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EPA Completes Cleanup at Connecticut Plating Shop

Release Date: 1/28/2004
Contact Information: Contact: Contact: Alice Kaufman, EPA Community Involvement Office, (617) 918-1064

For Immediate Release: January 28, 2004; Release # 04-01-12

Boston- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finished a $238,000 cleanup at the abandoned Chrome Engineering facility in Bridgeport, Conn. The building is dilapidated, with no heat, hot water, electricity, or fire suppression, and there was evidence of trespassers.

Using funds from EPA's Brownfields program, the city of Bridgeport took samples from the building to determine potential future development options. After identifying chromium-contaminated wastewater treatment sludge and friable asbestos, the city requested EPA's assistance to do further testing and cleanup.

EPA removed friable asbestos containing material from two boiler units and from piping throughout the building. While removing asbestos, EPA hired a contractor to monitor air quality to ensure that asbestos was not being released.

EPA removed liquids and sludges from vats, trenches, an tanks; removed vats from the chemical storage and plating area; removed numerous 1- and 5-gallon containers, 55-gallon drums, polyethylene bottles; and removed what remained of the original plating lines. All toxic materials were disposed of at a licensed facility.

EPA excavated and properly disposed of lead-contaminated surficial soils, then back-filled the area with clean sand and gravel.

"With EPA's cleanup complete, the city can move ahead to identify future potential uses for the property that may add to the city's tax base when it's fully redeveloped," said Robert W. Varney, EPA regional administrator. The property is located in Bridgeport's East End neighborhood, a designated redevelopment target area.

Related Information:
Chrome Engineering Fact Sheet
Superfund in New England