EPA v. SNYDER, HAROLD (INTERSTATE TRANSFORMER)

Case summary

FROM 1977 THROUGH 1983, DEFENDANTS INTERSTATE AND HAROLD SNYDER WERE ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS OF REPAIRING, RESELLING, SALVAGING AND/OR PREPARING AND ARRANGING FOR DISPOSAL OF ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMERS, TRANSFORMER PARTS AND OIL, AND OF STORING WASTE TRANSFORMER OIL AT THE INTERSTATE FACILITY. THE FACILITY IS LOCATED IN ELLWOOD CITY, PA. IN A MIXED COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE SITE IS FLANKED BY PRIVATE RESIDENCES ON TWO SIDES. AN ESTIMATED 100 PEOPLE LIVE WITHIN 100 YARDS OF THE FACILITY'S STORAGE BUILDING. THE POPULATION OF ELLWOOD CITY IS APPROXIAMATLY 10,000 PERSONS. AS PART OF THEIR BUSINESS OPERATIONS, DEFENDANTS RECONDIT IONED TRANSFORMER OIL BY FILTERING OUT CARBON AND OTHER CON- TAMINANTS. SNYDER AND INTERSTATE ALSO RECLAIMED COPPER FROM TRANSFORMER COILS BY INCINERATING THE COILS. THE TRANSFORMER OIL STORED AND/OR RECONDITIONED CONTAINED POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCB'S), WHICH WERE AT THE TIME USED BY THE ELECTRIC FACILITY IN DIELECTRIC FLUIDS. THE SITE WAS NOT SECURED, ALLOWING AREA RESIDENTS AND OTHER PERSONS, INCLUDING CHILDREN, ACCESS TO THE FACILITY AND TO THE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES LOCATED WITHIN THE FACILITY. IN ADDITION TO PCB'S DEFENDANTS STORED AT THE SITE THE FOLLOWING SUBSTANCES: AMMONIUM, BIFLUORIDE, ANILINE, ANTHRA- CENE, CUPRIC SULFATE, FERROUS SULFATE, MERCUROUS NITRATE, PHOSPHORIC ACID, POTASSIUM CHROMATE, POTASSIUM CYANIDE, SODIUM CHROMATE, TRICHLOROBENZENE, VINYL ACETATE AND ZIRCO- NIUM NITRATE. ALL OF WHICH ARE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES UNDER CERCLA SECTION 107.

Defendants (12)

• ALLIS CHALMERSNamed in settlement
• AMERICAN GAGE & MACHINE CO., INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• ELLICOTT, R.W. AND SONSNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• FORD MOTORSNamed in settlement
• HARTMAN MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEMSNamed in settlement
• HIRSCH ELECTRIC COMPANYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• INTERSTATE TRANSFORMER, INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• LEOPOLD, F.B. COMPANY INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• MOUNT SINAI MEDICAL CENTERNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• SNYDER, HAROLDNamed in complaint
• STANDARD ARTWARE, INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• TRANSFORMER SERVICES, INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• INTERSTATE TRANSFORMER

  2ND AND HILLSIDE AVES, ELLWOOD CITY, PA, 16117

  Registry ID: 110010614610

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 107 — Superfund

Enforcement conclusions (3)

• INTERSTATE TRANSFORMERS, INC.entered 1992-01-23

  Primary law: CERCLA

• INTERSTATE TRANSFORMERS, INC.entered 1988-10-26

  Primary law: CERCLA

• ALLIS-CHALMERSentered 1988-11-16

  Primary law: CERCLA

Timeline (7 milestones)

• 1988-06-13Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1988-06-30Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1988-10-26Complaint Filed With Court
• 1992-01-23Final Order Lodged
• 1992-01-23Final Order Entered
• 1992-01-23Concluded
• 2001-04-10Enforcement Action Closed