The Hazardous Waste Facilities Section is tasked with the oversight of three facilities in the State of Utah that store and/or treat hazardous waste. The section is responsible for issuing and maintaining Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) treatment and storage permits, conducting compliance evaluation inspections, providing oversight during corrective action, and when applicable, ensuring that the facilities are properly closed.
The three facilities that the section oversights are ATK Launch Systems-Bacchus Works, ATK Launch Systems-Promontory, and Westinghouse - Western Zirconium.
The facilities are operating under either a Part B Hazardous Waste Permit and/or under interim status (regulatory status prior to permit issuance). The permit or interim status allows the facilities to store hazardous waste generated as part of production processes on-site and/or to treat the waste on-site prior to off-site disposal. None of the facilities regulated by the Hazardous Waste Facilities Section are permitted for on-site disposal of hazardous waste.
In addition to day-to-day hazardous waste management activities, these facilities are required to determine if some level of corrective action is needed at their site. Corrective action activities may be at the early stages of assessing whether past facility practices have resulted in a release or releases to the environment, which may pose a risk to human health, or the environment, or the facility may be actively addressing contamination through remedial measures.
The Hazardous Waste Facilities Section over sights corrective action at five facilities that have closed their storage or treatment units. The five facilities are The Ensign-Bickford Company, Dyno Nobel Site B and the Tooele Test Site, Ninigret Construction (formerly Engelhard Corp.), and Vertellus (formerly Reilly Industries). The Section is also over sighting correction action at the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR). UTTR has an operating open burning and open detonation unit and a closed hazardous waste landfill. Compliance and permitting of these units are addressed by the Division’s Commercial and Federal Facilities Section.
Other responsibilities that the Section has includes, assisting Utah's regulated community in voluntary cleanups, issuance of emergency permits to address spills and explosive materials, and interpretations of the Utah Solid and Hazardous Waste Act and the Utah Administrative Code.
| FACILITY | SECTION CONTACTS |
|---|---|
| ATK Launch Systems, Bacchus Facility | Bill Wallner / Jeff Vandel |
| ATK Launch Systems, Promontory | Jeff Vandel / Bill Wallner |
| Dyno Nobel | Bronson Hawley / Jeff Vandel |
| The Ensign-Bickford Company | Hao Zhu / Bronson Hawley |
| Ninigret Construction (formerly Engelhard Corporation) | Jim Lansbarkis / Rolf Johnsson |
| Vertellus (formerly Reilly Industries) | Rolf Johnsson |
| Utah Test and Training Range | Bronson Hawley |
| Western Zirconium | Jim Lansbarkis / Rolf Johnsson |
The section oversights compliance, permitting and corrective action at the following facilities:
ATK - Launch Systems, Bacchus Facility (ATK),is located in West Valley City, Utah and was formerly owned and operated by the Hercules Company. The Bacchus Facility includes the following subparts: Plant 1 which is owned and operated by ATK, NIROP (the Naval Industrial Reserve Ordnance Plant) which is owned by the Navy and operated by ATK, and Bacchus West which is operated by ATK on land leased from the Kennecott Copper Company and a number of off-site groundwater monitoring wells. ATK uses the Bacchus Facility to manufacture solid propellants, rocket motors and composite products and to store and treat hazardous waste.
Permitting - ATK has operated hazardous waste storage and treatment (open burning) units at the Bacchus Facility under interim status since 1980. The regulated units are located on Plant 1 and NIROP. Plant 1 has four regulated hazardous waste storage units, one that is used to storage chemical waste and three that are used to store waste explosives. The Division issued a Part B Hazardous Waste Storage Permit (unofficial permit) to ATK for the Plant 1 units in September 2008.
NIROP has two regulated hazardous waste storage units and one regulated hazardous waste treatment unit. One of the hazardous waste storage units is used to store waste explosives and the other is used to store treatment residues. The treatment unit is a Subpart X Thermal Treatment unit that is designated the NIROP Burning Grounds and is used to treat waste explosives (reactive wastes). The Division issued a Part B Hazardous Waste Storage and Subpart X Thermal Treatment Permit (unofficial copy) to ATK and the United States Navy for the NIROP facility on September 1, 2009.
NIROP Burning Grounds
(ATK Burn Pan)
Corrective Action - Under the direction of the Division, Hercules began corrective action activities at the Bacchus Facility in 1985 with a series of interim measures. Hercules and the Division entered into a Consent Order in 1988 to resolve enforcement actions and provided a framework for a facility wide corrective action program. With the issuance of the Part B permit for the Plant 1 operations, the Division has absolved ATK of its responsibilities under the Consent Order by incorporating the facility wide corrective action program into the Permit. Module IV 
outlines the process and schedule that ATK will be required to follow to complete the investigation and closure of the Bacchus Facility Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs). Module V specifically addresses the investigation and remediation of the groundwater contamination or Groundwater Management Unit (GWMU).
The Division completed a RCRA Facility Assessment that identified Solid Waste Management Units at the site in 1989. Since 1989, ATK has conducted several interim corrective measures and developed a RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) Work Plan. Due to the large number of sites requiring investigation, the Division requested ATK to prioritize SWMUs (Solid Waste Management Units) and recommend that the high priority SWMUs be investigated first. ATK completed the prioritization effort and the RFI Work Plan was approved by the Division in June 2004. ATK has completed its initial investigation of the Group 1 SWMUs, Group 2 has been investigated and closed, the Sampling and Analysis Plans (SAP) for the Group 3 SWMUs and spill sites: SP-3, SP-4 and SP-5 have been approved and implemented.
In addition to the above, ATK is continuing to access the GWMU. Module V establishes a compliance schedule that ATK shall follow to determine cleanup levels for the groundwater contamination, complete its assessment of treatment technologies and implement the approved corrective measure to remediate the groundwater contamination. The figure linked here provides a graphic representation of groundwater contamination at the Bacchus Facility.
While the Bacchus Facility continues its efforts to complete its investigations of the SWMUs and GWMU, the Division concluded an Environmental Indicator Determinations for the Groundwater and Human Exposure. This assessment determined that all groundwater and human exposures to the contamination are currently under control.
If you have any questions concerning compliance, permitting or corrective action at ATK, please contact Bill Wallner at (801) 538-6170 or email him at bwallner@utah.gov.
ATK-Launch Systems - Promontory is located 30 miles northwest of Brigham City, Utah.
ATK manufactures solid rocket motors for the Space Shuttle and Minuteman missiles, D-5 missile components, commercial launch (or Castor) motors, advanced flares and pyrotechnics. ATK generates reactive hazardous wastes, e.g., propellants, as part of manufacturing activities. ATK’s operations include propellant demilitarization and reclamation. In addition, ATK operates as a commercial operation and is capable of storing and treating off-site generated reactive hazardous wastes.
(ATK Rocket Garden)
Permitting - ATK has RCRA Part B permits for hazardous waste storage(not official copy of permit), and post-closure care (not official copy of permit). In addition, ATK has interim status for treatment of on-site and off-site generated reactive hazardous waste. ATK has submitted an open burning permit application. In the fall of 2005, the Division instructed ATK to move forward and conduct a risk assessment of their open burning activities. This is a critical step in determining permit conditions. ATK obtained permission to conduct air emission testing at the Dugway Proving Grounds ODOBi in the summer of 2006 and has been working since that time on completing the risk assessment.
Corrective Action - ATK is conducting a RCRA Facility Investigation. The Phase I investigation has been performed and ATK has submitted a report of the effort that is currently under review by the Division.
If you have any questions concerning compliance, permitting or corrective action at the ATK- Promontory facility, please contact Jeff Vandel at (801) 538-6170 or email him at jvandel@utah.gov.
Westinghouse Electric Company's Western Zirconium facility is located near Ogden, Utah.
Western Zirconium manufactures products for the commercial nuclear fuel industry and the military. Western Zirconium has interim status for on-site treatment and storage of production process wastes.
Permitting - Western Zirconium submitted a Part B permit application for storage and treatment in October of 1994. Western Zirconium considered the submittal a protective filing. Western Zirconium operated under interim status (regulatory status prior to permit issuance) until late 2005 when the facility agreed to close the storage and treatment units. Western Zirconium is currently working with the Division in the development of closure plans for the burn out oven and hazardous waste storage pad. The goal is to complete closure of the units by September 30, 2008.
Corrective Action - In September of 2001 the Division completed A RCRA Facility Assessment of the Western Zirconium facility. Normally the next step, a RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI), is conducted as a requirement of a RCRA permit. Due to the ongoing evaluation of the need for a RCRA permit and with concerns over impacts to groundwater from the use of several unlined ponds at the facility, the Division drafted a Stipulation and Consent Order to provide a framework for initiating and conducting an RFI. The Utah Solid and Hazardous Waste Control Board approved the Order in January of 2002. The Consent Order became effective on January 23, 2002.
Western Zirconium submitted RFI Work Plans for conducting plant site and pond investigations. The work plan for the pond investigation was approved for implementation in September of 2002. A report of the first phase of the pond investigation was approved on October 23, 2003. Additional investigative work proposed in the report was approved on that date. A report of the second phase of the pond investigation was approved on June 2, 2005. Western Zirconium is currently working on developing a corrective measures study for the ponds.
The work plan for the plant site investigation was approved for implementation on May 15, 2003. Western Zirconium submitted the RFI Report for the plant site SWMUs in April of 2006. The Division has generated comments on the report and is working with the facility to resolve the identified concerns.
Based on the types of contaminants detected in the groundwater in the vicinity of the ponds, the Division is closely coordinating the facility corrective action with the Division of Water Quality and the Division of Radiation Control.
Environmental Indicator Determination for Western Zirconium Human Exposure .
If you have any questions concerning compliance, permitting or corrective action at Western Zirconium, please contact Jim Lansbarkis at (801) 538-6170 or email him at jlansbarkis@utah.gov.
The section is also over sighting the corrective action process at the following facilities:
Dyno Nobel owns and operates the Lehi Plant Site B and has previously leased property for the Tooele Test Site. Both facilities are located in Utah County.
Site B is an explosive manufacturing, research and detonation testing facility located on the west side of Utah Lake. Dyno Nobel had interim status for on-site treatment of waste explosives generated during production activities. The open burn unit at Site B has been closed (See Permitting below) and the facility currently operates as a conditionally exempt small quantity generator of hazardous waste.
(Dyno Nobel Site B Plant in Utah County)
The Tooele Test Site consisted of several open pits. The site was primarily used for product testing however; it also was used to treat detonatable waste explosives generated at Site B. The Division approved the closure of the interim status unit at the Test Site in November 2004 (See Permitting below).
Permitting - Dyno Nobel decided not to pursue hazardous waste treatment permits for Site B and the Tooele Test Site. Due to a combination of waste minimization and recycling, Dyno Nobel no longer treats hazardous waste on-site at either facility. Dyno Nobel was granted approval to implement the closure plan for the Site B open burning unit on December 1, 1999. Closure activities were completed in June of 2000 and the last components of closure certification were received November 20, 2001. The Division approved of the closure certification package on February 8, 2002. Dyno Nobel was granted approval to implement a closure plan for the Tooele Test Site in October of 2002. The Division approved of the closure certification package on November 10, 2004. Since residual contamination was left in place at the Tooele Test Site, a site management plan (SMP) was required. The SMP was approved for implementation on February 11, 2005.
Corrective Action - Dyno Nobel entered into a Stipulation and Consent Agreement with the Division on November 6, 1998 to conduct corrective action at the facility. As required by the Agreement, Dyno Nobel developed a work plan for conducting a RCRA Facility Investigation of 16 sites on the property. The work plan was approved on December 20, 2000. Dyno Nobel has implemented the first phase of the investigation. The results have been submitted to the Division. Dyno Nobel has singled out solid waste management unit #6 for further investigation in advance of the others. A plan was approved and implemented. The site received a no further corrective action designation on March 1, 2005. Dyno Nobel is now working with the Division on developing a site management plan for solid waste management units #9 and #10.
If you have any questions concerning corrective action at Dyno Nobel, please contact Bronson Hawley at (801) 538-6170 or email him at bhawley@utah.gov.
The Ensign-Bickford Company operated an explosive manufacturing plant near the cities of Mapleton and Spanish Fork, Utah from the 1940’s until February of 2006. Prior to the closing of the plant, Ensign-Bickford generated waste explosives as a result of manufacturing operations. Ensign-Bickford had interim status for the on-site treatment of these reactive wastes.
(Entrance to the Ensign-Bickford Plant)
Permitting – Prior to closure of the plant, Ensign-Bickford had decided not to pursue obtaining a permit to open burn reactive hazardous wastes. The facility had undertaken efforts to minimize the amount of waste generated and had made arrangements to send any accumulated wastes off-site to an approved hazardous waste management facility. Through these efforts Ensign-Bickford was able to cease on-site treatment of all production wastes in December of 2002.
A plan to close the burn pit and explosive burn area was approved in May of 2004. Both areas were verified as closed by the Division in September of 2006.
(The explosive burn area when operational and prior to closure)
Corrective Action - Ensign-Bickford entered into a Stipulation and Consent Agreement with the Division on December 1, 1995 to conduct Corrective Action at the facility. The work plan for investigating 44 identified solid waste management units was approved in June of 1999.
Ensign-Bickford has completed the investigative phase of corrective action. This effort focused on determining the presence or absence and the nature and extent of explosive compounds in site soils. The investigative report (RCRA Facility Investigation Report) was submitted to the Division in May of 2007. The report is currently under review.
In October of 2005, Ensign-Bickford was issued a Corrective Action Order that authorized the facility to thermally treat explosive contaminated soil with a mobile incinerator.
(Mobile incinerator)
The incinerator completed operations in August of 2006. During operations, it treated nearly 90,000 tons of explosive contaminated soil. Ensign-Bickford has dismantled and shipped the unit on to next job site. Ensign-Bickford is continuing a program of excavating soil with low levels of explosive contamination and shipping it off-site to an approved waste management facility.
Environmental Indicator Determinations for Ensign-Bickford Groundwater and Human Exposure .
If you have any questions concerning corrective action at The Ensign-Bickford Company, please contact Hao Zhu at (801) 538-6170 or email him at hzhu@utah.gov.
Ninigret Construction purchased the property at 3050 West Andrew Avenue, in Salt Lake City, Utah from the Engelhard Corporation in 2002. The Engelhard Corporation previously operated a petroleum catalyst manufacturing and regeneration facility at the property.
Engelhard was issued a RCRA Part B permit in April of 1993 for storage of catalysts that had been characterized as hazardous waste and were destined for recycling (regeneration). Engelhard ceased regeneration operations at the site in 1999. All structures, products and waste materials were subsequently removed from the site. As mentioned above, Engelhard sold the property to Ninigret, a land developer, in 2002.
Permitting - Engelhard provided notification of their intent to close their three hazardous waste storage pads on March 13, 2001. An approval to initiate closure was provided to Engelhard on April 23, 2001. Due to the sale of the property, Ninigret took responsibility for completing the required closure activities. The report documenting the closure of the three storage pads was approved by the Division on November 2, 2004.
Corrective Action - The Stipulation and Consent Agreement that governs corrective action at the site was assigned to Ninigret in 2002.
Engelhard received approval for a corrective action plan for the portion of the property (approximately 100 acres) that is located west of the Bangerter Highway in March of 2001. Ninigret implemented the plan and the soil on the west parcel has been remediated.
(Remediation of a portion of the Western Alum Ponds)
(Remediated portion of the Western Alum Ponds)
Ninigret submitted and received approval for a corrective action plan for the alum ponds located to the east of the highway in January of 2003. The plan has been implemented and portions of the property have been remediated.
If you have any questions concerning corrective action of the former Engelhard property, please contact Jim Lansbarkis at (801) 538-6170 or email him at jlansbarkis@utah.gov.
Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR) is a remote military reservation operated by Hill Air Force Base as a practice bombing and gunnery range for military aircraft, propagation testing, rocket motor test firing, missile storage, and small arms and machine-gun firing ranges.
Staff in the Commercial and Federal Facilities Section is addressing compliance and permitting at UTTR. Staff in the Hazardous Waste Facilities Section is over sighting corrective action at the facility.
Permitting - The Air Force was issued an open burning/open detonation (OB/OD) permit in February of 2003. The existing Post-Closure Permit for the Landfill #5 was incorporated as a Module into the OB/OD permit.
Corrective Action - The Air Force has completed a RCRA Facility Investigation. The report of the investigation is currently under review.
The Air Force undertook corrective action at solid waste management units 34E, 34W, and 2 in the CBU Valley in early 2006. During the effort, the Air Force removed 380,000 pounds of damaged 20 mil rounds from old disposal pits. The Air Force stored the rounds in 117 metal boxes. Prior to sending the metal rounds to recycling or disposal the Air Force proposed to thermally treat them utilizing a mobile incinerator. A Corrective Action Order was issued by the Executive Secretary of the Utah Solid and Hazardous Waste Control Board to the Air Force on February 2, 2007 authorizing the treatment activity. The Air Force successfully implemented the treatment and was able to sell 77,000 pounds of brass to a local metals recycler and the remainder of mixed steel, brass and aluminum was disposed of at the UTTR solid waste landfill at the Oasis complex.
If you have any questions concerning corrective action at the Test and Training Range, please contact Bronson Hawley at (801) 538-6170 or email him at bhawley@utah.gov.
Vertellus (formerly Reilly Industries) is located in Ironton, Utah, between the cities of Provo to the north and Springville to the south. During the time the facility was in operation, Reilly distilled creosote oil and electrode binder pitch from coal tar as primary products. Light and heavy end oils were distilled off of the creosote oil and were marketed as secondary products. Reilly discontinued production operations in early 2001. In September of 2005, Arsenal Capital Partners acquired Reilly Industries. In July of 2006, Arsenal merged Reilly with another company to form Vertellus Specialties, Inc. In the summer of 2007, Vertellus removed all existing structures from the former Reilly site.
Permitting - Reilly was issued a RCRA Part B permit for a hazardous waste storage tank in October of 1985. The tank stored wastewater generated from the distillation process. The permitted tank was closed in November of 1995. At this point Reilly began addressing the wastewater with a totally enclosed treatment facility (TETF). In 2001, Reilly decided to cease operating the TETF and began shipping it’s wastewater to a Reilly facility in Granite City, Illinois for treatment. Not long after this decision Reilly ceased production operations at the plant.
Corrective Action - Reilly Industries entered into a Stipulation and Consent Agreement with the Division to conduct corrective action at the facility in November of 1996. As required by the Agreement, Reilly developed a work plan for conducting a RCRA Facility Investigation. The Division reviewed and approved of the work plan in May of 2000. Reilly implemented the work plan and has submitted the RFI Phase I Report. The Report was approved by the Division in August of 2000. The Phase I investigative effort indicated the need for further site evaluation. A Phase II work plan was approved for implementation in October of 2004. The Phase II effort did not address all of the investigative concerns for the site. Reilly then submitted a Phase II Supplement Work Plan in July of 2007. The plan has been reviewed, however approval of the work plan is on hold as Reilly is considering interim measures for the site.
Environmental Indicator Determinations for Reilly Industries Groundwater and Human Exposure.
If you have any questions concerning corrective action at Reilly Industries, please contact Rolf Johnsson at (801) 538-6170 or email him at rjohnsson@utah.gov.
For more information about the Hazardous Waste Facilities Section, please contact Brad Maulding at (801) 538-6170 or email him at bmaulding@utah.gov.
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