Mid-Atlantic Superfund

Contacts

Bulletin Board

Questions

The EPA is dedicated to providing you with timely and accurate information about our work at this site. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact:
Vance Evans
800-553-2509 or 215-814-5526

Site Status

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) performed an aggressive cleanup which is now complete and has alleviated concerns over public health and environmental justice issues at the Diamond State Salvage site.
  
  
• Excavation and off-site disposal of approximately 85,000 tons of lead- and PCB-contaminated soils, debris, scrap iron and other wastes have been completed.
  
  
• Where possible, soils were treated on-site prior to disposal, resulting in significant cost savings.
  
  
• The third phase of the Removal Action, excavation and disposal of the lead- and PCB-contaminated stream bank and associated mudflats, has also been completed.
  
  
• A temporary water diversion structure was installed to allow stream bank and mudflat excavation while limiting the impact to creek waters.
  
  
• Innovative riparian wetlands restoration techniques were used to restore important tidal wetlands.
  
  
• Diamond State Salvage sold the property to the City of Wilmington. The City intended to sell it for redevelopment.  The monies recovered from the sale were paid to the EPA for response costs pursuant to the Consent Decree with the defunct owner, Diamond State Salvage

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Background

• The Diamond State Salvage Site is a Superfund Removal site, near downtown Wilmington.

• The Site consists of a 4.2-acre former salvage yard located on the banks of the Brandywine Creek in a residential community.
  
  
• The site is contaminated with lead and PCBs.
  
  
• In all, nearly 80,000 tons of lead and PCB contaminated soils were found at the Site.
  
  
• The salvage yard and shoreline were extensively and significantly contaminated with lead and PCBs. River sediments, and surrounding roads and properties were also contaminated.
  
  
• Lead and PCBs were found in soils up to six feet deep on Site.

• The Removal Action will mitigate the potential public exposure to and ongoing discharge of lead and PCBs into the Christina River/Delaware Watershed.
  
  
• The property is owned by a defunct corporation.
  
  
• The owners have offered to give the property to the City if EPA will waive the owner’s potential Superfund liability. As the owners caused the problem and were unresponsive, that offer is unacceptable.
  
  
• The City has other options to acquire the property without EPA waiving the significant costs incurred through the cleanup.

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