Unabeled drums with hazardous waste found in New Castle warehouse

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Drums found by Illinois EPA at warehouse in the 1990s.
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Drums found by  Illinois EPA at warehouse in the 1990s.
Drums found by Illinois EPA at warehouse in the 1990s.

An investigation is under way on hazardous materials found in a New Castle-area warehouse and across the river in New Jersey.

Officers from DNREC’s Environmental Crimes Unit, working information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, found many unlabeled 55-gallon drums stored in a New Castle warehouse that were later found to contain hazardous materials.

The warehouse is on Bay West Boulevard, off Del. Route 9 and south of the city of New Castle.

The warehouse was rented to Recyclers of Delaware LLC, a company whose business address is listed as 66 Pennsgrove Pedricktown Road, Pedricktown, N.J.

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DNREC’s ECU executed a search warrant in New Castle after the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division mounted an investigation that had turned up a much larger stockpiling of hazardous material in Gloucester County, N.J.

The search of the New Jersey site found more than 1,000 drums, with some leaking hazardous waste. The investigation there also yielded a possible link to the Recyclers of Delaware LLC warehouse in New Castle. That led to DNREC’s ECU discovery of additional drums of hazardous material.

After it was confirmed that the site contained hazardous materials, DNREC’s Emergency Response Team was called in to assist and to provide scientific support with the identification and classification of the suspect materials. “Preliminary results of our investigation show the presence of volatile organic compounds and flammable chemicals,” said ECU Chief James Faedtke.

The EPA collected and sent samples from each drum to an environmental laboratory for analysis. Once the investigation is concluded and results of sampling confirmed, legal or enforcement actions will be taken against Recyclers of Delaware LLC if warranted.

Faedtke also noted that the hazardous materials in the New Castle warehouse have been secured by DNREC with assistance from EPA, and are not a threat to public health.

DNREC’s Emergency Response Team worked with EPA onsite to stabilize the chemicals and prevent leakage, assuring that they pose no threat until DNREC takes further action and disposal of the chemicals can be arranged.

 

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