The Gila River Boundary Site is located on the Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) reservation, immediately southwest of Phoenix and Laveen, AZ.
The Site was formerly used as a runway for a "crop dusting" operation. After landing, pesticide applicator planes would blow-out remaining pesticides from on-board storage tanks. These activities created an expanisve area of toxaphene contaminated surface soil (approx. 8 acres).
The U.S. EPA Region 9 Emergency Response Section (ERS) and the GRIC Department of Environmental Quality conducted a removal assessment in October 2002. ERS collaborated with EPA's Environmental Response Team to devise a remedy using bioremediation.
Anaerobic degradation of toxaphene will be accomplished by loading contaminated soil into lined pits or "burritos" and adding amendments, including starch, phosphate, bloodmeal and water. The burritos will be sealed and allowed to heat in the desert sun.
