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COOPERATIVE CLEANUP SUCCEEDS AT BRISTOL FACILITY

Release Date: 06/09/1997
Contact Information: Gary Lipson, On-Scene Coordinator, (617) 223-5584 Liza Judge, Community Involvement, (617) 918-1067

BOSTON -- Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that a voluntary public/private partnership has removed hazardous and flammable chemicals from the Buttonwood Industrial Complex in Bristol, Rhode Island.

In October 1996, an EPA cleanup crew identified scattered drums and containers of hazardous chemicals and secured them in a temporary storage area at this unoccupied facility. In November, the EPA took additional samples around the facility, further defining the contamination and clarifying what elements of the cleanup Fulflex, Inc. could perform. In January 1997, Fulflex, Inc., a past owner/operator of a portion of the complex, agreed to share in the cleanup.

The EPA frequently issues administrative orders requiring site cleanup work by companies considered potentially responsible for contamination. These orders are legally enforceable and include a written scope of work outlining the extent of the activities, expected time lines and other requirements. In this case, Fulflex did their part of the cleanup voluntarily, without an administrative order, after significant discussion with EPA to outline and reach agreement on the scope of their work. The EPA considered a number of factors in the decision to allow Fulflex to do the cleanup voluntarily without an order. The cleanup was small, well-defined in scope, and did not require great expense to complete the work. This improvement streamlined the process, speeding the cleanup while reducing legal burdens for both private industry and the EPA. Working with the EPA, Fulflex successfully completed their portion of the cleanup.

In February 1997, an EPA cleanup crew returned to the site to address hazards left by other companies. The EPA shipped 26 repackaged drums of chemicals for proper disposal and recycling and spent $33,000 to complete this portion of the cleanup.

In March, a licensed contractor hired by Fulflex repackaged the remaining hazardous chemicals and cleaned chemical residues from floors inside the facility. In April, Fulflex removed 660 gallons of oil and waste water and 13 drums and containers of other chemicals from the site and sent them for proper disposal. The drums contained caustic and acid solutions, oxidizers, solvents, and petroleum products. Most of these chemicals were used as cleaning solutions when the facility was operational and had been left behind for subsequent tenants.

"Voluntarily working with the EPA, this company saved money for themselves, and the people of New England," said John P. DeVillars, EPA-New England regional administrator. "They took responsibility for abandoned contamination and the work was done safely and professionally."

General conditions at the site were poor and inadequate for the safe storage of these chemicals because the site was unoccupied. In fact, some containers had ruptured and leaked their contents onto the floor due to storage in unheated facilities. Some flooding had also occurred because of leaks in the roof. Many doors and windows were missing, the fence surrounding the facility was in disrepair, and many signs of graffiti and vandalism showed that trespassing was frequent. The condition of the buildings, combined with the improper storage of hazardous chemicals at the site, posed a risk of fire and chemical exposure to vandals, neighboring residents and businesses.

In July 1996, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management requested the EPA's assistance to address hazardous conditions at the site. An EPA inspector toured the site in August 1996, and returned in September to sample several of the 180 containers at the site. The containers, some of which were labeled rubber lacquer and flammable, ranged in size from one pint to 55-gallons. Sampling confirmed the presence of flammable substances.

The Buttonwood Industrial Complex is a 10-acre property at 40-45 Buttonwood Street in Bristol, Rhode Island. Fulflex manufactured rubber thread and tape in one building from the 1930s to 1986 when they moved operations to Middletown. A second company, Miner Industry, manufactured rubber products for the U.S. military until 1988 when they petitioned for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Buttonwood Realty, the site property owner, is in receivership and the property is abandoned. Several developers have asked about the condition of the facility and the possibility of redevelopment.