Recycling

Soil Drop Off at Milpitas, CA

Sampling Guidelines and General Testing Requirements for Acceptance of Fill Material at Serpa Pit in Milpitas, CA

The following information is the basic requirements and guidelines set forth by Raisch Products for the import of fill material. The following tests and sampling methods are required for all material before it can be submitted for approval for placement at the 9300 Serpa Pit in Milpitas, Ca.

Strictly adhering to these guidelines allows us to ensure that we place clean fill consistently throughout the site. Furthermore reducing potential cost and time involved with receiving approval either from Raisch Products or an alternative dump site.

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Sampling Guidelines  |  General Testing Requirements  |  Methods

Sampling Guidelines

The collection and analysis of soil samples is necessary to generate a data set of adequate size for soil screening. The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has developed guidelines to ensure that sufficient samples are collected to adequately charecterize the source site (DTSC2001). The DTSC recemandations have been summarized in Table 1.

As seen in Table 1, the required number of samples increases substantially after soil is excavated, because in-place characterization of the source area soil provides results that can be interpreted in the context of land use with respect to depth and location and the lateral coverage can be more readily assessed. Therefore, substantial cost savings can be realized if the site is characterized prior to excavation. Historical information about site uses and practices can also be extremly helpful in evaluating the potential for contamination. Documentation such as a Phase I or Phase II reports, or limited soil investigations are particularly useful.

Although the DTSC-recommends the values in Table 1, the actual number of samples will depend on past site use, the complexity of the site infrastructure, and findings from historical reports. Past industrial use at a site would generally prompt the collection of a larger number of samples than shown in Table 1.

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General Testing Requirements

Analytes and Analytical Methods

The amount of historical site information will help determine the families of compounds that need to be analyzed. In general, metals, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and pesticides data should always be collected. Do to Silicon Valleys historic agricultural use it is recommended pesticides be tested in the initial process. If TPH as gasoline (TPHg) is detected, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and total xylenes (BTEX) should also be analyzed. If TPH as diesel (TPHd) and/or TPH as motor oil (TPHmo) are detected, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) should be analyzed. VOCs and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) should also be analyzed at sites with past industrial use.

Table 2 contains recommended analytical methods for each family of compounds. However, other analytical methods can be applied, pending review of site history and initial test results.

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Methods

Metals

EPA Method 6010B
Reporting Limit (0.2 – 5 mg/kg)
*STLCs may be required of certain metals upon results of test.

Metals are tested to show if any are outside of the **ESL guidelines for acceptance. High metal content can have a detrimental effect on the microbial organisms within the native soil, which in turn can vastly change the equilibrium of the existing site background and its surrounding natural vegetation and wildlife.

Certain metals at high concentrations can have major affects on human health and safety. Some of these are Chromium, Lead, Arsenic, and Mercury. This is the reason an *STLC can be requested from time to time.

TPH

Total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) - Diesel (d), Gasoline (g) and Motor Oil (mo).
EPA Method 8015B
Reporting Limit (1 mg/kg)
Site background information may require additional TPH tests other than just (g), (d) and (mo).
Detection of TPH-g triggers a BTEX analysis.
Detection of TPH-mo triggers PAH, PCB and VOC analysis.

Some of the TPH compounds can affect human and wildlife’s central nervous system. As with metals they can have a drastic affect on the natural microbial organisms within the soil. Some hydrocarbons can settle deeper within soil given the amount of time the ***situ soil has been exposed to contamination and by what kind petroleum product. Since all TPH properties are a derivative of some sort of petroleum product.

BTEX

EPA Method 8260B
Reporting Limit (0.25 µg/kg)

BTEX is the acronym for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes. These are just some of the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) found in petroleum derivatives. Ethylbenzene is a gasoline and aviation fuel additive and with toluene and xylenes (TEX) they can have a dramatic effect on human or animals central nervous system.

Site backgrounds with a history of Underground or Aboveground storage tanks will automatically trigger a BTEX test. Storage tanks are some of the main culprits in gasoline or hazardous waste contamination of a site.

VOCs

EPA Method 8260B
Reporting Limit (0.25 µg/kg)

“Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects.” http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html. 1/22/08

VOC’s are found in thousands of products ranging from petrolium products, household chemicals to cosmetics. Many VOC’s are also naturaly occuring do to decompasition of natural vegitation, which are refered to as Non-Volotile Organic Compounds (NVOCs).

PAHs

EPA Method 8270
Reporting Limit (0.25 µg/kg)
Detection of PAHs triggers a review of historical land use.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are compounds that can be point source pollutants as in oil spills. PAHs have low solubility in water and low vapor pressure, which means they are very hard to get rid of. It takes a long time for them to vaporize out of what they may be contaminating. Because it takes so long for PAHs to vaporize, they can have long lasting negative effect on soil and groundwater.

One of the PAH compounds benzo[a]pyrene is one of the first chemical carcinogens ever discovered. Along with benzo[a]pyrene the **EPA has classified numerous other chemical compounds within the PAH group to be probable human carcinogens.

Pesticides

EPA Method 8081A
Reporting Limit (varies)
Detection of pesticides triggers a review of historical land use.

“Though often misunderstood to refer only to insecticides, the term pesticide also applies to herbicides, fungicides, and various other substances used to control pests.”

“Under United States law, a pesticide is also any substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant, or desiccant.”

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/about/index.htm. 1/22/08

Do to the Bay Area’s extensive history in aggriculture and the use of pesticides it is highly recommended to have them tested for.

PCBs

EPA Method 8082
Reporting Limit (0.01-0.02 mg/kg)
Detection of PCBs triggers review of historical land use.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a class of organic compounds that were used as coolants and insulating fluids for transformers and capacitors, stabilizing additives in flexible PVC coatings of electrical wiring and electronic components, pesticide extenders, cutting oils, flame retardants, hydraulic fluids, sealants, adhesives, paints, de-dusting agents, and in carbonless copy paper.

PCB production was stoped in the 1970’s. They are rarely found but it must be considered with removal of soil around older buildings. Do to the extremely strict **ESL level of acceptance for PCBs it is highly recommended they be tested for.

*STLC – Soluble Threshold Limit Concentration – defines a hazardous waste based on soluble (leachable) concentrations of constituents. Leachable concentrations are measured based on the Waste Extraction Test (WET). Samples which fail either the TTLC or the STLC are “California hazardous waste.” WET is usually run if the total metal concentration exceeds 10XSTLC. The WET procedure is generally more aggressive than the TCLP (see below). TTLCs and STLCs are established for metals, pesticides, PCBs, and certain herbicides.

** ESL – Environmental Screening Levels – locally established, risk-based screening levels for both soil and groundwater. They are developed by the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB). They are not “law” but rather guidance. They differentiate between shallow soil and deeper soil (>10 ft bgs). ESLs take into account both human health risks and aquatic exposure. They also take into account chemical properties of chemicals in terms of their movement from surface soils to groundwater. There are different ESLs for residential, commercial, and construction worker exposures. ESLs are considered conservative by the RWQCB.

*** Situ is in reference to

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