Hazardous Waste Cleanup: White Mop Wringer Company in Fultonville, New York
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
Discharge to the surface impoundments ceased on April 1, 1986. In 1989, the surface impoundments were closed in accordance with a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation approved closure plan. Closure included the removal of sludge and contaminated soil in and around the impoundments, and placement of fill and a cover system over the area.
The company conducted soil and sediment investigations as directed by the permit. The company also implemented a post-closure monitoring program for the surface impoundments. As expected, once the impoundments were closed and the contaminated sludge and soils were removed, the concentration of hazardous waste constituents in the groundwater downgradient of the impoundments decreased substantially. The groundwater monitoring program continued until 2003, and ceased with the expiration of the Order on Consent.
Contaminant concentrations are at or below New York State's groundwater quality standards. Based upon these data, the NYSDEC made a Determination of No Further Actions on June 26, 2006.
Site Description
White Mop Wringer Company is located on Riverside Drive in Fultonville, New York. White Mop Wringer (WMW) is a manufacturing company producing mop wringers, buckets, dust pans, mopping tanks and other receptacles. During manufacturing, products undergo steel cleaning, phosphatizing and zinc plating. On the south side of the facility, WMW operated three surface impoundments from 1967 to 1986. These surface impoundments were used to store treated wastewater from plating operations, tank cleaning, painting and steel phosphatizing.
The surface impoundments served as holding basins for the treated wastewater prior to discharge to a drainage ditch along the southern boundary of the facility. Discharge to the ditch was regulated under a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) State Pollution Discharge Elimination System Permit.
Contaminants at this Facility
The company conducted soil and sediment investigations as directed by the permit. Contaminated soils and sludge were removed from the facility. Investigation of the other Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs) at the facility indicated that there were no releases that exceeded the relevant action levels established by the New York State Department of Conservation (NYSDEC).
The facility is bounded by a fence to prevent unauthorized entry. The New York State Thruway runs along the southern boundary of the facility where the plume of groundwater contamination exists. Pedestrian traffic on that limited access highway is not permitted, thus further restricting access to the contaminated groundwater. Institutional controls (deed restrictions) have been implemented to ensure that the area in the vicinity of the former impoundments remains undisturbed.
Data collected under the groundwater monitoring program indicate that the plume of contaminated groundwater is limited to the site (that is, does not flow off-site).
Responsibility at this Facility
An October 1999 Order on Consent replaced a 1991 Hazardous Waste Management Permit.
In March 1991, the New York State Department of Conservation (NYSDEC) issued a Hazardous Waste Management Permit that included provisions for Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action. In August 1999, the NYSDEC issued a draft Order on Consent that replaced the Hazardous Waste Management Permit which expired in 1996. The Order, which required White Mop to continue the groundwater monitoring program, took effect in October 1999 and expired in 2003.