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Cleanup Progress at Raymark Industries Superfund Site Reviewed

Release Date: 06/01/2005
Contact Information:

Contact: David Deegan, EPA Office of Public Affairs, (617) 918-1017, deegan.dave@epa.gov

For Immediate Release: June 1, 2005; Release # dd050601

Boston - An assessment of cleanup progress is underway at the site of the former Raymark Industries, Inc. facility in Stratford, CT. The review, part of a five-year evaluation performed by EPA, is evaluating the performance of cleanup technologies at the East Main Street site where Stratford Crossings Shopping Center is located.

EPA conducts this type of review five years following the initiation of a Superfund response action, and every succeeding five yeas at sites where waste has been capped in place and use of the site remains restricted. The review is a comprehensive evaluation of the site remedy which will include an evaluation of the results of the ongoing sampling and monitoring activities to assess the performance of the cleanup systems. EPA will also talk with local Stratford officials and citizens to gain a better understanding of local concerns.

The review team evaluates available information to determine whether the existing remedy and/or safeguards are adequately protective of public health and the environment. Following the assessment, EPA will issue a "Five-Year Review Report" summarizing findings. The Agency performed an initial five year review for the Former Raymark Facility in 2000. At that time, EPA determined that the cleanup was protective of human health and the environment.

Raymark was a manufacturer of automotive brakes, clutch parts, and other friction components, primarily for the automotive industry. Raymark and its predecessors operated at a 34-acre parcel at 75 East Main Street in Stratford from 1919 until 1989 when operations ceased. Raymark's manufacturing waste was historically disposed of as fill at 75 East Main Street, at a minimum of 46 residential properties, and at numerous commercial and municipal properties in Stratford.

As a result of environmental investigations conducted by Raymark and the EPA, a remedy for the manufacturing facility was documented in a July 1995 "Record of Decision." In Sept. 1995, the cleanup of the Raymark property began with the demolition of 15 acres of buildings and the placement of an impermeable cap over those 15 acres as well as over the remaining 20+ acres of contamination on the property. Underlying the cap is an extensive plumbing network that removes solvents from the groundwater and gas from the soil. The cap was constructed in a manner that allowed commercial redevelopment of the property while ensuring the continued containment of the underlying contamination. In addition to the demolition and capping work, over 50 monitoring wells were installed in the cap to monitor the quality of the groundwater beneath the property.

The Conn. Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) provides ongoing operation and maintenance of the soil gas and solvent collection systems, as well as the two treatment facilities. It is anticipated that these treatment systems will be operating for many years. Environmental land use restrictions for the property will prevent use of the shopping center property in any way that would negatively impact the cleanup. EPA's five year review process ensures that the cleanup systems remain protective of public health.

EPA recently completed investigations to determine the locations throughout Stratford that contain wastes from the former Raymark facility, and is working closely with the Raymark Advisory Committee, Stratford officials, and DEP staff to evaluate cleanup options for these areas. The Raymark Advisory Committee generally meets monthly on the second Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Stratford Health Department located at 468 Birdseye Street in Stratford. The public is invited. Please call the Stratford Health Department at 203-385-4090 to confirm the date of the next meeting.
More information about cleanup activities at the site may be found on the EPA New England web site at: www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/Raymark . EPA technical reports and documents are available for public review in the site information repository located at the Stratford Public Library, 2203 Main Street in Stratford, and at the EPA New England Records Center, One Congress Street, Boston, MA 02114 (617) 918-1440.

 Related Information:
Raymark Industries Fact Sheet
Superfund in New England
Cleanup Process
Cleanup in New England