Chemform, Inc.

• Site Profile
• Administrative Record Index (PDF): Removal (4 pp., 207K), OU1 (12 pp., 502K),
  OU2 (5 pp., 102K), Deletion (1 pp., 16K)
• Sites in Reuse (PDF, 1 pp., 138K)
• Additional Site Documents including Five Year Reviews, Records of Decisions (ROD) and Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD).
• For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office (http://www.epa.gov/region4/foiapgs/submit.htm).

Site Background:
The 4-acre Chemform, Inc. site began as a precision machine shop manufacturing metal parts for the aerospace industry. Operations continued from 1967 to 1985, including conventional machine making as well as the manufacturing of a high-tech electro-chemical milling machine, which involved the use of electrolytic solutions and strong electric current. In 1977, the Broward County Pollution Control Board found the company in violation of regulations for the discharge of industrial wastes onto the ground. In 1985, the EPA found the soil and groundwater to be contaminated with heavy metals and other contaminants. The Chemform, Inc. site is located adjacent to Wilson Concepts of Florida, Inc., another NPL site. The Biscayne Aquifer is underneath the site and supplies all municipal water to Broward County. Four municipal wells are located within 3 miles of the site and serve approximately 93,000 people.

Cleanup Progress: Construction Completed
Site cleanup efforts have been completed. This site was addressed through Federal and potentially responsible parties' actions.

In 1990, drums were removed as a part of an immediate removal action. Approximately 600 cubic yards of soil were excavated in addition to the removal of debris, soil, and sludge from two underground storage tanks. An additional 3,000 cubic yards of soil were removed during a subsequent removal action in 1992.

The parties potentially responsible for site contamination completed a study of the groundwater. Based on the results of the groundwater investigation, the EPA determined no further action was required in a 1993 Record of Decision (ROD), except for one year of monitoring, because the concentrations of contaminants of concern have either decreased or remained stable. The year of monitoring was completed in 1994 and showed that the volume and concentrations of groundwater contaminants observed during EPA's site screening studies and during the early phase of the investigation have been greatly reduced due to the soil and source area cleanup activities.  However, the presence of vinyl chloride slightly above the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) warranted the Agency issuing an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD) on April 2, 1999.  The ESD was issued in order to add vinyl chloride as a potential contaminant of concern and to require a Five-Year Review report.

After the required review and comment period, this Site was deleted from the National Priority List (NPL) on July 28, 2000.  On September 30, 2005, the Agency conducted a Five-Year review report to verify that institutional controls (a restriction on the construction of use or potable wells within the area) on existing groundwater uses in the area continue to function as intended.  The Five-Year review confirmed that institutional controls continue to be effective in protecting human health and the environment.  The Agency will conduct another Five-Year review in 2010.  In preparation for the 2010 Five-Year Review, groundwater sampling was conducted and showed non-detectable concentrations of vinyl chloride on-site.  There will be one more round of groundwater sampling in 2009 to determine if vinyl chloride levels have been reduced below MCL standards.