Cleanup Nears at Puerto Rican Scrap Yard

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized its plan to address contaminated soil at the Scorpio Recycling Superfund site in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico.

Previous metal recycling and battery crushing activities at the site resulted in contamination of the soil with lead and other metals. Under the plan, contaminated soil from the site will be consolidated in two controlled areas and covered to reduce potential exposure to the hazardous materials.

The EPA held a public meeting in August of 2013 in Toa Baja to explain its proposed plan. The agency then took public comments for 30 days and considered public input before finalizing its decision.

Scorpio Recycling Inc. was a metals recycling company that operated from 1972 until 2010. The site was added to the Superfund list in 1999 after high concentrations of heavy metals and other contaminants were found in the soil.

Under the EPA plan, contaminated soil that poses a potential risk to people’s health will be moved and consolidated in two areas of the site, a conservation area and an industrial area. Clean soil will be placed over contaminated soil in the conservation area and a gravel cover will be placed over soil in the industrial area.

The EPA estimates the cost of this cleanup will be about $3 million, which will be provided by the EPA federal Superfund program.

The EPA’s record of decision for the Scorpio Recycling Superfund site can be viewed at www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/scorpio/index.html.