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Bankruptcy Settlement Will Advance Cleanup of Conn. Raymark Site

Release Date: 02/08/2006
Contact Information:

U.S. EPA - New England Regional Office
February 8, 2006

Contact: David Deegan, 617-918-1017

(Boston) – EPA officials today announced receipt of $5.44 million in proceeds from the bankruptcy of Raymark Industries and its successor, Raytech Corporation. The funds will go towards the ongoing cleanup of the Raymark Industries Superfund Site in Stratford, Conn.

The bankruptcy proceeds will be added to an interest-bearing special account dedicated to the ongoing cleanup of the site, bringing the total balance in the Raymark Special Account to over $15.5 million.

EPA is currently conducting a detailed evaluation of cleanup options for approximately 26 commercial properties containing Raymark waste. The Agency intends to issue a proposed cleanup plan for public comment later this year.

Raymark was a manufacturer of automotive brakes, clutch parts, and other friction components, primarily for the automotive industry. Raymark and its predecessors operated at a 34-acre parcel at 75 East Main Street in Stratford from 1919 until 1989 when operations ceased. Raymark's manufacturing waste was historically disposed of as fill at 75 East Main Street, at a minimum of 46 residential properties, and at numerous commercial and municipal properties in Stratford.

Since the mid-1990’s, EPA has spent over $190 million on investigations and cleanup of the former manufacturing facility and other areas affected by Raymark waste in Stratford. Cleanup began in 1993 with the removal of Raymark waste from 46 residential properties and other areas in Town. This was followed by the demolition of 15 acres of buildings and the placement of an impermeable cap over the entire 34-acre former manufacturing facility. The cap was constructed in a manner that allowed commercial redevelopment of the property while ensuring the continued containment of the underlying contamination. In addition to the demolition and capping work, over 50 monitoring wells were installed in the cap to monitor the quality of the groundwater beneath the property.

The Raymark Advisory Committee generally meets monthly on the second Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.. The public is invited. Please call the Stratford Health Department at 203-385-4090 to confirm the date, place and time of the next meeting.

More information about cleanup activities at the site may be found on the EPA New England web site at: www.epa.gov/region1/superfund/sites/Raymark and at the site information repository located at the Stratford Public Library, 2203 Main Street in Stratford.

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