Mid-Atlantic Corrective Action

W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc

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• Status
• Background
• Contaminants and Risks
• Institutional Controls
• Documents and Reports
• Photos, Maps and Diagrams
• Reuse Information
• Questions

EPA ID: DED002331536
Location: 555 Paper Mill Rd.
Newark, DE 19711
Property Area 50 acres
Congressional District: 11
Other Names: n/a
Last Update:January 2013

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Status

A Corrective Measures Study (CMS) was submitted by W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. for the Site on March 13, 2012. The CMS recommended that institutional controls, in the form of an environmental covenant (EC), be implemented as the optimal corrective measure.  The institutional controls will establish "restricted areas" that will be restricted to non-residential use. These restricted areas will be presented on a map in the EC and will consist of designated portions of the Shed Building and the Surface Impoundment Area. Additionally, use of the Shed Building basement will be restricted.  A Statement of Basis for Corrective Action was issued by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control's (DNREC) Hazardous Waste Management Section (HWMS)on August 26, 2012. A Record of Decision (ROD) was advertised by DNREC-HWMS on October 10, 2012. The thirty (30) day comment period for the ROD did not produce any significant comments.

The Environmental Indicator for Migration of Contaminated Ground Water Under Control was completed on March 4, 2011.   

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Background

The Facility is located at 555 Paper Mill Road, New Castle County, Delaware, approximately one mile north of the town of Newark, Delaware. The site consists of the main facility building, storage and operational shed and a pavilion. The Facility has been owned and operated by Gore since 1961, and the main facility building has been expanded several times to accommodate changing operations. The Paper Mill West Facility encompasses approximately 11 acres.

Gore manufactured wire and cable products used primarily for signal transmission in the communications, computer, and aerospace fields at the Facility. The Facility is currently used as corporate offices. As a result of the manufacturing processes, small amounts of hazardous waste were generated and managed on-site prior to disposal. The wastes included, solvents, still bottoms, metals and caustic salts. Currently, the Facility contains only a portion of the process lines or solid waste management units that historically existed since 1961.

In the early 1980's Gore applied for and obtained an interim status RCRA permit from the EPA for certain proposed operations at the facility. Shortly thereafter, Gore requested that the permit be cancelled based on changes in the proposed operations, which eliminated the need for such a permit. Formal closure of the permit, however, was not obtained at that time. Therefore, the facility has been included in EPA's RCRA Corrective Action 2020 initiative.

RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) with assistance from EPA Region 3. All environmental assessment and corrective action activities have been completed at the site, ending with the implementation of an Environmental Covenant which contains activity and use limitations as described in the Status section above.

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