EPA v. ELGIN SALVAGE & SUPPLY

Case summary

THIS IS A CERCLA 106 REMOVAL ACTION. ELGIN SALVAGE IS AN ACTIVE METALSALVAGING OPERATION IN A SUBURBAN/SMALL CITY LOCATION ON THE BANKS OFTHE FOX RIVER. FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS ELGIN HAS MAINTAINED A BUSINESS BYPURCHASING SCRAP METAL OR INDUSTRIAL AND MANUFACTURING PRODUCTS THATHAVE HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF ACCESSIBLE METAL IN THEM, FOR STRIPPING ORREMOVING THE VALUABLE METAL AND THEN DISCARDING THE WASTE PRODUCT. ATONE TIME ELGIN ALSO OPERATED AN INCINERATOR. THE SITE IS LOCATED ON THE EDGE OF A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY AND HAD RECEIVED COMPLAINTS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS OF SMOKE AND FUMES FROM THE (NOW CLOSED) INCINERATOR. IEPA AND U.S. EPA BECAME INVOLVED IN MONITORING THE SITE. DURING SOME TIME IN AUGUST 1991 INITIAL SAMPLING,U.S. EPA FOUND SIGNS OF LEAD DIOXIN AND PCBS. U.S. EPA ATTEMPTED TO NEGOTIATE AN ORDER OF CONSENT, BUT THE SITE OWNER/OPERATORS AND MAJOR PRPS WERE UNCOOPERATIVE. ON APRIL 19, 1993, U.S. EPA ISSUED AN UNILATERAL ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER (UAO). WORK ON THE SITE IS SET TO BEGIN IN LATE JUNE 1993. THE PRP GROUP IS COMPOSED OF: ELGIN SALVAGE, COMMONWEALTH EDISON, AT&T, ILLINOIS BELL, AND FERMILAB (U.S. NUCLEAR TESTING FACILITY).

Defendants (5)

• AMERITECH (F/K/A ILLINOIS BELL)Named in complaint
• AT & T, INC.Named in complaint
• COMMONWEALTH EDISON COMPANYNamed in complaint
• ELGIN SALVAGE & SUPPLYNamed in complaint
• FERMILABNamed in complaint

Facilities (1)

• ELGIN SALVAGE & SUPPLY COMPANY INCORPORATED

  464 MCBRIDE ST, ELGIN, IL, 60120

  Registry ID: 110018221271

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 106 — Imminent & Substantial Endangerment Order

Timeline (3 milestones)

• 1993-04-19Final Order Issued
• 1993-06-21Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1995-02-28Enforcement Action Closed