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EPA TO COLLECT AN ADDITIONAL $1.1 MILLION FOR CLEANING UP KANSAS CITY, KANSAS, SUPERFUND SITE

Release Date: 10/28/2005
Contact Information:

Environmental News
Fritz Hirter
(913) 551-7130
hirter.fritz@epa.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 28, 2005

EPA TO COLLECT AN ADDITIONAL $1.1 MILLION FOR CLEANING UP KANSAS CITY, KANSAS, SUPERFUND SITE

Fourteen defendants have agreed to pay the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency a total of more than $1.1 million for a cleanup of hazardous waste EPA conducted at a former drum refurbishing plant at the Container Recycling Superfund Site, 1161 S. 12th St., Kansas City, Kan.

EPA removed containerized hazardous substances from the site and more than 60,000 drums, including hundreds that had been buried. The Agency also placed a crushed limestone cover over most of the site. The companies, which had operated the site or sent drums to the plant for refurbishing, agreed under a consent decree lodged with the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas to pay $1.127 million.

EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Gulliford said, “The Superfund law requires responsible companies to pay for environmental cleanups. This agreement allows EPA to be reimbursed and use that money to help clean up another Superfund site.”

Two earlier settlements with other companies that had sent drums to the site recovered $1.7 million. The new settlement will bring the amount EPA has recovered to more than $2.8 million of the $3.3 million it cost to clean up the site.

The new settlement decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period ending Nov. 18, 2005. The Department of Justice will evaluate any comments received and ask the court to enter the consent decree unless the comments disclose facts or considerations indicating that the proposed decree is inappropriate, improper or inadequate.

Companies agreeing to the consent decree without admitting liability are Allied Oil & Supply Inc., Baker Petrolite Corp., Citgo Petroleum Corp., Chevron USA Inc., ConocoPhilips Co., Cook Composites and Polymers Co., Curran Paint and Varnish Co, Elementis Chemicals Inc., Harcros Chemicals Inc., Exxon Mobil Corp., Heathwood Oil Co., Mallinckrodt Inc., Pam Oil Inc., and 3M Co.

The consent decree can be examined in Kansas City, Kan., at the Office of the U.S. Attorney, District of Kansas, Suite 360, 500 State Ave., and at the EPA Region 7 office, 901 N. 5th St. It can be examined during the public comment period on the following Department of Justice Web site: <http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/open.html>. A copy of the decree can also be obtained by mail for $7.75 from the Consent Decree Library, P.O. Box 7611, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. 20044-7611, e-mail tonia.fleetwood@usdoj.gov.