Treatment using a thermal auger system; main contaminant is a hardener for plastics.

Regulatory Requirements/Cleanup Goals:
- Soil - MBOCA: 1.684 mg/kg - Soils/sludges - VOCs and SVOCs: Michigan Environmental Response Act (MERA) Number 307, Regulation 299.5711, compliance with Type B criteria for soil standards; off-site disposal required for treated soil due to elevated manganese levels

Results:
- Analytical data for 6 piles of treated soil indicated that the cleanup goals for MBOCA and VOCs were met - Seven of eight SVOCs met cleanup goals; analytical problems were identified for bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate - Treated soil disposed off site due to elevated manganese levels

Cost Factors:
Information not available

Description:
Between 1970 and 1979, the Anderson Development Company (ADC) site located in Adrian, Lewanee County, Michigan, was used for the manufacture of 4,4- methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) or MBOCA, a hardening agent used in plastics manufacturing. Process wastewaters were discharged to an unlined lagoon. A remedial investigation determined that soil and sludges in and around the lagoon were contaminated. Contaminated soils and sludges were excavated, dewatered, and stockpiled. A Record of Decision (ROD), signed in September 1991, specified thermal desorption as the remediation technology for the excavated soil. Soil cleanup goals were established for MBOCA and specific volatile and semivolatile organic constituents.

Thermal desorption using the Roy F. Weston LT3 system was performed from January 1992 to June 1993. The LT3 thermal processor consists of two jacketed troughs. Hollow-screw conveyors move soil across the troughs, and act to mix and heat the contaminated soil. The thermal processor discharges treated soil to a conditioner where it is sprayed with water. Thermal desorption achieved the soil cleanup goals specified for MBOCA and all volatile organic constituents. Seven of eight semivolatile organic constituents met cleanup goals; analytical problems were identified for bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate.

Information on costs for this application were not available at the time of this report. Originally, the treated soils were to be used as backfill for the lagoon. However, the state required off-site disposal of treated soils due to the presence of elevated levels of manganese.