The Apex Plating and Polishing Site is a former electroplating facility located at 725 Commerce Road in Linden, New Jersey. The Site is located in a commercial section of the city. The Site is bordered by businesses to the North, South and East and by Linden Park Cemetery to the West. The nearest business is approximately 25' from the southern site border. The nearest residences are approximately 1/4 mile south west of the Site. New Jersey State Highway 1, a major thoroughfare, is approximately 100 yards to the East.
On May 7, 2014, a NJDEP RCRA inspector visited the Site and determined that materials had been abandoned and that the building was in poor condition. The inspector informed the NJDEP Bureau of Emergency Response (BER) who responded to the scene. DEP responders observed numerous drums and containers of chemicals, some of which were leaking. There was no power or fire suppression capability in the building and the roof had several openings to the environment. Due to the potential for rain events over the coming days, DEP contractors overpacked several containers of cyanides. Later that evening, NJDEP BER contacted the National Response Center (NRC) and filed report number 1082061. NJDEP requested that EPA meet them at the facility the following morning.
On May 8, 2014, EPA OSCs from the Response and Prevention Branch met NJDEP BER personnel at the Site to conduct an assessment to determine eligibility for a potential EPA Removal Action. During the assessment, DEP informed EPA that the facility owners/operators were deceased and that the property and materials had been abandoned for approximately 3 years. A joint DEP/EPA entry into the building confirmed the presence of several hundred containers of acids, cyanides, peroxides and other chemicals. Based on the poor condition of many of the drums and containers, the leaking roof and generally poor and unsecured condition of the building, EPA informed DEP that the site would meet the criteria for a removal action to be initiated. The Site was officially referred to EPA by DEP later that same day.
EPA and their contractor mobilized to the Site on the morning of May 9, 2014.
