USAF, Dover AFB advise state agencies that PFAS chemicals exceeding EPA health advisory found in four wells near base

DOVER – The US Air Force and Dover Air Force Base have notified Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and Division of Public Health that four wells near the base sampled by the federal government for perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), have returned elevated levels of PFOS and PFOA above the US Environmental Protection Agency’s health advisory for these substances of 70 parts per trillion (ppt).

Because of the elevated PFOS and PFOA levels, the owners of the four wells – which provide water to a shopping center with five businesses, two residences, and an office building – have been notified and provided with bottled water by Dover AFB. PFOS and PFOA are chemicals used in a variety of products that over time have become widely distributed in the environment – and have been found at Dover AFB and other air bases and airports in firefighting foam. The USAF and EPA have been working with DNREC and DPH to determine the impacts of PFOS and PFOA on private wells in proximity to the base.

A USAF fact sheet about the Dover AFB PFOS and PFOA sampling published in late spring said that groundwater samples collected in shallow monitoring wells on the base showed levels of PFOS and PFOA above EPA’s 70 ppt health advisory. “Based on these results, actions have been undertaken to ensure that drinking water at DAFB and the surrounding community is not impacted,” the fact sheet noted.

No PFOS or PFOA were detected in five nearby municipal water wells tested sampled in November 2014 by Dover AFB’s water supplier, Tidewater Utilities. Tidewater sampled four on-base municipal supply wells and the off-base municipal supply well nearest the base. All of these wells draw water from a deep, confined aquifer, and there were no PFOS or PFOA detections in any of them.

Representatives from the USAF this year then began contacting owners and users of private or commercial wells on properties near the northwest and east boundaries of Dover AFB, and asking permission to take drinking water samples. The four private wells that returned elevated levels of PFOS and PFOA on July 12 are located along those boundaries.

The primary step necessary to protect the public’s health from exposure to PFOS and PFOA in drinking water is to use an alternate water source until a permanent solution can be determined, which may consist of treatment, connecting to a new system, or other solution. DPH encourages the impacted businesses, office building, and dwellings in the affected area to use the bottled water provided by the DAFB until a permanent solution is in place. Anyone with specific health concerns or questions about potential health impacts is encouraged to contact their primary care provider. General questions about health effects from, and exposure to PFAS can call DPH at 302-744-4546.

For more information, please contact:
436th Airlift Wing, Public Affairs
Cell Phone: 302-363-9006 or 302-677-3372.
Email: 436AW.PA@us.af.mil

Vol. 49, No. 193

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DNREC issues Secretary’s Orders requiring scrap tire regulatory compliance and assesses penalties to six facilities

DNREC LogoDOVER – DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin has issued six Notices of Administrative Penalty and Secretary’s Orders to resolve compliance issues with state regulations governing scrap tires. The Orders were issued to Bayly’s Garage in Delmar; Irfan Tire Center in Millsboro; Mall Tire Center, LLC, in Seaford; Master Tire & Auto in Georgetown; Gulab’s Tire Center, LLC in Millsboro; and West Auto Repair & Salvage, Inc. in Delmar. The Orders call for a penalty of $5,000 with an additional stipulated penalty of $1,000 per day if compliance is not achieved by the deadlines established in the Secretary’s Orders.

On Jan. 1, 2017, regulations governing the management of scrap tires became effective in Delaware. Since then, DNREC’s Solid & Hazardous Waste Management Section has conducted mass mailings and training sessions in each Delaware county to educate businesses generating scrap tires of the regulatory requirements. After the educational period for businesses ended, DNREC staff began conducting inspections at facilities accumulating scrap tires outdoors, and providing onsite guidance to those entities that were not in compliance with the new regulations, affording each the opportunity to voluntarily comply.

During these inspections, DNREC staff verify that tire retailers are registered with the Delaware Division of Revenue and are submitting the required $2 fee on every tire sold. The collected fees assist in the removal and proper disposal of scrap tires. Currently, DNREC is focusing its inspections on those businesses identified as not paying the required fee for the sale of each tire.

Each company cited by a Secretary’s Order and Notice of Administrative Penalty has 20 days to appeal the Order, or 30 days to request a public hearing regarding the Order.

The Secretary’s Orders can be found on the DNREC website at https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/secretarys-orders/.

Media contact: Michael Globetti, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 49, No. 159

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DNREC and Perdue AgriRecycle, LLC reach settlement agreement on Solid Waste Permit violations

Dover – Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and Perdue AgriRecycle, LLC (Perdue) have entered into a settlement agreement that resolves environmental violations arising from operations under Composting Permit SW-18/03, DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin announced today. Under this permit, Perdue operates a composting facility in Seaford using agricultural wastes and residues from their operations as feedstock for the company’s compost production.

Perdue’s permit requires quarterly reporting of analytical testing of compost batches to ensure that it is fit to be sold. Issues arose from lab reports being provided in a piecemeal manner to DNREC. Additionally, the reports were missing key data points, and DNREC’s Division of Waste & Hazardous Substances questioned the compost batch samples and their chain-of-custody. Chain-of-custody helps to make sure a sample is handled in such a way as to maintain quality control and prevents introducing potential contamination into the process of moving the sample from the field to the lab.

In addition to the piecemeal data reporting, there were other instances where incorrect data was provided to DNREC as part of Perdue’s quarterly reporting process. In these instances, subsequent review of data showed that the material in question exceeded allowable levels of chemicals including chromium VI and fecal bacteria.

The settlement agreement directs Perdue to change how they are reporting as well as to clarify how reports will be provided to DNREC. Additionally, it focuses on ensuring that the quality of finished product is high and conforms to the standards within Permit SW-18/03 and that “unfinished” product will no longer be distributed by Perdue AgriRecycle, LLC.

Through the settlement agreement, DNREC Secretary Garvin issued an Administrative Penalty to Perdue AgriRecycle, LLC for the violations of Delaware’s Regulations Governing Solid Waste. The Settlement Agreement assesses a penalty of $179,429, which includes $4,429 from Perdue AgriRecycle, LLC for DNREC cost recovery. Perdue has accepted obligations set forth by DNREC and agreed to corrective actions required by the Department.

The settlement agreement can be found on the DNREC website at dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/secretarys-orders/.

Media Contact: Michael Globetti, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902


DNREC offers new cycle of Delaware’s Universal Recycling Grant and Low Interest Loan Program

DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Waste & Hazardous Substances is offering another opportunity under the Universal Recycling Grants and Low Interest Loan Program to help Delaware organizations support the state’s municipal solid waste (MSW) diversion goal of 60 percent diversion of MSW by Jan. 1, 2020. The most recent statistics from 2017 place Delaware at a 43.1 percent diversion rate, compared to the National Diversion Rate, which stands at 34.7 percent as of 2015.

“Statistics show that Delaware is already a national leader in recycling, but we know we still have room to grow under the Universal Recycling law, which guarantees access for recycling to all residents of the First State whether at home, work, school, or play,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “The goal of this grant program is to help organizations within Delaware increase diversion to meet and exceed our statewide goals. We encourage collaborative and creative solutions to help Delaware raise the bar and keep recycling moving in the right direction.”

DNREC, in collaboration with the Recycling Public Advisory Council (RPAC), is offering the following opportunities:

Open/Competitive Programs (total funding: $210,000): This category focuses on projects that promote five key areas identified by RPAC: leveraging data to increase recycling; identifying new or existing markets to accept Delaware’s diverted materials; identifying and measuring ways to educate and encourage recycling or waste reduction behavior change; establishing recycling and/or waste reduction programs within a school, district, or university; and establishing programs to support municipal or county-led waste diversion initiatives. In this category Projects that support the goals outlined in 7 Del. Code §6055 will be considered even if they fall outside of the above parameters.

Food Waste Reduction Initiatives Program (total funding: $100,000): Projects within this category must be directed at ways to help the food service/restaurant industry reduce the amount of food waste going to Delaware landfills.

School Field Trip Program (total funding: $80,000): Funding for school bus companies to take students/classes from a single grade level from every school in Delaware to the Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA) Education Center located in New Castle. This program is open to any public or private school in Delaware.

Application forms and the guidance document are available at Delaware recycling grants and loans, or via Delaware’s recycling website at recycling.delaware.gov. Applicants are advised to read the guidance document prior to submitting their applications. Applications will be due to DNREC by the close of business Friday, July 12, 2019. Due to the limited amount of funding, partial grants might be awarded based on RPAC’s discretion. RPAC and DNREC emphasize that applicants for grants and low-interest loans do not need to be recycling experts to put forward a recycling grant proposal. DNREC highly encourages creative solutions and collaboration among applicants.

To learn more about Delaware Recycles, or for assistance with a grant application, call 302-739-9403 or email recycle@delaware.gov.


New video series on DNREC YouTube Channel shows how to repurpose common recyclable plastic items for new uses

DOVER – Got any empty plastic jugs, frosting tubs, or candy containers waiting to be recycled? A new series of quick, fun videos on the DNREC YouTube Channel shows you some clever ways to reuse and repurpose these items instead of putting them in your recycling cart.

That big plastic jug? Turn it into a watering can.

A plastic ready-made frosting tub leftover from that birthday cake you made last week? It’s the perfect size to hold pencils and pens on your desk – and it’s easy to customize.

After you finish mints, fruity sours, or candy, those little round containers can hold ear buds, change, pills or vitamins, jewelry, or other small items to keep them from getting lost or tangled in your pocket or purse.

Start with a clean container with labels removed – use some goo-gone or other adhesive remover as needed. Then, with some fine-pointed permanent markers and a little creativity, you’ll have a unique item ready for a new life.

To see how it’s done, check out the video series on the DNREC YouTube Channel, and for directions and more inspiration, visit de.gov/repurpose.

CONTACT: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 49, No. 113