PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT
SARNEY FARM
AMENIA, DUTCHESS COUNTY, NEW YORK
Environmental data for the Sarney site were collected from 1986 to 1988 as part of the RI/FS by EBASCO Services under contract to US EPA. Results indicate extensive contamination within the areas identified as previous chemical waste disposal locations. On-site sampling locations are in areas on the Sarney property itself. Cleaver Swamp and its drainages will be considered as off-site locations.
A summary of the environmental contamination data collected for the Sarney Property site is presented in Appendix B. The listing of a contaminant does not necessarily mean that its presence is a public health concern. Contaminants selected for further evaluation are identified and evaluated in subsequent sections of the health assessment to determine whether exposure to them has public health significance. When selected for further evaluation in one medium, that contaminant will be reported in all media where it is detected. These contaminants are selected and discussed based upon the following factors:
Tables 1 and 2 list numerous compounds detected both on-site and off-site. Several compounds were found in significant concentrations and would present the most significant exposure hazard.
In on-site groundwater, di-n-butylphthalate, vinyl chloride, 1,2-dichloroethane, 2-butanone, trichloroethene, and toluene were detected at levels exceeding current NYS DOH standards for public drinking water supplies.
In general, on-site groundwater in the shallow aquifer was more contaminated than the bedrock groundwater; 1,2-dichloroethane was the contaminant with the highest concentration. In the overburden, the highest concentration of 1,2-dichloroethane was 380 micrograms per liter (mcg/L), while in the bedrock the highest concentration for 1,2-dichloroethane was 131 mcg/L. A post-ROD groundwater investigation is being conducted to confirm the directions of groundwater flow at the site. As part of this effort, the on-site residential well was sampled and tested for organic and inorganic contamination in March and June 1992. Results of testing indicate no contamination.
Data from test pits and soil borings indicate that sub-surface soils are contaminated with VOCs at levels greater than 6,000 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) in the areas where chemical disposal occurred. Significant contaminants found in on-site soils include naphthalene, 2-methylnaphthalene, di-n-butylphthalate, butylbenzylphthalate, bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, 2-butanone, trichloroethene, 4-methyl-2-pentanone, and toluene. Results of the soil vapor study confirmed these results with high readings for toluene and trichloroethene in soils at the chemical disposal areas.
Environmental data from off-site locations consist of sampling from the nearby residential wells and Cleaver Swamp and its drainages. NYS DOH has collected the most recent VOC samples from residential wells. Surface water, sediment and residential well samples were collected by US EPA as part of the RI/FS. A summary of off-site environmental contamination is presented in Table 2.
Groundwater contaminants have been detected in off-site residential wells to the east of the site as well as the on-site Sarney well. All residential wells in the area draw groundwater from within the bedrock. Additional data were collected subsequent to the RI by NYS DOH and DC DOH, due to the inadequacy of the residential well data in the RI/FS report. NYS DOH results indicate contamination of the bedrock aquifer with 1,1-dichloroethane to the east and south of the site. The concentrations detected were about 2 mcg/L in well water from three residences. As part of the post-ROD groundwater investigation, off-site private drinking water supply wells were sampled and tested for contamination in March and June 1992. The results showed contamination in two wells with trichloroethene and 1,2-dichloroethane detected below 1 mcg/L and at 2 mcg/L, respectively. In June 1992, NYS DOH sampled and tested two residential wells. One well contained cis-1,2-dichloroethene and trichloroethene at about 0.5 mcg/L each. Other contaminants detected in 1986 and 1989 US EPA samples in off-site wells are di-n-butylphthalate, carbon disulfide, 1,2-dichloro-ethane, trichloroethene, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, styrene and lead.
Surface water and sediment samples collected from Cleaver Swamp were slightly contaminated with a variety of organic compounds, typical concentrations were less than 1 mcg/L, except for vinyl chloride which was found in one sample at 68 mcg/L. The analytical result showing vinyl chloride at 68 mcg/L in a surface water sample is unusual and unexpected given the chemical's high volatility. An elevated concentration of arsenic was detected in one surface water sample. The presence of these two compounds is suspect and may not be representative of surface water quality.
C. QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL
In preparing this public health assessment, NYS DOH relied on the information provided in the referenced documents and assumed that adequate quality control measures were followed with regard to chain of custody, laboratory procedures, and data reporting. The analyses and conclusions in this public health assessment are valid only if the referenced information is complete.
Samples collected by DC DOH and analyzed by NYS DOH were subject to NYS DOH QA/QC procedures. Analytical techniques followed US EPA methodology as adapted by the NYS DOH Wadsworth Center for Laboratories and Research. Analytical results subsequently passed QA/QC review.
Residential well data collected by US EPA for the RI/FS had QA/QC problems. The distilled water used for preparing trip blanks was found to be contaminated with 1,2-dichloroethane. Because of the trip blank contamination with this compound, US EPA adjusted the detection limit of 1,2-dichloroethane for these samples; because of the adjusted higher detection limit, the number of samples in which this compound was originally detected dropped from ten to one.
Vinyl chloride was detected in a single surface water sample at 68 mcg/L. Even though this result passed US EPA QA/QC review, this result is unlikely. Because of its relatively high vapor pressure, vinyl chloride would not remain in surface water for any long period since it would evaporate into the atmosphere. Additional sampling in the Cleaver Swamp or the other surface water bodies did not detect this compound. Groundwater and sub-surface soil samples did not detect this compound at appreciable levels. If this result is from degradation of the other chlorinated compounds present at this site, then vinyl chloride and its degradation precursors should have been detected in this and subsequent surface water samples.
No physical hazards were found at the site.
E. TOXIC RELEASE INVENTORY (TRI)
To identify possible facilities that could contribute to the environmental contamination near the Sarney site, the NYS DOH searched the 1989 Toxic Chemical Release Inventory (TRI). TRI is developed by the US EPA from the chemical release (air, water, and soil) information provided by certain industries. The TRI did not contain information on toxic chemical release in the Town of Amenia and, therefore, will not be discussed further in this public health assessment.
To determine whether nearby residents and persons on-site are exposed to contaminants migrating from the site, an evaluation was made of the environmental and human components that lead to human exposure. The pathways analysis consists of five elements: a source of contamination, transport through an environmental medium, a point of exposure, a route of human exposure, and an exposed population.
An exposure pathway is categorized as a completed or potential exposure pathway if the exposure pathway cannot be eliminated. A completed exposure pathway occurs when the five elements of an exposure pathway link the contaminated source to a receptor population. Should a completed exposure pathway exist in the past, present, or future, the population is considered exposed. A potential exposure pathway exists when one or more of the five elements is missing, or if modeling is performed to replace real sampling data. Potential pathways indicate that exposure to a contaminant could have occurred in the past, could be occurring now, or could occur in the future. An exposure pathway can be eliminated if at least one of the five elements is missing and will never be present. The discussion that follows incorporates only those pathways that are important and relevant to the site.
A. COMPLETED EXPOSURE PATHWAYS
Groundwater Exposure Pathways
There is a completed exposure pathway for the past, present, and future ingestion of contaminated groundwater at this site. On-site monitoring wells in both the shallow and deep aquifers have confirmed the presence of several VOCs at levels which exceed the current NYS or Federal MCLs for drinking water. Residential groundwater wells to the south and east of the site are contaminated with similar contaminants that have been found in the on-site groundwater monitoring wells. Off-site migration of contaminated groundwater is likely, and may have been occurring for 23 years. The number of bedrock monitoring wells installed as part of the environmental investigations at the site is limited. Therefore, the extent and direction of contaminated groundwater migration can not be determined reliably. The areas surrounding the Sarney Property are entirely dependent on groundwater wells as a source of drinking water. Fourteen wells have been sampled and at present three residential wells have been found to be contaminated with the remaining eleven wells at risk for future contamination. To date, however, contaminants have not been found above health based standards.
In addition to ingestion exposures from contaminated groundwater there is also the potential for inhalation exposure from VOCs volatilizing from contaminated groundwater. The potential for dermal contact exposure to contaminated groundwater is also present from the use of contaminated groundwater.
B. POTENTIAL EXPOSURE PATHWAYS
Soil Exposure Pathways
The soil exposure pathway at the site has been deemed a potential exposure pathway for ingestion and dermal contact with contaminated soils.
On-site subsurface soils in the areas of chemical disposal are highly contaminated with toluene, 4-methyl-2-pentanone, 2-butanone, and trichloroethene present at levels from 220 to 14,000 milligrams per kilogram. In the event that these soils are disturbed or excavated, there is a potential for dermal and inhalation exposures to humans present on-site. These exposures could affect present and future residents of the property or those involved in site remediation or investigations. In addition, if soils are disturbed, the VOC concentrations in the soils are high enough to pose an off-site inhalation exposure to residents located directly south of the site through volatilization.
Highly contaminated soils and buried drums are present at several locations at the site. Any proposed remediation of this site will remove the remaining buried drums and the contaminated soils. Potential exposures to these contaminated soils could occur through direct contact and ingestion. This would be especially of concern if the soils are disturbed. Future residential development of the site would result in potential exposures to any remaining contaminated soils through direct contact and ingestion. In addition, future residents may be exposed through contaminated soil vapor migration into basements. Such exposures are unlikely since the areas with contaminated groundwater are in areas of the site which would not be conducive to future building.
Surface Water Exposure Pathways
Discharge of groundwater to the on-site and off-site surface water bodies, the on-site pond and Cleaver Swamp, could result from contaminants migrating to these surface water bodies from the shallow groundwater aquifer. Potential exposures from direct contact with and ingestion of contaminated surface water would result to people using the water bodies for recreational uses.
Table 3 summarizes the potential human exposures associated with the Sarney site.
B. Health Outcome Data Evaluation
No health outcome data have been generated for this site and no site specific studies have been done. Currently there are no plans for specific studies because exposure to contaminants in drinking water is low. In addition, there have been no community health concerns which indicate any adverse health outcomes. The situation will be reevaluated if new data become available.
C. Community Health Concerns Evaluation
We have addressed each of the community concerns about health as follows:
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