PCB Transformer Room Renovation

SES staff managed the decontamination of numerous electrical transformer substations contaminated by PCB dielectric fluid releases. The management challenge for many of these projects was to execute all site work in the shortest amount of time possible to facilitate continued facility operations. In many cases, projects were completed in less than 48 hours from start to finish.

Typically, the process involved removing existing transformers and then removing heavily contaminated flooring. New fast-curing synthetic flooring material was installed and new electric substations were put back into service on schedule with no disturbance to the manufacturing process and minimal power supply downtime.

Other decontamination techniques included scarification, chemical extraction, installation of physical barriers and encapsulation.

Mercury Decontamination

SES personnel have managed numerous mercury decontamination projects in a wide variety of settings including laboratories, engineering departments, production areas, and equipment warehouses. Decontamination objectives are met when all affected areas are restored to full functional use and exposure issues are mitigated.

Once the decontamination process is complete, disposal of waste and contaminated material are arranged. In some cases, periodic monitoring is warranted to insure concentrations of mercury vapor in air are maintained at acceptable levels.

TSCA and PCB Mega-rule Implementation

SES personnel have conducted multiple investigations, regulatory applicability determinations and remediation under voluntary programs, TSCA and PCB Mega-rule.

• Routinely evaluated historical use practices and regulatory applicability to determine required clean-up criteria.
   
• Developed and implemented decontamination and remediation criteria and procedures.
   
• Designed and installed engineered barriers to eliminate exposure potentials and allowed impacted areas to be returned to use. (Examples of affected media requiring remediation include: soil, concrete, manufacturing equipment, storage units, lagoons and stream sediment.)
   
• Conducted dozens of projects in Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan.

All projects were accepted by appropriate State and US EPA regulatory agencies with no citations or compliance violations.