The former facility sets on seven acres, of which approximately three acres are under roof and holds four parcels in Center Township of Evansville. The site is bordered by Allen Lane and a residential neighborhood to the south; a residential neighborhood to the north; Sixth Avenue and a residential neighborhood to the west; Railroad tracks to the east. In February of 2004, Don Stocks purchased the business from the Miller family and changed the name to Miller Plating & Metal Finish Incorporated.
The former facility conducted electrolysis nickel plating using eight plating lines primarily on aluminum, as well as conducting steel copper, chrome, and brass electroplating processes. Precious metal finishing and plating had also been performed
at the facility. The Site processed a variety of parts and offered the following finishes:
Electrode less Nickel, Bright Acid Tin, Black Chrome, Sulfamate Nickel, Bright Nickel,
Copper, Gold Silver, and Anodizing. A variety of RCRA hazardous wastes which are associated with electroplating, cleaning processes, maintenance activities, and the
waste water treatment process was generated at the facility. These included cyanide plating solutions and other RCRA waste with codes listed as F002, F003, F006, F007, F008, and F009. On December 31, 2007, the facility ceased its plating operation due to bankruptcy.
After filing bankruptcy, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) was concerned the electricity was going to be cut off increasing the likelihood that chemicals in product lines would freeze and that the piping conveyances might also burst causing a release/spill of chemicals at the facility and potentially causing harm to the environment. Additionally, the Pretreatment Coordinator for the Evansville Wastewater Treatment Plant reported that Evansville would be pulling the water meter and plugging the sewer. The facility has, historically, been a large quantity hazardous waste generator with on going regulatory environmental compliance issues. IDEM asked for US EPA’s assistance with an emergency stabilization within the facility. Using the On-scene Coordinators (OSC) authority to initiate emergency response activities under the NCP section 300.415 (b) (2) OSC Kevin Turner was provided $25,000 ceiling to perform an emergency stabilization.
Following the emergency stabilization efforts in January 2008, both IDEM and US EPA worked with the PRP and various banks in attempts to remove all liquids and clean-up the facility. After an auction in August 2008, a fire started as contractors were attempting to remove vats from the east building. The fire resulted in nickel plating solution being released to the environment. The former facility has been broken into several times and is in unstable condition. On October 24, 2008, IDEM formally asked US EPA to abate the risks associated with uncontained hazardous materials at the Site.
• Mobilization of equipment.
• Site health and safety meeting.
• Site walk through for all staff supporting site operations
• Setup decon and break room.
• Crews began gathering small containers located throughout the site and consolidate them in a room located in building 1. The containers will be analyzed by field hazardous categorization kit (HAZCAT).
• On January 26 a pit holding wastewater was analyzed by HAZCAT. The wastewater will be further analyzed by the city of Evansville Water Works and Sewage Department.
• Sample and analyze the contents of drums, smaller containers, vats, floor sweepings, unknown materials, facility contents, debris, and tanks.
• Based on the analytical results, the containers will be categorized and staged for disposal.
• Compatible waste streams will be bulked/re-containerized, and appropriately prepared for disposal at off-site disposal facilities.
• Empty tanks, piping, debris, drums and other containers will be cleaned as necessary, cut to size and disposed of at off-site disposal facilities.
• Clean floors, walls, ceilings, building components and building contents and/or dispose of items as reasonably possible to remove contamination from spills and contaminated dust or other materials to prevent contaminant migration or cross contamination of cleaned areas.
• Characterize and remove for off-site disposal the soil from a spill which occurred outside the bulk wastewater treatment storage building on the east side of the property.
• Characterize, remove and property dispose of hazardous substance and wastes located at the Site in accordance with U.S. EPA's Off-Site Rule (40 CFR 300.440).
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