Hazardous Waste Cleanup: P and R Rail Car Service Corporation (GE Railcar) in Elkton, Maryland
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
General Electric Railcar (GE Railcar) purchased the property from P&R Railcar Service in 1986. The property has been unused since 1988. Prior to GE Railcar purchase, the Site was used as a railcar repair, maintenance and cleaning facility. Under Maryland permits, GE remediated and closed waste tanks and a drum storage area. In 1991, contaminated soil from a former still bottoms dump area was removed from the northwest corner of the property. The dump area was capped with clean clay. EPA requested more information about contamination at the Site, and GE submitted a Site Investigation Workplan to EPA in 2002.
Cleanup Status
Under the Workplan surface and subsurface soil and groundwater were sampled across the Site. The final report of findings was approved by EPA in May 2003. This work was conducted by GE under EPA's Facility Lead program.
Benzene, chlorobenzene, and chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), and 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane were found in ground water at levels above drinking water standards (MCLs). There is limited surface and subsurface soil contamination (chlorinated solvents, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), mercury and benzo(a)pyrene) in discrete areas.
GE conducted a pilot study for in-situ remediation of on-site contaminated ground water, and an investigation to delineate off-site ground water contamination. The pilot remediation Report was completed in December 2004 and approved. The remediation results showed mixed results in creating sustainable groundwater environments for breaking down contaminants. The Report suggested that adding much more of the groundwater amendments might successfully treat contaminants. Off-site wells were installed and groundwater samples exhibited contaminants that occur on the GE Site, as reported to EPA in 2006. EPA approved the Report in November 2006.
On September 12, 2007, GE and EPA signed an EPA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Order for GE Railcar to conduct a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS). EPA approved the RI/FS Workplan in June 2008. Field work commenced in summer 2008 to address data gaps of previous investigations, and the RI Report was submitted to EPA in early 2009. Since then, EPA and GE are close to reaching a final remedy decision for site clean-up. Once the FS is approved, EPA will prepare a Statement of Basis for final remedy for public comment. EPA anticipates a final remedy decision in late 2015 to early 2016.
EPA's Environmental Indicator Forms show that current human exposure to site contaminants is under control, and migration of contaminated ground water is also under control.
Site Description
Interactive Map of P and R Rail Car Service Corporation (GE Railcar), Elkton, Maryland
View larger map
The former rail car (GE) Facility is located in Cecil County, at 505 Blue Road in Triumph Industrial Park in Elkton, Maryland. The 28.5-acre facility is mostly vacant land. The Facility was a rail car cleaning and repair operation primarily for tanker type rail cars. The Facility handled all types of mechanical repairs and maintenance of freight cars. The repair and maintenance included: steel fabrication, welding, cutting, and brazing. The Facility also steam cleaned, sandblasted, and painted the interior and exterior of rail cars. GE was the last owner of the Facility and GE closed it in 1988. The land is currently unused. Under Maryland Department of Environment direction, GE performed various investigations and unit closure activities. Prior to GE, several other companies owned and/or managed the property, including various chemical and rail car maintenance operations.
Contaminants at this Facility
Benzene, chlorobenzene, and chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), and 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane were found in ground water at levels above drinking water standards (MCLs). There is limited surface and subsurface soil contamination (chlorinated solvents, PCB, mercury and benzo(a)pyrene) in discrete areas.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
The need for Institutional Controls is yet to be determined.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
The site's future use is yet to be determined.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of the EPA Region 3 with assistance from Maryland DEP.