EPA v. CHEM RECOVRY SYS INC

Case summary

CHEMICAL RECOVERY SYSTEMS, INC. - ELYRIA, OH. CHEMICAL RECOVERY SYSTEMS, INC. (CRS) IS AN OHIO FIRM INCORPORATED TO STORE, TREAT, PROCESS & DISPOSE OF HAZD WSTES. ACCORDING TO COMPLAINT, OPERATIONS AT DEFENDANT'S LOCUST ST. SITE HAVE CONTAMINATED & POSE A CONTINUED THREAT OF CONTAMINATION TO THE BLACK RIVER, & HAVE POLLUTED SOIL AT THE SITE. THE 4 ACRE FACILITY IS 2 1/2 BLOCKS FROM DOWNTOWN ELYRIA, A CITY WITH A POPULATION OF 50,000, & IS BORDERED BY THE BLACK RIVER ON THE N & W. STORM WATER RUNOFF FROM THE SURROUNDING AREA DRAINS THROUGH THE SITE & ENTERS THE RIVER. SEVERAL ON-SITE DITCHES COLLECT RUNOFF & ALSO DRAIN INTO THE RIVER. SOIL UNDERLYING THE SITE IS POROUS & HAS A LOW STORAGE CA- PACITY ALLOWING LIQUIDS TO DRAIN THROUGH RAPIDLY. FROM 1974 TO THE PRESENT, CRS OPERATED A SOLVENTS RECOVERY FACILITY & STORAGE YARD FOR WASTE SOLVENTS AT THE SITE. THE CO. OWNS 2 SOLVENTS RECOVERY STILLS, ONE OF WHICH IS INOPERATIVE, THAT ARE LOCATED INSIDE TWO BUILDINGS ON THE PROPERTY. THE STILLS HAVE A PROCESS CAPACITY OF 200 TO 300 GALLONS/HOUR. THE INOPERATIVE STILL IS OBSOLETE, POORLY MAINTAINED, & POSES A FIRE HAZD. THE 2ND STILL IS A FIRE RISK IF OPERATED, & REQUIRES SUBSTANTIAL REPAIRS. APPROX. 800 55-GAL DRUMS OF LIQUID ORG WASTES ARE ON-SITE. ANOTHER 3200 DRUMS ARE DETERIORATED & ARE LEAKING THEIR CONTENTS. SOME ARE STACKED 3 HIGH WITHOUT PALLETS, & OTHERS ARE SITUATED PRECARIOUSLY NEAR THE BANK OF THE RIVER. FEW OF THE DRUMS ARE PROPERLY LABELLED. WASTES HAVE LEACHED & CONTINUE TO LEACH THROUGH THE SOIL, EVENTUALLY REACHING & POLLUTING THE RIVER. WASTES ARE ALSO BELIEVED TO BE LEACHING FROM THE SITE INTO A STORM SEWER WHICH PASSES UNDERNEATH, & DIS- CHARGES INTO THE RIVER. CHEMICALS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED IN SOIL, WATER, AIR & DRUM SAMPLES. AMONG OTHERS, THE FOLLOWING HAVE BEEN DETECTED: POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS- THESE ARE TOXIC, CARCINOGENIC, & BIOACCUMULATIVE; TETRACHLOROETHENE - THIS HAS AN ADVERSE AFFECT ON THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM & IS ALSO A CARCINOGEN; TOLUENE - THIS IS FLAMMABLE & MODERATELY TOXIC; METHYL ETHYL KETONE - THIS POSES A RISK OF FIRE; XYLENE-THIS POSES A FIRE RISK. IN ADDITION, AROMATIC HYDROCARBON CHEMICALS & A NUMBER OF METALS HAVE ALSO BEEN FOUND.

Defendants (1)

• CHEMICAL RECOVERY SYSTEM INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• CHEMICAL RECOVERY SYSTEMS INC

  142 LOCUST ST, ELYRIA, OH, 44035

  Registry ID: 110009652134

Statutes cited

• CWA 301 — NPDES Discharge without a Permit
• RCRA 7003 — Imminent Order: Solid or Hazardous Waste

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• CHEMICAL RECOVERY SYSTEMSentered 1983-10-25

  Primary law: RCRA

Timeline (8 milestones)

• 1980-01-23Referred To Headquarters
• 1980-02-13Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1980-09-29Referred TO U.S. Attorney
• 1980-10-07Complaint Filed With Court
• 1983-10-25Final Order Lodged
• 1983-10-25Final Order Entered
• 1983-10-25Concluded
• 1997-09-25Enforcement Action Closed