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Molex Incorporated
Emails from Paul Eckerson (Molex) to David Doyle (EPA)
David Doyle
EPA Region 7
Date: March 5, 1998
Subject: Water and Sludge Analysis
Enclosed find copies of our Total Toxic Organic analysis for effluent. We have this analysis done every 6 months per our discharge permit requirements. Organics, if present in our operation, would be most likely to show up here because the pH is usually above 7. If they were not dissolved, they would float and would be decanted in the clarifier and end up in the final effluent. As can be seen from the reports, no significant TTOs have ben found. This has always been the case because we do not have this type of material present as it would adversely affect our product quality.
Also enclosed is a copy of leachate analysis for the different sludges. We are having the sludges analyzed for TTOs. That information should be available soon. I will forward it as soon as it is available.
Paul Eckerson
Molex Inc.
700 Kingbird Road
Lincoln, Ne 68521
David Doyle
EPA Region 7
Date: March 5, 1998
Subject: Metals used at 700 Kingbird Road
Our plating facility is identical to our old facility in regard to the materials used and the plating chemistries used. We operated the old facility at 1400 West bond for 15+ years and the new facility for about 2.5 years. The city has monitored our effluent flow during this entire period The West bond facility was monitored 344 days during those 15 years. I received a copy of the analytical results for those analysis. The average metal concentrations and other relative data are as follows: pH 7,935, Flow 19,942 gals/day, Total Cyanide .0139 mg/l, Cadmium .0066 mg/l, Chromium .012568 mg/l, Selenium .0244 mg/l, Silver .0102 mg/l, Mercury .000153 mg/l, Arsenic .0272 mg/l, Iron .138 mg/l, Zinc .161 mg/l, Copper 1.06 mg/l, Nickel 1.056 mg/l, and Lead .134 mg/l. Tin and gold were never monitored as they are not toxic.
The only metals that we have in our products or in our processes are tin, copper, zinc, lead, nickel, and gold. We use cyanide in our gold process, but only in small quantities that are destroyed in the recovery process. The cyanide is not introduced into the waste treatment system.
Our new facility uses the same products and processes as the old. We have a more advanced system in place to treat the effluent. The waste streams are segregated and treated separately. The city has monitored this facility for 47 days. The average metal concentration for the effluent has been as follows: Arsenic .003 mg/l, Cadmium .000 mg/l, Chromium .001 mg/l, Copper .544 mg/l, Lead .194 mg/l, Mercury .000 mg/l, Molybdenum .002mg/l, Nickel .472 mg/l, Selenium .071 mg/l, Silver .001 mg/l, and Zinc.283 mg/l.
The results for the new facility have been a significant improvement. We have made several modifications to reduce the lead and zinc concentrations. The recent results show significant improvement. The average concentrations for these metals will improve over time.
We do not use the following metals that seem to be of concern: Cadmium,. chromium silver, mercury, arsenic, barium, and selenium. The historical records support this fact. Hopefully this data will help to expedite the process.
Thanks for all the time and effort!
Paul Eckerson
Molex Inc.
700 Kingbird Road
Lincoln, Ne 68521