September 26, 2005

The Department of Environmental Quality and the United States Environmental Protection Agency have partnered to conduct a cleanup of hazardous waste from Flint Plating, a former chrome, copper, and nickel plating operation located at 1109 East Stewart Road in Flint. The cleanup will reduce potential health and environmental risks to the community, and create new development opportunities on the site.

The DEQ received reports in December 2004, that Flint Plating had ceased operations without properly disposing and removing hazardous wastes and materials used at the site. An inspection by DEQ staff confirmed the presence of nitric acid, sulfuric acid, chrome acid, chrome plating solutions, and cyanide on site, some of which was contained in leaking structures or spilled on the floor.

“Hazardous materials must be treated with the utmost caution and respect for the risks that they pose,” said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. “When a company fails to protect its neighbors, the DEQ is obligated to ensure the community is kept safe.”

The DEQ made requests to Flint Plating to properly dispose of the hazardous and liquid waste located on the site; however, after receiving no response from the owner, the DEQ sought EPA assistance with removal of the chemicals.

EPA began work at the site recently, completely removing a nickel plating line and pumping about 9,000 gallons of hazardous waste liquids from the facility’s basement. Transport of the liquids to a licensed commercial hazardous waste processor for treatment and disposal began in recent weeks and will continue for the next few days.

"The cleanup should be complete by the end of the week," said EPA Region 5 Administrator Tom Skinner. EPA's remaining work: finish removal of plating waste from 10 of the 27 vats that still contain material, dismantle and remove the vats along with 50 drums of assorted hazardous material, and remove interior cinder block walls contaminated with chrome plating solution.

The estimated cost of the EPA cleanup is $150,000, paid for by Superfund.

Once cleanup has been completed, the DEQ intends to excavate contaminated soils that pose a threat to human health and the environment, and to demolish the structure to create new economic development opportunities on the site.

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

“Protecting Michigan’s Environment, Ensuring Michigan’s Future”

Revised September 26, 2005 by Pat Watson