Taylor Township residents faced health hazards during fires at Remacor because of smoke containing radioactive materials, according to federal reports.
As of yesterday, steps have begun to remove the hazardous materials.
Residents in the West Pittsburg area of the township also faced health risks from elevated radiation levels at the magnesium processing plant, which is located next door to the municipal building. An estimated 3 million pounds of magnesium materials are present at the site, most of it stored in containers.
Lawrence County, now a trustee of the property by way of an upset sale for nonpayment of taxes, gave consent to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to test and secure the property. That process began yesterday at a cost of $250,000.
Those funds will come from the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act.
Jack Downie, the Region III EPA on-scene coordinator, said the actual removal of the highly flammable and potentially explosive magnesium shavings and sources of low level radiation is “way down the road.”
In his report, he said the threats to public health and to the environment warranted federal intervention. He said Remacor did not appear to have the resources to conduct the removal process. That process includes:
•Arranging for 24-hour security at the 40-acre site.
•Limiting access to the site by repairing the gaps in existing fences and extending them to fully enclose the area.
•Covering and/or storing low-level radioactive materials found in soils and residues.
•Controlling soil erosion to prevent contaminated soils and residues from moving hazardous substances onto adjoining properties.
•Controlling and stabilizing all flammable and water reactive metals including repackaging or relocating the materials to indoor storage areas or making temporary repairs to structures to keep out rain water.
•Setting up a command post with communication equipment.
•Communicating and coordinating progress with all state, county, township and fire officials.
When it was in operation, Downie’s report said, four employees processed secondary magnesium shavings and scrap into magnesium powder and granules for use in the steel industry as a desulfurization agent.
State Rep. Frank LaGrotta first asked the state Department of Environmental Protection to investigate Remacor after the plant had several fires, the last of which was Aug. 6, 2005. He said the plant now is closed.
Attempts to contact Remacor officials for comment were unsuccessful.
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