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Cleanup to begin at EPAC site

Release Date: 08/11/2003
Contact Information: Alice Kaufman, EPA Community Involvement Office, 617-918-1064

BOSTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reached a $300,000 agreement with Waterbury Realty, LLC to begin work to clean up friable asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and drums that may contain hazardous materials at a Waterbury, Connecticut site. According to an Administrative Order on Consent for Removal Action, which was signed by both EPA and Waterbury Realty, EPA will oversee the removal of the friable asbestos, drums, and PCB contaminated soils, capacitors and transformers from the EPAC property located at 730 North Main Street. Fire destroyed the facility on December 25, 2002. The cleanup is expected to be completed by November.

At the request of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CTDEP) EPA conducted a site investigation in March of 2003 and found transformers, capacitors and drums. Sampling also confirmed the presence of asbestos in the fire debris and PCBs in stained surface soils under the transformers.

Residents should be aware that cleanup workers may be wearing white coveralls according to state and federal protection requirements. Although these protective suits may attract attention, residents should not be alarmed as this in no way means that there is any danger to the surrounding neighborhoods.

EPAC was a tenant at the Great Brook Industrial Park, which is owned by Waterbury Realty. The industrial park is a multi-section, light manufacturing, industrial-use brick complex located on approximately 11 acres.