Hazardous Waste Cleanup: IBM Corporation in Kingston, New York
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
All but four of the 32 former solid waste management units (SWMUs) and all of the three areas of concern (AOCs) at the site have been closed in accordance with the New York State Department of Conservation (NYSDEC) requirements. SWMU M and SWMU X are undergoing additional investigation, and SWMU M and SWMU X will be remediated.
IBM has built a groundwater interceptor system to capture and treat contaminated groundwater in the shallow aquifer east of Enterprise Drive. The captured groundwater is treated on-site in an air stripper and the treated effluent is discharged into a site sewer system. The low-level groundwater contamination west of Enterprise Drive is focalized and has no measurable effect on the surface water into which it discharges.
Therefore, the site control perimeter consists of a groundwater collection trench system, a barrier wall, and the storm sewer systems.
On March 15, 2013, IBM has prepared a Statement of Basis in which they proposed further investigation for potential releases at SWMU M and SWMU X, and remediation for SWMU S and SWMU T. On April 1, 2014, an Interim Corrective Measures Work Plan for In Situ Thermal Desorption (ISTD) was approved by NYSDEC to treat the dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) present at SWMU S. The ISTD will operate for four months. The recovered DNAPL will be transferred to containers for off-site disposal and mobilization of VOCs will be captured by vapor recovery wells. Groundwater collected during operation of the recovery wells will be treated in the existing site Groundwater Treatment System, and the effluent will be treated and discharged under the existing State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit.
Site Description
This site, approximately 258 acres in size, is located at Neighborhood Road in Kingston, New York. The site was first developed in the 1950s. Activities in the past were the development, manufacture, and testing of computer systems and the manufacture of electric typewriters. There were releases from underground storage tanks and industrial waste sewer systems, which contaminated groundwater and subsurface soil. TechCity Properties, Inc., the current owner, purchased the property in February 1998.
Some of the buildings are currently leased for warehousing, office space, and other business activities. However, many buildings are unoccupied. Two building have been gutted and one building has been demolished. The site currently has no manufacturing operations and no regulated hazardous waste management activities.
Contaminants at this Facility
Groundwater contamination is largely limited to industrial solvents. Chlorinated solvents (VOCs) have been identified in the subsurface soil and groundwater at the site. The likely sources are the industrial sewer system and the surface impoundment. In addition, dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) has been recently detected. Groundwater quality data from existing bedrock monitoring wells at the site do not indicate any migration of overburden contamination into the bedrock.
Soil vapor intrusion evaluation conducted in several buildings at the site in 2012 shows that no indoor air impacts were detected. Currently, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) requires annual indoor assessment and monitoring for three occupied buildings and further evaluations will be performed if other buildings are occupied.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
In 1988, the Part 373 RCRA permit was issued for the onsite hazardous waste management and corrective action. In 1996, a NYCRR Part 373 Post-Closure Permit was issued for the closed Hazardous Waste Management Lagoon.
TechCity Properties, Inc., the property owner, became a co-permittee with IBM. On July 11, 2011, the New York State Department of Conservation (NYSDEC) executed an Order on Consent with TechCity and IBM. This order on consent supersedes and terminates all RCRA permits previously issued to the facility. The agreement between TechCity and IBM dated July 25, 1997 requires that IBM retained the responsibilities for corrective action.