Vermiculite Northwest Inc./W.R. Grace, 1318 Maple Street, Spokane, Washington
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EPA
Region		 Location of facility Type of facility Amount
of ore
received
(in tons)		 Did
EPA
visit
the
site?		 Were
samples
taken?		 Results of
evaluation
10 1318 Maple Street, Spokane, Washington Former exfoliation facility 43,045 Yes-April 2000 Yes According to an EPA database compiled from W.R. Grace shipping invoices, 43,045 tons of vermiculite ore from the Libby mine were shipped to this site between January 1966 and February 1974. At the time of EPA’s visit, this site was approximately 2 acres and located in an area with mixed commercial and residential land uses. Housing was present about 50 meters north of the facility and 40 meters to the south, and commercial properties were located to the east and west. At the time of EPA’s investigation, the site was owned by Spokane County. A chain-link fence around the site’s perimeter restricted access to the property. The building that housed the vermiculite expansion furnace had been torn down in the mid-1990s. In April 2000, EPA collected eight soil and dust samples. Six of these samples contained asbestos in concentrations ranging from trace levels (less than 1-percent) to 2-percent. Polarized light microscopy (PLM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to analyze the samples. Follow-up sampling was conducted on September 5, 2001. Thirteen samples were collected from the site, 12 samples were collected from neighborhood yards near the site, and 2 samples were collected from a residence in Chattaroy, Washington where vermiculite waste rock originating from this facility reportedly had been placed in a driveway and garden. On-site sampling results ranged from no detectable levels of asbestos to 3-percent asbestos. Off-site sampling revealed a few locations with trace levels (less than 1-percent) of asbestos in the soil, including the two samples from the residence in Chattaroy. PLM and TEM were used to analyze these samples. On the basis of these findings and other pertinent information, including discussions with officials from Spokane County and the Washington State Department of Ecology, a decision was made to clean up the site. In July 2004, the county agreed to conduct the cleanup and the state was designated as the lead agency for overseeing cleanup activities pursuant to the state’s voluntary cleanup program. All remaining former buildings on the site were demolished and a large portion of the site was paved. EPA planned to have discussions with Spokane County and the Washington State Department of Ecology in early 2009 regarding the need for additional investigation and cleanup activities at this site. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s (ATSDR) health consultation report for this site can be found at ATSDR.

GAO-09-6R