EPA v. SIGNO TRADING INTERNATIONAL

Case summary

EPA REGION II RECOMMENDS THE INITIATION OF A CIVIL ACTION PURSUANT TO CERCLA 106(B) AND 107(A) AGAINST SIGNO TRADING INTERNATIONAL, LTD; SCI CHEMICALS; AND JACK AND CHARLES COLBERT, OFFICERS OF THE TWO COMPANIES (HEREINAFTER COLLECTIVELY REFERRED TO AS SIGNO UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED). THESE PARTIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ABANDONING HAZARDOUS SUB- STANCES AT A WAREHOUSE LOCATED AT 1 LYONS PLACE, MT. VERNON, WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY. IT ALSO RECOMMENDS NAMING THE VARI- OUS PRESENT AND PAST OWNERS OF THE WAREHOUSE, TO WIT, LYNRIC ASSOCIATES, INC.; ARNOLD SCHWARTZ; ARNOLD FADER; NEW ISLAND INVESTORS, AND 11 HARTFORD AVENUE, INC., AS DEFENDANTS IN THIS ACTION. ON 3/24/84, REGION II ISSUED A SECTION 106 ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER TO THE ABOVE REFERENCED PERSONS AND ENTITIES REQUIR- ING THEM TO SUBMIT AND IMPLEMENT PROVIDING FOR THE CLEAN UP OF THE WAREHOUSE. BRIEFLY, THE REMOVAL ACTION CONSISTED OF SAMPLING MATERIALS FOR COMPATIBILITY ANALYSES, PACKING COM- PATIBLE MATERIALS INTO 55 GALLON DRUMS, OVERPACKING LEAKING DRUMS, DECONTAMINATING THE FLOOR AND DISPOSING THE MATERIAL AT PROPER SITES. THE REMOVAL ACTION TOOK FROM 5/14/84 UNTIL 7/3/84 TO COMPLETE. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SPENT APPROXI- MATELY $142,773 FOR THE REMOVAL ACTION. PROPOSED RELIEF TO BE SOUGHT: COST RECOVERY OF ALL GOVERN- MENTAL EXPENDITURES TO DATE AND CIVIL PENALTIES FOR VIOLATING EPA'S ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER. *************** REFERRAL TO DOJ ON MAY 31, 1996 TO ENFORCE THE JACK COLBERT, ET AL PARTIAL CD NUMBER 02-94-C002 WHICH WAS ENTERED BY THE COURT ON 12/10/93. THE CD ENFORCEMENT REFERRAL RECOMMENDS THE INITIATION OF A COLLECTION ACTION AGAINST THE 6 PRPS.

Defendants (10)

• 11 HARTFORD AVENUE, INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• COLBERT COMPANIES (THE)Named in settlement
• COLBERT, CHARLESNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• COLBERT, JACKNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• FADER, ARNOLDNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• LYNRIC ASSOCIATESNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• NEW ISLAND INVESTORS, INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• SCHWARTZ, ARNOLDNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• SIGNO TRADING INC. A/K/A SCI CHEMICALSNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• SISKIN, MYRONNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• SIGNO TRADING - LYONS PLACE

  1 LYONS PLACE, MOUNT VERNON, NY, 10550

  Registry ID: 110010638603

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 107 — Superfund
• CERCLA 106 — Imminent & Substantial Endangerment Order

Enforcement conclusions (4)

• COLBERT, JACK ET ALentered 1999-03-24

  Primary law: CERCLA

• JACK COLBERT, ET AL.entered 1993-12-10

  Primary law: CERCLA

  Federal penalty: $22,500

• 11 HARTFORD AVENUE, INC.entered 1993-12-10

  Primary law: CERCLA

• ARNOLD SCHWARTZ, ET AL.entered 1993-12-10

  Primary law: CERCLA

Timeline (8 milestones)

• 1986-09-30Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1986-09-30Referred To Headquarters
• 1987-07-06Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1987-07-06Referred TO U.S. Attorney
• 1987-07-06Complaint Filed With Court
• 1999-03-24Final Order Lodged
• 1999-03-24Final Order Entered
• 1999-03-24Concluded