EPA v. UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO

Case summary

RAMP INDUSTRIES IS A PRIVATELY OWNED AND OPERATED BUSI- NESS WHICH ACCEPTS RADIOACTIVE AND HAZARDOUS WASTE MIXED WITH RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL FOR TREATMENT AND TEMPORARY STOR- AGE. ON 8/31/94, RAMP'S ONLY LOCAL EMPLOYEE RESIGNED FROM HIS POSITION AS GENERAL MANAGER AND LEFT THE FACILITY. AT THAT POINT, THE FACILITY WAS ABANDONED AND UNSECURED AND CON- TAINED BETWEEN 5000 AND 6000 DRUMS OF RADIOACTIVE AND MIXED WASTES. THE DRUMS ARE EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS AND ARE RUST- ING. SAMPLES TAKEN FROM SOIL AND SEWERS ON THE SITE REVEAL A PRESENCE OF RADIONUCLIDES AND ORGANIC SOLVENTS. PASSERSBY WERE POTENTIALLY EXPOSED TO ELEVATED LEVELS OF GAMMA RADIA- TION. THE SITE IS LOCATED IN AN INDUSTRIAL AND RESIDENTIAL AREA. THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 96,500 PEOPLE LIVING WITHIN A 4 MILE RADIUS OF THE SITE. SHOULD A FIRE BREAKOUT AMONG THE 6000 DRUMS OF THESE WASTES, AIRBORNE RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL WOULD BE SPREAD OVER A LARGE AREA OF METRO DENVER.

Defendants (1)

• UNIVERSITY OF COLORADONamed in complaint

Facilities (1)

• RAMP INDUSTRIES INCORPORATED

  1127 WEST 46TH AVE, DENVER, CO, 80211

  Registry ID: 110000621499

Statutes cited

• CERCLA 106A — Imminent & Substantial Endangerment Order

Timeline (2 milestones)

• 1995-08-22Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
• 1995-09-12Enforcement Action Data Entered