EPA Considers Billing Companies for Cleanup at Superfund Site

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is ordering 20 businesses that shipped waste to the Omega Superfund Site in Whittier, Calif. to investigate the extent of pollution at the site.

From 1976 to 1991, the Omega Chemical Corp. and Refrigerant Reclamation Co. operated a used solvent and refrigerant recycling and reformulation treatment facility. The company primarily handled chemicals used in refrigerator and freezer coils, as well as chlorinated solvents that included degreasing and dry-cleaning chemicals.

The businesses receiving the order known as major generator parties each sent more than 10 tons of hazardous substances to the Omega site for disposal while the company was in business. These companies were first told they may be liable for part of the cost of studying and cleaning up the pollution in 1995.

Initially, these companies were part of a larger group of generators that were negotiating a settlement with the EPA and perform work at the site. However, before the work agreement was completed and signed in February 2001, the 20 companies withdrew from the negotiations and therefore have not been participating in the current work being performed at the site.

"The EPA believes that the strategy we are employing at Omega fosters fair settlements with all waste contributors now and in the future," said Keith Takata, Superfund division director in the EPA's Pacific Southwest region.  "This is an important step for the Omega site cleanup, and we look forward to securing settlements and making further progress toward a full site cleanup."