EPA v. CHEMCENTRAL-DETROIT

Case summary

CHEMCENTRAL IS A MI. CORP THAT CONDUCTS A CHEM DISTRIBUTION OPERATION AT ITS ROMULUS, MI. SITE. ACCORDING TO COMPLAINT, HANDLING, STORAGE & DISPOSAL OF SOLID & HAZD WASTES AT THE FACILITY HAS CONTAMINATED SOIL, SURFACE WATER & GRNDWATER. CHEMCENTRAL IS LOCATED IN A PARTIALLY DEVELOPED IND. AREA. IT IS ENCLOSED BY A FENCE & IS BORDERED ON THE N BY ZINK DRAIN. A SMALL WATERCOURSE SEVERAL FT WIDE. ZINC DRAIN IS FED BY A WATERSHED AREA ABOVE CHEMCENTRAL & BY GRNDWATER FROM THE SHALLOW AQUIFER UNDER THE SITE. THE DRAIN ENTERS MARSH CREEK, A TRIB OF THE DETROIT RIVER, WHICH IS ITSELF A TRIB OF LAKE ERIE. THE CHEMCENTRAL FACILITY INCLUDES AN OPEN LOADING DOCK FOR TANKER & TRAILER TRUCKS; PIPES & HOSES FOR CHEMICAL TRANSFER TO STORAGE, TANKS; A WAREHOUSE; A DRUM STORAGE AREA; & A DRUM WASHING STATION. THE MAJORITY OF THE LIQUID STORAGE CAPACITY IS UNDERGROUND. WASTES, PRINCIPALLY ORGANIC SOLVENTS, ARE TRANSFERRED VIA HOSES & PIPES FROM TRUCKS INTO STORAGE DRUMS & TANKS. DURING THIS PROCEDURE, SOLVENTS HAVE LEAKED & SPILLED ONTO THE GROUND, & IT IS ALLEGED THAT IN SOME INSTANCES DRIVERS & EMPLOYEES OF CHEMCENTRAL HAVE DISCHARGED LIQUIDS LEFT IN PIPES & HOSES DIRECTLY ONTO THE GROUND. CONTAMINANTS HAVE ENTERED & HAVE BEEN OBSERVED IN THE GROUND NEAR AN UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK IN THE NE PORTION OF THE SITE. GROUNDWATER CONTAM- INATION HAS ALSO BEEN DISCOVERED IN THIS SAME AREA IN A HOLE DUG FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A TEMPORARY GROUNDWATER RECOVERY DEVICE. 2 SUCH RECOVERY DEVICES HAVE BEEN IN- STALLED ON-SITE, BUT IT IS ALLEGED THAT BOTH ARE INADE- QUATELY MAINTAINED. GROUNDWATER IN THE SHALLOW AQUIFER UNDERLYING THE SITE IS ALLEGED TO BE CONTAMINATED. CONTAMINANTS MIGRATE THROUGH THE AQUIFER IN A NE DIR. TOWARDS ZINK DRAIN. POLL. ALSO ENTER ZINK DRAIN VIA SURFACE RUNOFF, FROM A DITCH IN THE NE SECTION OF THE PROPERTY. ADDITIONALLY, A DISCHARGE PIPE FROM THE OIL WATER SEPARATOR IN THE DRUM WASHING AREA OF THE FACILITY EMPTIES INTO THE DRAIN.

Defendants (1)

• CHEMCENTRAL/DETROIT CORPORATIONNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• CHEMCENTRAL DETROIT

  13395 HURON RIVER DR., ROMULUS, MI, 481740906

  Registry ID: 110000406070

Statutes cited

• CWA 309 — Violation of Existing AO
• RCRA 7003 — Imminent Order: Solid or Hazardous Waste

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• CHEMCENTRAL/DETROITentered 1983-05-10

  Primary law: RCRA

Timeline (8 milestones)

• 1980-07-16Referred To Headquarters
• 1980-09-26Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1980-09-29Referred TO U.S. Attorney
• 1980-10-03Complaint Filed With Court
• 1983-05-10Concluded
• 1983-05-10Final Order Lodged
• 1983-05-10Final Order Entered
• 1983-05-10Enforcement Action Closed