Metachem Products, LLC

Metachem Products, LLC

Public Meeting Scheduled

The second Metachem Public meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 8th, at the Delaware City Fire Company from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. The Fire Company is located at 150 Clinton Street in Delaware City.

Background

·  Metachem Products, LLC, abandoned its manufacturing facility, located on the north side of Governor Lea Road, to DNREC and EPA on May 14, 2002. The two agencies are currently inventorying all chemicals at the site, ensuring that all hazardous chemicals are stored in appropriate containers, inspecting the facility for leaks, maintaining security, fire suppression and wastewater treatment systems at the plant, and determining the alternatives for removing and disposing of all inventory at the facility. Metachem remains in Chapter 11 Bankruptcy at this time in order to facilitate the sale of its assets.

Progress of Operations

·  DNREC offically declared the Metachem facility abandoned per the Coastal Zone Act Regulations on August 21, 2002. This action voided the facility's Coastal Zone Act Permits and Status Decisions. As a result of this action, neither Metachem Products, LLC, nor any other entity may ever again operate a heavy industry at this site.

·  An inventory of chemicals at the Metachem facility has been posted on the EPA's web site at www.epaosc.net/Metachem under the documents heading.

·  Product sales of 45,000 LBS of Trichlorobenzene and 24 drums of Orthodichlorobenzene have been completed and the material transported off the site. Approximately 300,000 gallons of benzene was also sold and will be shipped off the site during September. A compliance check was completed on the receiving facilities prior to shipment.

·  Drums and other small containers of chemicals are being inventoried, properly repackaged if their containers are found to be inadequate, and staged at the site. Staging involves organizing the containers by chemical and container condition. Each container will be analyzed for chemical content.

·  Pads, or diked areas under process equipment and chemical storage areas, and sumps are being cleaned off and decontaminated.

·  Samples of materials representing the material in the tanks and on the chemical storage pads and the surrounding air are being analyzed for dioxin, chlorine and benzene content to determine appropriate worker safety procedures.

·  Groundwater samples have been collected from 49 wells on the Metachem site as well as those located on the grounds of Motiva, Oxychem and Air Products. Fact Sheet #4, focusing on groundwater issues, will be released shortly.

·  The pump and treat system for groundwater has been inspected and repairs to pumps and other equipment are underway.

·  All the materials contained in rail cars have been pumped into on site storage tanks. The rail cars are being cleaned and returned to their owners.

·  As of September 13, 2002, EPA has spent $1,730,608 and DNREC has spent $219,986 at the site.

How to Obtain Information on the Site

·  Weekly updates on activities at the site and site pictures are published on EPA's web site at www.epaosc.net/Metachem.

·  Fact Sheets on the site will be issued every month. All fact sheets will be available on the web at www.dnrec.state.de.us/DNREC2000/Divisions/AWM/AWM.htm under "Metachem Cleanup."

·  You may also receive them electronically by signing up for the DNREC Metachem Listserv. To sign up, go to www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnrec2000/ and select "DNREC Direct." Check "DNREC Metachem List" and then select "Join Checked Lists."

·  For those without access to a computer, you may request that a copy of each fact sheet be mailed to you by calling Vance Evans or Marjorie Crofts at the numbers listed below.

·  Press releases will be issued to notify the public on how to obtain the fact sheets and whenever events at the facility warrant broader public attention. DNREC and EPA will also sponsor additional public meetings either on request or before major decisions regarding the facility are made.

For more information contact: