The Hard Chrome Plating Site is an abandoned plating shop located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. EPA received a request for assistance with the site from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. EPA conducted a site assessment, and documented ignitable, corrosive, and toxic hazardous wastes in drums, totes, and other containers, many of which are open, unsecured, and without secondary containment. We documented that the abandoned facility contains 160 55-gallon drums, 14 open vats, and numerous small containers and lab chemicals. The building shows signs of severe disrepair, with a leaking roof and broken windows. The industrial building containing these hazardous wastes is without heat and is unsecured, abandoned, and accessible to trespassers. In addition, there are numerous access points for precipitation and wildlife to enter this building. The site is located in a mixed industrial/residential area. River City Scholars School is located directly across the street, and an estimated 23,500 people live within 1 mile of the site.
EPA is initiating a time critical removal action at the site in December of 2015 to secure, characterize, remove, and properly dispose of the drums, containerized wastes, spilled waste materials, and hazardous debris currently located at the site.
