Background/ History
The former TRW facility is located on two parcels of real estate, totaling about seven acres, at 300 Ramsey St. in Sullivan. From 1950 through 1983, the Ramsey Corp. Inc. operated the facility and manufactured automobile piston rings. To support the manufacturing activities, the facility operated a chrome plating system. These activities used various organic solvents and petroleum-based raw products.
Wastes produced during the manufacturing process included spent trichloroethene (TCE) solvent and sludge, wastewater, chrome plating sludge and used oil. Ramsey installed three wastewater treatment lagoons and one lagoon, which was later divided into two lagoons, to store sludge produced during wastewater treatment operations. The facility also operated a drum storage area to temporarily store waste TCE solvent and used oil, an area for burning and disposing of facility trash and miscellaneous debris, and bulk storage areas to store virgin/product grade TCE and mineral spirits. Ramsey operated the hazardous waste management units under the “interim status” portions of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
Cleanup Summary
Ramsey closed the chrome plating operations in 1983. Ramsey stopped all manufacturing operations in March 1984 and removed all manufacturing equipment. Ramsey also changed its name to TRW Automotive Products Inc. in 1984. TRW excavated and closed the lagoons in 1985. From June 1986 through December 1987, the chrome plating building and burning and disposal area were excavated and closed. After closure was complete, an asphalt parking lot was built over the project area. In July 1987, Sullivan Warehousing Inc. and Sister Property Inc. acquired the two parcels and are the current owners of the property. Since June 1987, by agreement with the new facility owners, Rokwell Industries Inc. and Ace Manufacturing and Parts Co. operate a metal stamping and tool manufacturing business at the facility.
According to applicable state and federal hazardous waste laws and regulations, all hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities are required to investigate and clean up releases of hazardous waste and hazardous constituents to the environment at their facility resulting from present and past hazardous waste handling practices. Initial investigations in 1989 confirmed that on-site groundwater was contaminated with volatile organic compounds, chromium and lead. Several areas were also identified that required further investigation. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) filed a 3008(h) Corrective Action Administrative Order on Consent in 1993, requiring TRW, Sullivan Warehousing, Sister Property and Rokwell Industries to conduct a RCRA Facility Investigation and Corrective Measures Study. Additional investigations confirmed substantial groundwater contamination attributable to releases from the former TRW-Ramsey facility. The facility operates a groundwater pump and treatment system consisting of two recovery well and an air stripper treatment system. In addition, a City of Sullivan municipal water supply well, which is used for drinking water, was found to be contaminated with TCE above acceptable drinking water standards. The water from this well is currently treated with air stripping and chlorination to allow continued use of the water. Continued pumping of the City's well has also been used as a means to control the migration of groundwater contamination. In 1998, TRW Automotive Products Inc. merged into TRW Inc. A Deed Notice, signed by the Franklin County Recorder of Deeds in 2000, was placed on the property in order to inform potential future buyers of the property that this site contains hazardous waste. The facility currently samples groundwater monitoring wells, municipal City of Sullivan wells, and private wells regularly.
In 2002, TRW Inc. merged with Northrop Grumman. In 2003, the automotive portion of TRW was sold to the Blackstone Group and is currently TRW Automotive Inc. In July 2017, TRW and the department entered into a Corrective Action Abatement Order on Consent, in coordination with EPA and TRW, in order to implement the approved final remedy, which includes groundwater monitoring, a recovery well and enhanced institutional controls. Environmental Covenants were also filed with the Franklin County Recorder of Deeds, in order to place activity and use limitations on the property to address the contamination above unrestricted use levels. EPA will terminate their Order.
