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    Complaint

    17956
    WPC
    3/4/2011
    Phone
    Pollution / Spills / Illicit Discharge
    19-JUL-2019 06:38AM

    Location based on SITE_ID

    Site ID
    4903
    Site
    Carlex Glass America, LLC
    Location
    7200 Centennial Blvd
    City
    Nashville
    Description
    Raw batch is melted to produce flat glass, which is formed into automotive parts in subsequent operations at the facility.
    County
    Davidson
    EFO Name
    Nashville
    Site Owner
    -

    Investigation Results

    Referred to Enforcement
    3/4/2011
    Zeledyne
    3/4/2011
    Yes

    Complaint Description and Writeup

    Black-colored discharge at outfall 002. Josh Hayes investigated and found that the black color resulted from the improper draining of a water treatment plant clarifier containing black-colored sludge. The sludge was discharged onto the ground nearby where it flowed into the outfall 002 discharge channel. Josh made photos and collected a sample of the discharge. He was detained on site because of the photos that he had taken. Michael Hunt accompanied by Metro Police came to the site to prompt Josh's release.

    3-4-2011 - I arrived at Zeledyne at approximately 1:15 PM. By this time, the Metro personnel had left the site. From Briley Parkway, I observed that outfall 002 was no longer discolored.

    I was met by Rick Maheras, Peter Jones, Mike Wilson, Ken Smerecki and Rceen Taylor, all with Zeledyne. We inspected the drained clarifier and the path of the discharged clarifier contents. The flow of black solids to outfall 002 had been stopped by the construction of an earthen berm. I made photos at the clarifier and of the spill containment area.

    Ms. Taylor and Mr. Smerecki provided details of the incident. A gearbox driving the clarifier scraper assembly had failed. To gain access to the gearbox the clarifier containing ~900,000 gallons of water and sludge was drained to the ground. The intent was for the drained solids to be retained in the wooded area nearby, but instead they flowed to the open discharge channel of outfall 002. The routine procedure for draining the clarifier uses a connection to Metro sanitary sewer. Apparently, that option requires a slower discharge rate than the Zeledyne personnel would tolerate in this case.

    I asked Ms. Taylor to determine how much of the 900,000 gallons was sludge and report that information to me. It is likely that operational records will show the depth of solids in the tank at the time it was emptied.