United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region II
POLLUTION REPORT



Date:
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
From:
Paul L. Kahn & Eric M. Daly

To:
Mary Mears, USEPA, Region 2, PAD
Carole Petersen, USEPA, Region 2ERRD-NJRB
John Kushwara, USEPA Region 2 DECA-WCB
Patricia Carr, USEPA-PAD
Fred Mumford, NJDEP
Marissa Truono, USEPA ERRD-RAB
Walter Andrews , USEPA Region 2 DEPP-WPB
George Zachos, USEPA Region 2 ERRD
Andrew Radaant, US DOI
Dave Sweeney, NJDEP
Tim Grier, USEPA Headquarters 5202G
Kristin Grun, NJDEP
Joshua Gradwohl, NJDEP
Paul King, NJDEP
Carol Chamberlain, Lawrence Township Health Dept.

Subject: 

Friction Division Products
40 North Enterprise Ave, Lawrence Township (Trenton), NJ
Latitude: 40.2728000
Longitude: -74.7083000


POLREP No.:
8
Site #:
XW
Reporting Period:
D.O. #:
031
Start Date:
6/15/2006
Response Authority:
CERCLA
Mob Date:
 
Response Type:
Time-Critical
Demob Date:
 
NPL Status:
Non NPL
Completion Date:
 
Incident Category:
Removal Action
CERCLIS ID #:
NJN0002058677
Contract #
EP-W-04-055
RCRIS ID #:
 

Site Description

This site, a defunct automotive brake pad manufacturer, was brought to the attention of EPA by the NJDEP for a possible referral for a CERCLA removal action.  An inspection by EPA OSCs and a DEP responder on 12/23/05 revealed the following hazardous materials/wastes were abandoned at the site:  tons of asbestos material, tons of elemental sulphur, 1,000+ drums of mostly unknown materials or materials that do not match the label description, hundreds of smaller containers, acids, flammable liquids, iron and aluminum powders, flammable solids, waste oil, solvents, and other contaminants or pollutants.  The site is semi-controlled, with most doors being locked but numerous open windows or sections of sheet metal walls missing.  A maintenance man is on-site for a few hours Mon-Fri.  The owner of the building (not the business) has balked at doing a cleanup, but with pressure from the DEP, he has hired a company to provide him with an estimate of the clean-up cost. The former operator of the actual manufacturing business has left the state and resumed the same business in Pennsylvania.


Current Activities

Negotiations with former operator of the Site, Friction Division Products, have stalled.  RP is trying to secure funds from an escrow account that may be in dispute over 'ownership'. RP has indicated that without this money, it may not be able to afford the removal action.  Additional discussions with RP and escrow holder (also an RP) are on-going.


Planned Removal Actions

EPA will closely track the discussions between the RP and the escrow holder.


Next Steps

As a contingency in the event that one or both RPs cannot/will not perform the removal action, OSC Kahn has directed the ERRS contractor to begin drafting a work plan, HASP, and sampling plan.  A Site walk-thru with the ERRS RM is tentatively scheduled for early December.


Key Issues

Resolving the matter of RP removal funds.


response.epa.gov/frictiondivision