CHEMICAL PLANT FIRE RESPONSE AND REMEDIATION

Chemical Plant Fire Remediation Problem

Remtech responded to a chemical plant fire containing aromatic and chlorinated solvents and propellants. Remtech's scope of work was to remove hazardous materials and collect and/or treat contaminated stormwater in a detention pond.  Remtech developed a site safety plan and conducted environmental health monitoring.

Bulk storage tanks, totes, drums, secondary containment structures, overhead pipe racks, processing equipment, pollution control systems, and buildings were involved in the fire. Fire runoff water that collected in a heavily vegetated detention pond was also treated with an activated carbon filter placed in the pond discharge.  Fire fighting runoff water consisted of ash, water, scums, partially burn fire and chemical residues, and soluble phase contaminants. Containment and treatment of fire runoff water in the pond was urgent due to impending rainfall that would discharge into waters of the State.

Containment and Stormwater Rerouting

Stormwater from roofs and non-impacted parts of the site were routed around the burn site with 4" PVC piping and swales.

Plant Containment Structures

The burn area was isolated and plant site contaminated stormwater was pumped into multiple frac tanks that were loaded into tankers and disposed of at a hazardous waste facility over a three month period. Existing secondary containment valves were closed and walls were enhanced to contain product from leaking ASTs.  Plugs were placed in leaking product lines.  Straw filtration barriers, carbon filters already in place at stormwater drop inlets were monitored and replaced as necessary.  Magnetic drain stops were also used to stop stormwater discharges to the detention pond.

Pond Containment & Treatment Structures

River boom and an in-situ granular activated carbon filtration structure was installed immediately up-gradient from the concrete outfall.  Soluble organics were filtered through an in-situ granular filtration bed constructed at the concrete outfall with booms, poly sorbent, and skimmers placed immediately upstream to prevent floating materials from clogging filter media. Millions of gallons of stormwater were filtered through an in-situ carbon filter

Floating scums and resins were herded off the pond with booms, floating wash down pumps, and collected on banks.  Scums were solidified with bank soils and placed in super sacks for disposal.  

Collection, Packaging and Treatment of Plant Chemicals

Concentrated liquid burn residues inside containment structures and ASTs were pumped into frac tanks, tankers, totes, and drums.  Product from partially burnt above ground storage tanks were pumped with explosion proof air driven diaphragm pumps with remote lances preventing confined space entry.

Chemical Fire Remediation Assets

Remtech assets utilized on this project included:  excavation equipment, frac tanks, 1,000 ft of river boom, rapid deployment boom/boat trailer, hazmat trailer, emergency lighting, skimmers, vacuum trucks, tankers, carbon filters, explosion proof blowers, explosion proof pumps, compressors, PPE, environmental monitoring equipment, straw filtration barriers, polypropylene sorbent, drums, totes, and super sacks.  

Chemical Fire Response Cost/Benefits

Remtech's in-situ carbon filtration system installed in the overflow structure of the downgradient detention pond treated several million gallons of contaminated stormwater and saved several hundred thousand dollars in treatment costs.