EPA v. AIRCO PLATING COMPANY, INC

Case summary

THE SITE IS LOCATED IN MIAMI, DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA. THE SITE CONSISTS OF SEVERAL PARCELS OF LAND ON WHICH AIRCO DISPOSED OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES GENERATED IN ITS ELECTROPLATING OP- ERATIONS FROM 1957 - 1973.THE DISPOSAL ACTIVITIES CONSISTED OF DISCHARGES OF FOUR WASTESTREAMS GENERATED FROM AIRCO'S OPERATIONS. THE FOUR WASTESTREAMS INCLUDED: 1) A CHROMIC A- CID STREAM; 2) A SODIUM CYANIDE STREAM; 3) AN ACID (SULFURIC AND MURIATIC) AND ALKALI STREAM; AND 4) A CADMIUM, COPPER, ZINC, AND TIN STREAM. THREE UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS WERE USED TO COLLECT THESE EFFLUENTS PRIOR TO TREATMENT. THE CHROMIC, CYANIDE AND ACID AND ALKALI STREAMS WERE PLACED IN TANKS FOR TREATMENT. EFFLUENTS FROM THE TREATMENT PROCESSES AND ANY SLUDGE THAT WAS GENERATED WAS ULTIMATELY DISPOSED OF IN THREE UNLINED SEEPAGE PONDS LOCATED AT THE SITE. THE OTHER WASTESTREAM CONSISTED OF A DIRECT DISCHARGE FROM THE PLATING OPERATION INTO THE SEEPAGE PONDS. FROM 1970 - 1986, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMEN- TAL RESOURSES MANAGEMENT (DERM) AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION (FDER) INSPECTED THE SITE AND DETECTED VIOLATIONS OF STATE AND LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL REGULA- TIONS. FROM 1971 - 1992, EPA INSPECTED THE SITE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THESE INSPECTIONS CONFIRMED, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE DISPOSAL OF WASTEWATERS CONTAINING CYANIDE, CHROMIUM, CADMIUM, COPPER, ZINC, AND TIN INTO THE PONDS, AND THE PRE- SENCE OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES INCLUDING CYANIDE, CHROMIUM, NICKEL, COPPER, CADMIUM, ZINC, TETRACHLOROETHANE, TRICHLOR- OTHANE AND TIN IN THE SOILS AND GROUNDWATER AT THE SITE. THE SITE WAS PLACED ON THE NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST (NPL) ON FEBRUARY 21, 1992.

Defendants (12)

• AIRCO PLATING COMPANY, INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement
• ALLIED PRODUCTS CORPORATIONNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• COHEN, MARGARETNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• COHEN, MAXNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• COHEN, MURIELNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• COHEN, RONINamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• COHEN, WILLIAMNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• KING, GEORGENamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• LEUKOFF, RUTHNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• LEVINE, SHERWINNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• LEVINE, STANLEYNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• STERLING, HARRIETNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• AIRCO PLATING CO., INC

  3650 NW 46TH STREET, MIAMI, FL, 331423970

  Registry ID: 110000869187

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 107A — Cost Recovery

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• AIRCO PLATING COMPANY, INC.entered 1993-02-24

  Primary law: CERCLA

Timeline (8 milestones)

• 1989-10-15Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1992-03-30Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1993-02-18Referred TO U.S. Attorney
• 1993-02-22Complaint Filed With Court
• 1993-02-24Final Order Lodged
• 1993-02-24Final Order Entered
• 1993-02-24Concluded
• 2001-06-19Enforcement Action Closed