City of Radford Virginia environmental issues and problems include things like railroad ties, dumping raw sewage, poor recycling, unregulated air toxics, and other items.

“The black dust - found to be mostly iron particles in a 1993 analysis - has been described by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality as a nuisance, but not a health threat. That's because the particles are too big to lodge in a person's lungs, explained Robert Saunders, a state air enforcement manager.” (Roanoke Times 09/18/1999)

“The dust is mostly sand, iron and bits of unburned coal -- an irritant, but not a health threat, state officials said.” (Roanoke Times, 02/29/2000)

“Robert Anderson, a DEQ enforcement specialist, [said] DEQ did not know and had not investigated [what was being emitted from the foundry stack]... until there was reason to investigate it. Anderson said he was aware there were small amounts of possible carcinogens, and once public hearings and input were completed, DEQ would investigate how much toxic emission was coming out and IF it was an environmental threat.” (Southwest Times 06/28/2002).

Right: Here we see mounds of trash within a stone's throw of the Glencoe museum. This is an unregulted dump. Bottles of transmission fluid, barrels of unknown substances, old appliances and animal carcasses were found in the heap

Three young men help clean up in April, 2004. Fortunately for Radford, young people are very willing to help -- if only the government can find a way to lead.

Still, even the most well-meaning volunteers can't tackle the kind of daunting cleanup jobs facing Radford.

THE RAILROAD TIES

It's been called the worst environmental problem on the New River

You can barely make out a white truck perched on the top of this seemingly endless heap of railroad ties. The wall of ties is about 20 to 30 feet high and easily half a mile long. It's located behind the post office and the shopping center near Glencoe museum. There are at least a quarter million railroad ties dumped here. To see it, go to the end of the Glencoe road and walk down to the tracks.

What's wrong with railroad ties? The creosote that preserves them is made from coal tar and is carcinogenic. They contaminate groundwater. And they are flamable. Smoke from the ties would be very dangerous.

The railroad refuses to take responsibility for this clear and present danger to human health.

Radford's Environment A web site explaining environmental problems of Radford, Virginia. Right: A washout along the river shows drainage problems from the Intermet foundry sand dump site. This is located half a mile upriver from Bissett Park. (Photo taken 2002)
RADFORD FOUNDRY TIMELINE 1996 – At its peak operation, Intermet showers Radford with 343,000 pounds of air pollutants, according to EPA’s toxic resource inventory data sheet. http://iaspub.epa.gov/enviro/tris_control.tris_print?tris_id=24141LYNCHFIRST Among these are188,000 lbs. of hazardous air pollutions, including cyanides, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethyl benzene, formaldehyde and phenol.* Thousands of pounds of sand (total suspended particles) are also showered on the town daily. Concern grows. 1999 -- 2002 State officials issue deceptive statements: “The black dust - found to be mostly iron particles in a 1993 analysis - has been described by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality as a nuisance, but not a health threat. That's because the particles are too big to lodge in a person's lungs, explained Robert Saunders, a state air enforcement manager.” (Roanoke Times 09/18/1999) “The dust is mostly sand, iron and bits of unburned coal -- an irritant, but not a health threat, state officials said.” (Roanoke Times, 02/29/2000) “Robert Anderson, a DEQ enforcement specialist, [said] DEQ did not know and had not investigated [what was being emitted from the foundry stack]... until there was reason to investigate it. Anderson said he was aware there were small amounts of possible carcinogens, and once public hearings and input were completed, DEQ would investigate how much toxic emission was coming out and IF it was an environmental threat.” (Southwest Times 06/28/2002). 2000 – Intermet develops air pollution control plan that supposedly includes better control over casting sand and air pollutants. 2001 – EPA says: “The Intermet Radford Foundry ... is a RCRA large quantity hazardous waste generator... The main hazardous wastes generated traditionally have been cupola and electric induction furnace baghouse dusts and carbide slag.” ** 2001 — October -- Virginia Dept. of Environmental Quality quietly dismantles its dust monitoring system near the plant. Daily TSP values were as high as 171 ug/m3 in 1987, and stayed between 80 and 100 during the 1990s. 2002 – Intermet asks for, and DEQ gives, a two-year waiver from the air pollution plan despite objections from a few citizens. 2004 – A new air pollution plan is put into effect requiring new equipment. 2005 – Intermet installs some new pollution control equipment, including scrubbers for volatile organic compounds (VOC) air pollutants. It’s not clear if the equipment ever worked. 2007 – Intermet is notified by DEQ that it is not in compliance with the 2005 plan and a token fine is levied. 2009 – Intermet is again notified by DEQ that it is not in compliance. 2010 – March 29 - Intermet is found to be a “high priority violator” by the State Air Pollution Control Board. No further action is taken since the company is bankrupt. 2010 – April 23 – Two companies are bidding to buy the plant site and restart the foundry, but Radford city officials decline to comment on the companies. 2010 – April 23 -- DEQ officials say the first phase of an environmental study has been completed, while soil and water sampling is scheduled to start May 1. ( Meade Anderson, DEQ spokesman to Roanoke Times) -------- * Assuming maximum operation at 377,000 tons of steel output per year, the theoretical amounts of significant annual air emissions would be as follows: All Volatile Organic Compounds: 301,000 lbs All Hazardous Air Pollutants: 188,000 lbs. Benzene: 79,000 lbs Toluene: 37,700 lbs. Xylenes: 30,160 lbs Ethyl benzene: 7,500 lbs. (See Fig. 3-5 Comparison of Green Sand/ Core Baseline, Casting Emissions Reduction Program, Baseline Testing Emission Results, Production Foundry, Feb. 7, 2000). ** US EPA, 2001, “Current Progress at the Site,” US EPA, Region 3 GPRA Baseline RCRA Corrective Action Facility Intermet Radford Shell Plant, 1605 First Street, Radford, VA 24141 EPA ID #: VAD010063006 Last Updated 11/14/2001 http://www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/ca/va/pdf/vad010063006.pdf Note: A 1971 standard handbook on pollution control said: “The cupola [volatile] organic emissions of primary concern are halogenated hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, halogenated aromatics, silicones, heterocyclic nitrogen compounds and amines. Inorganic emissions include arsenic, lead, manganese and copper. It is well known that toxic inorganics such as cadmium and mercury are also emitted during melting processes, notably the cupola, if present in the raw materials charged into the furnace… When hot metal is poured into the moulds, the chemical compounds give rise to a number of different thermal decomposition products, these products being characteristic of the different binder system. There are many different types of resins currently in use having diverse and toxic compositions. Toxic compounds contained in resins may include: 4,4'-diphenylmethane dysocyanate, kerosene, polymethylene polyphenylene isocyanate, phenol, formaldehyde and diethylene glycol among others. (Lund, H. F., Industrial Pollution Control Handbook, New York: McGrawHill 1971 -- Cited by the UN Industrial Development Organization at http://www.unido.org/ssites/env/sectors/sectors33ab.html)

City of Radford	Other environmental liabilities	*Environmental Assets*
	Air pollution: untested, unregulated Solid waste: unregulated dumps, foundry sand, Railroad Ties Waste recycling: low quality system Water quality: raw sewage, erosion, PCBs Interference with endangered species	Natural beauty . Pathways for Radford bike path Children willing to help adults understand the importance of the environment.
Right: Here we see mounds of trash within a stone's throw of the Glencoe museum. This is an unregulted dump. Bottles of transmission fluid, barrels of unknown substances, old appliances and animal carcasses were found in the heap Three young men help clean up in April, 2004. Fortunately for Radford, young people are very willing to help -- if only the government can find a way to lead. Still, even the most well-meaning volunteers can't tackle the kind of daunting cleanup jobs facing Radford.

THE RAILROAD TIES It's been called the worst environmental problem on the New River You can barely make out a white truck perched on the top of this seemingly endless heap of railroad ties. The wall of ties is about 20 to 30 feet high and easily half a mile long. It's located behind the post office and the shopping center near Glencoe museum. There are at least a quarter million railroad ties dumped here. To see it, go to the end of the Glencoe road and walk down to the tracks. What's wrong with railroad ties? The creosote that preserves them is made from coal tar and is carcinogenic. They contaminate groundwater. And they are flamable. Smoke from the ties would be very dangerous. The railroad refuses to take responsibility for this clear and present danger to human health.
	*(Above) A half mile of discarded railroad ties -- the most serious environmental problem on the New River.*
		In the summer, people swim in this river... But when heavy rains come, sewage overflow from low manholes. It is a serious public health issue along the river. Although some progress is being made with better pumping, new manhole systems are not in the budget. Rusted barrell on the river, more sewage overflow, beer cans piled along the Intermet fence line by the river (left to right, below)