This site includes a residential property where a family resided up until September, 2012. The house became contaminated with mercury on or about September 27, 2012 after a plumber removed an expansion tank from the second floor of the house, and carried it down the steps and out the front door. There is mercury contamination in the closet from which the tank was removed, in the second floor hallway, on the steps going down to the first floor, and in the first floor entranceway. There is also contamination in the basement, where the plumbers removed a section of pipe that had been connected to the expansion tank. This is evidenced by elevated mercury readings in these areas and visible beads of mercury in cracks on the floor and in the section of pipe that remains in the basement. After removing it from the house, the plumbers placed the tank on the ground in the front yard, contaminating this area as well. They then loaded the tank into one of their vehicles and removed it from the property. Once the Maryland Department of the Environment was notified of the situation by the homeowner, an MDE representative contacted the plumbers, and took custody of the tank (and contaminated clothing that the plumbers had worn). The site includes the residential property as well as all locations to which mercury from the residential property has migrated or otherwise come to be located.
