Paw Paw Plating started primarily as a  custom electroplating operation in the 1950’s and stopped operations in December 2009.  The site is about 1.8 acres, is not fenced and contains an abandoned building with chemicals and other hazardous materials.  The site is located at 139 Commercial Ave., Paw Paw, Michigan.  Cadmium, chromium, silver, gold, nickel, copper and cyanide were used in the electroplating process.  The company also performed metal processing such  as machining, polishing and painting which included the use of Trichlorethylene (TCE).

There are a variety of abandoned hazardous materials in the building including plating baths containing heavy metals, drums of plating feed stocks, drums of hazardous waste, and a number of different size containers with a wide variety of chemical compounds. Plating solutions include but are not limited to cyanide and chromium. The presence of containers, drums and vats without secondary containment could result in contaminating soil and ground water, and pose a threat to nearby residents and businesses if a fire was to occur.

Past investigation activities by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment  indicated that contaminants  were  released into the storm sewer that discharges directly in to the Paw Paw River and also were discovered in a municipal water well that served the village of Paw Paw . Halogenated volatile organic compound (HVOCs) contamination, including TCE was identified in ground water.

* The above accounting of expenditures is an estimate based on figures known to the OSC at the time this report was written. The OSC does not necessarily receive specific figures on final payments made to any contractor(s). Other financial data which the OSC must rely upon may not be entirely up-to-date. The cost accounting provided in this report does not necessarily represent an exact monetary figure which the government may include in any claim for cost recovery.