--------------------------------

I I

.I I

"tODE ISIAND DEPAR'n-1ENT OF HEA1 . -!VISION OF AIR POLLUTION CONTN..... Site: ~~~::;a.w-.­

msPECTION REPORT Break: 13 ."6 Others

Type ot Inspection: Suspected Violation [if ' ·

I '·Compliance Status (Permit) D

C~: WESTERN SAND & GRAVEL Date: 22 March 1m

A44resa:____~Dou~g1~a~s~Pi~k~e._________________ _ Time: See below to.________

BurrillviUe, RI !elephone No.: 568-7100

_Staff Representatives :_____.sh~e-rma..,..;.;.n..;L;;.;.__,st.;.ro;..;;.;u;.;t..; ...A.-u..s..t.;;in.;.;...;c;.;._na-.-l;;.;e;.::.Y___________

Talked With:__________....._se...e....,be.-l..ow.._____________________________ _

21 March 1977

10:30 AM- vaa informecl by John ~nn of the Division of Solid Waste Management that he vas called by the Burrillville Building Inapector that there vas a fire in one of the pita at Western Sand & Gravel on Sunday afternoon, 20 March 1m.

Norman Benoit of POund Hill Road, North Smithfield,Also received a call fl"'OIl Mr. ·that the odors were bad over the weekend. A call vaa alao received from North Smithfield Senator James G. Hagan and Bepresentat,ive Albert J. Vanasse concerniDg these o4ors. I informed Mr. Vana11e that I would be meeting with Mr. C&rdi again during the afternoon of 21 March 1m (accompanied by Mr. Daley) and he suggested that I call Mr. Arthur DenDIIIDe, North Smithfield 'l.'cnm Administrator, and request that he attend thia meeting. Mr. ·DeDCIIIIIle was present at the meeting.

According to Mr. Cardi the fire was started by vandals. The fire vas in the pit where the questionable chemicals were dumped. Mr. Cardi again cla1med that the

call vas made to Capuanochemicals came trca Capuaoo Brothers, Cranaton, and a Brothers during this visit at approximately 4:15 PM. 'lhey claillled that this chemical came from M:nuanto Colllpaey in Springtield, Masaachuaetts.

A call vas JD&de to MoDB&Dto and I apoke with Mr. WUber, who informed me that they have a contract with Cannon Engineering, Firat Street, Bridgewater, Massachusetts (9-617-697-3344) to dispose of their wastes aD4 that on either TUesday, March 15, or Wednesday, March 16, only two 55-gallon drums were picked up which contained "fUter pads'' from a fUtering process which would contain the following: resin, polymers, ethyl alcohol and sulfuric acid. '.ftlese "filter pads" are two feet square, . of two types, one with a thickness of l/16" and the other having a .o8l" thic'kne~s.

(continued over)

Signat~b-uu;, .Y'~.,r Slle~n L. strc3'ut, Chief Inspector

Signature {/.~..:::t:::_ ~- ~":4:1 Aust{n c. Daley, Ch ef

tg

II

~ II

J telephoned Mr. Dave F, •Y at cannon Engi~eering, who ~ .ted that his company did,on either last l~onday or Tuesday, deliver a load of 80 55-gallon drums, all~ containing solid wastes, to Capuano Brothers in Cranston and that only two werefrom Monsanto which were disposed of intact upon arrival and then covered. Accordingto Frank Stevenson of the Division of Solid Waste Management, Capuano denied this.

Mr. Foley also stated that all the liquid waste that he picks up iR incinerated byhis firm and not taken out of state.

23 March 1977

Visited with :Ralph Perotta, Environmental Control, at Ciba-Geigy Chemical, Cranston.Mr. Perotta pointed out that some of their chemical wastes go to Capuano and othersare picked up by Cannon Engineering. Those picked up by Cannon are contracted tobe taken to Bridgewater, Massachusetts for incineration (a certificate of incinerationis returned to Ciba-Geigy). The chemical wastes picked up by Capuano Brothers areto be disposed of at the Capuano Brothers site.

Mr. Perotta pointed out that during last week Cannon Engineering made a pickup ofeight druma of methyl acrylate (pumped out of the drums) into a liquid carrier whichalready had 5,<>00-6,000 gallons of IPA (iso-propyl alcohol) and toluene. These weredestined tor out of state.

A thief sample was taken from Ciba Geigy of ethyl acrylate (having the same odorcbaracteriatica as methyl acrylate) and one of toluene which proved to have acomparative if not identical odor to that material in the open pit at Western Sanda. Gravel.

Methyl acrylate baa a flash point of -3C (open cup) with a characteristic of odorthat carries long distances from ita source~

At 3:35 to 4:10 PM visited with three residents of North Smithfield, Mr: & Mrs. NormanBenoit and Mrs. SUvia, Pound Hill Road; and North Smithfield policeman Ted Lemieux,vho all identified the sample of eteyl acrylate as the aame odor that bas beendetectable 1n the area. Visited Mr. Cardi at Western Sand & Gravel who also identifiedthe aampl.e aa that which ia 1n his pit, as did the office girl, Ann. Both Mr. Cardiand Ann stated that on 1\lesd&y, 15 March 1m, they recall that a liquid tankercarrier identified as a cannon Engineering unit did enter Western Sand &Gravel in .~be ccmpany of Anthoay Capuano (in bia own car) and dumped a load of chemical wastes.

I requested, and Mr. Cardi agreed, that no materials be dumped in this pit ao that itmay be covered. Mr. CSrdi stated. that be bad already fenced it off to prevent furtherdullpiag.

24 March 1m

9:05AM - Received a call from Mr. Natyniak of Douglas Pike (laat bouse before WesternSand and Gravel) vho complained that these odors are causing health problema to hiafamily. I explained that they should not be injurious to health but do constitute asevere odor problem. I told him that ve are workiag on the control of the odors.

9:4oAM- Received a call from Stan Davies of the State Fire M&rabal'a office vbobad been called by Mr. Barris, North Smithfield, regarding the dangers of thesechemicals. I briefly outlined the events to Mr. Davies and told him I would keep himinformed.