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EPA Begins Clean Up Harwinton, Conn. // Public Meeting Scheduled for Wed. Oct. 3 at 7 PM

Release Date: 09/13/2007
Contact Information: Paula Ballentine, (617) 918-1027

(Boston, Mass. - September 13, 2007) – EPA crews will begin clean up activities today in Harwinton, Conn. at the Mitral Corporation property. Also, EPA staff will hold an informational meeting on Wed. Oct. 3rd at 7:00 p.m., at the Harwinton Town Hall.

The public meeting is an opportunity for the community to learn more about EPA’s work to clean up contaminated soils at the 5-acre Mitral Corp. site, located on 29 County Line Road in Harwinton.

EPA's clean up will address immediate threats at the Mitral property and restore areas affected by the removal activities. EPA is coordinating with the Conn. Dept. of Environmental Protection (CTDEP) and the towns of Harwinton and Burlington to develop a clean up plan for the site. The entire process should take about a year.

The Mitral Corporation was a large quantity generator whose operations included metal stamping and tooling, aqueous tumbling, chlorinated solvent vapor degreasing, sanding and degreasing along with other general machining activities. The cleanup is focusing on the removal of the chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs).

The Site property lies in areas where the groundwater is within the influence of private and potential water supply wells and is considered suitable for drinking without treatment. Previously, CTDEP has installed a public water line to provide drinking water to residents immediately impacted by the contamination. Private wells nearby the Site are contaminated with CVOCs, primarily trichloroethylene (TCE).

EPA’s clean up work will include:
· completing treatability studies to evaluate ex-situ treatment technologies;
· removing asbestos-containing materials, drums, and containers, and universal wastes such as batteries, light ballasts, mercury switches, etc.;
· demolition of the factory building including the foundation and disposal of the demolition debris;
· coordinating with CTDEP to remove residual fuel oil sludges and to dispose of underground storage tanks.;
· sampling and disposal of the above-ground storage tanks located in the area of excavation;
· soil excavation and ex-situ treatment;
· dewatering and water treatment operations to facilitate excavation and treatment at the source area; and
· stabilization/restoration activities at areas disturbed/damaged by the removal activities.

More information: EPA removal actions in New England (epa.gov/region1/superfund/basics/shrtterm)

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