Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, September 17, 2012
Posted on: http://envfpn.advisen.com
Federal emergency response contractors have inventoried 8,868 gallons of hazardous chemicals inside an abandoned metal plating factory in the village, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency official said Monday.
The chemicals were found stored in a total of 315 barrels, drums, vats and large jugs packed into all rooms of the former Niphos Coatings company on Oak St., said Steven Faryan, an on-scene coordinator with the EPA’s Superfund program in Chicago.
An additional 100 jars and other small containers of laboratory chemicals are in the building, Faryan said.
Contractors on Monday continued physically separating containers of various chemicals for removal and disposal. The EPA this week will be soliciting bids from chemical waste disposal companies in the Midwest, he said.
Two chemicals inside are classified as extremely hazardous: nitric acid and sodium cyanide.
As of Monday morning, contractors had separated: 1,634 gallons of all acids; 6,012 gallons of product washing and rinsing solutions and waste treatment solutions — all containing water; 590 gallons of metal plating solutions; 415 gallons of cyanide compounds; and 217 gallons of flammable liquids, such as solvents, oils and gasoline.
Niphos Coatings closed in March 2010. Business owner Thomas Harju has not paid property taxes since 2007 and has not filed chemical inventory reports required under federal law since 2008, records show.