EPA v. SUPERIOR POLISHING SITE

Case summary

SUPERIOR POLISHING OPERATED AT THE SITE FOR AN UNKNOWN PERIOD OF TIME, CEASING OPERATIONS BY JULY 1992. THE FACILITY ELECTROPLATED AUTOMOTIVE PARTS, GENERATING CORRO- SIVE WASTES CONTAMINATED WITH CHROMIUM. IT CONSISTS OF ONE MAIN BUILDING WHICH HOUSED PROCESS TANKS FOR CHROME PLATING SYSTEMS OPERATED BY SUPERIOR POLISHING, AND A SMALLER STORAGE BUILDING. WHEN SUPERIOR POLISHING STOPPED OPERATING, IT LEFT THE TANKS CONTAINING AN ESTIMATED 3,000 GALLONS OF PLATING SOLUTIONS. ACCORDING TO INFORMATION FROM THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, THERE WERE SEVERAL RELEASES OF THIS ELECTROPLATING WASTE BETWEEN NOVEM- BER 1984 AND SEPTEMBER 1993. IN EACH INCIDENT, THE PLATING WASTE LEAKED THROUGH THE EAST WALL OF THE BUILDING AND FLOWED OUT INTO THE GRAVEL PARKING LOT. SUPERIOR POLISHING RESPONDED TO THESE RELEASES BY REMOVING CONTAMINATED SOILS FROM THE PARKING LOT AND INSTALLING A REINFORCED WALL IN THE PROCESS BUILDING. HOWEVER, IT DID NOT REMOVE THE PLATING WASTE. IN SEPTEMBER 1993, AFTER MR. KRSTICH HAD TAKEN POSSESSION OF THE SITE, A WATER MAIN BURST IN THE MAIN BUILDING ON THE SITE. THE FLOODING WATER CARRIED CHROMIUM- CONTAMINATED SOIL TO ADJACENT PROPERTY. THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT PROVIDES THAT MR. KRSTICH WILL PAY $60,000 TOWARD RESPONSE COSTS INCURRED BY EPA AT THE SITE. RECOVERY OF PAST COSTS UNDER CERCLA 122(H)(1) FOR A PROPERTY FORMERLY USED AS A CHROMIUM FLASH ELECTROPLATING FACILITY.

Defendants (1)

• SUPERIOR POLISHING SITENamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• SUPERIOR POLISHING CO

  1949 E 10 MILE, WARREN, MI, 48091

  Registry ID: 110008444013

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 107 — Superfund

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• SUPERIOR POLISHING SITEentered 1999-07-22

  Primary law: CERCLA

Timeline (3 milestones)

• 1999-07-22Final Order Issued
• 1999-10-06Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2000-09-18Enforcement Action Closed