The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its findings on a hazardous chemical release that took place in Canfield back in July of 2024.

The incident happened on the Mill Creek Bike Trail by Saw Mill Creek in Canfield in July of 2024 when a Hydrogen Chloride Leak was reported. In October, an agreement was reached between the EPA and Mill Creek Metroparks to put a fence up along the bike trails and wetlands.

The EPA found that these hazardous chemicals were coming from a coil manufacturing business operating out of the Canfield Steel facility. The chemicals leaked into a ditch just east of the facility.

According to the report dated Tuesday, January 7, the spill is suspected to have happened because of dislodged process fluids from sealed piping that had deteriorated.

Preliminary findings revealed elevated levels of chemicals such as cyanide and zinc, as well as high pH levels. At least 1500 feet of the ditch, including wetland areas, were impacted.

Based on this information, the EPA determined that Canfield Steel had established an unlawful waste disposal facility by disposing of hazardous waste without first obtaining a permit.

Sampling and analysis of subsurface soil, sediment and groundwater in the area revealed significant concentrations of trichloroethylene (TCE).

However, Canfield Steel told EPA that the facility does not use TCE in its operations and staff did not know where it came from, but mentioned the possibility of it coming from operations from the previous owners.

Canfield Steel is working with the EPA to determine the source of the TCE.

In the meantime, the EPA issued the following orders to Canfield Steel:

- Meet with EPA to develop a correction action framework (CAF) agreement within 45 days

- In accordance with the time frame of that agreement, submit a sampling and analysis plan for the facility and ditch and wetland and stream areas. Submission of the plans shall serve to be an appropriate surrogate RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) work plan

- Upon completion of the work outline in the RFI work plan, submit a RFI final report to the EPA summarizing the results of the investigation and define the nature and extent of of the chemical release.

 Additional meetings may be necessary if the final report plan suggests that further corrective action needs to be taken. From there, Canfield Steel must take that corrective action and submit another RFI final report on the actions taken.

In the event that any new materials are discovered or releases happen, the EPA must be notified within 30 days.

In the event that an imminent or potentially imminent threat is identified, the EPA must be notified verbally within 48 hours and in writing within two weeks. This notification must specify the severity of the threat.

In the interim, Canfield Steel must continue with its ditch interim measure plan into the future as needed and establish routine inspections and make any corrections necessary.

A TCE interim measure plan must also be submitted within two weeks of the effective date of the orders.

The EPA is also asking Canfield Steel to pay $14,000 in restitution for emergency response costs, as well as $105,660 in civil penalties within 30 days.

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