Diamond Magnesium/ Painesville

Department of Energy Sites
Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP)
Diamond Magnesium/ Painesville

Painesville, Ohio

The Diamond Magnesium/Painesville FUSRAP Site is located at 720 Fairport-Nursery Road. It was formerly a magnesium production facility owned by the Diamond Magnesium Company. In 1951, 1952 and 1953, Diamond Magnesium received approximately 1,650 tons of radiological contaminated scrap steel from the Lake Ontario Ordnance Works, to be used to control chlorine emissions during the magnesium production process. In the early 1960s the General Services Administration sold the Diamond Magnesium facility to Uniroyal Chemical Company, Inc., and LONZA Inc.

Due to the receipt and storage of the radiological contaminated metal, the facility was designated under the federal government’s Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) under the Department of Energy (DOE) on September 25, 1992. The DOE began the FUSRAP in 1974 to study sites involved in the World War II and Manhattan Project activities, as well as, peacetime activities under the Atomic Energy Commission.

In October of 1997, the US Congress, through the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, transferred responsibility for the administration and execution of the FUSRAP to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

The primary contaminants of concern at the Diamond Magnesium Site are radium, thorium, and uranium from residual materials in the scrap drums sent to the facility for production process. In 1988 and 1991, DOE conducted two surveys of the Diamond Magnesium site. The surveys identified radiological contaminant levels in excess of 40 CFR 192 guidelines in both surface and subsurface soils. In 1996, DOE performed a detailed investigation of the facility including surface water and building investigations. These results are documented in the "Site Characterization Report for the Painesville Site," dated January 1998.

An Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) for remediation of the Painesville Site was finalized in June of 1998. The Removal Action proposed by the EE/CA included the excavation and offsite disposal of soils with Radium-226 concentrations greater than 27 pCi/g. The Action Memorandum for the Painesville Removal Action was signed on September 2, 1998, and excavation of contaminated soils began on September 22, 1998. Excavation was halted in November of 1998, after it became apparent that the extent of soil contamination was greater than expected and beyond the scope of the Action Memorandum.

The State of Ohio (Ohio EPA and Ohio Department of Health) provide oversight to the investigations and cleanup of FUSRAP sites under a Cooperative Agreement with the USACE.

Current Painesville Site Status

The focused Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) investigation occurred in September of 2000. The first draft of the RI/FS Report was submitted to Ohio in March of 2001. Based upon comments generated by Ohio's review, meetings have been occurring between Ohio and USACE to address issues in order to finalize the RI/FS Report.

Upon finalization of the RI/FS Report, USACE will draft a preferred plan documenting the preferred remedial alternative for the site. This is scheduled for the spring of 2002.

Information Sources

Document repositories for the Diamond Magnesium site are located:

Morley Library
184 Phelps Street
Painesville, Ohio

Fairport Harbor Public Library
335 Vine Street
Fairport Harbor, Ohio

For environmental queries relating to this site, contact:

Kurt Kollar
Ohio EPA
330-963-1160

OR:

Joe Crombie
ODH
614-644-2727