Preferred Plating Corporation ran metal plating and surface finishing operations on a 0.75-acre property in Farmingdale, New York from 1951 to 1976. Untreated wastewater was discharged into cracked concrete leaching pits, sending heavy metals and organic compounds into the soil and groundwater. The EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in June 1986.
The site has 33 contaminants of concern spread across soil and groundwater. Metals found in soil include arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, silver, and zinc. Chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, and 1,1,1-trichloroethane are present in both groundwater and soil. Benzene, toluene, cyanide, and magnesium are also present. Cadmium, chromium, lead, and nickel have spread to off-site groundwater areas.
Cleanup was divided into three operable units covering groundwater, soils, and off-site groundwater. Soil work in 1994 removed about 1,500 tons of contaminated material for off-site disposal. The original groundwater remedy used pumping and treatment, but a 1997 amendment shifted to monitored natural attenuation. Sampling from 1998 through 2005 showed steady declines in cadmium levels, though 2007 and 2008 data found cadmium above EPA's Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) in a specific area. Off-site groundwater received a no-action decision in 1993. Physical construction across the site was completed in 1997.
The site is currently in long-term monitoring. Human exposure is under control, groundwater migration has stabilized, and no unacceptable discharge to surface water is occurring. The site reached sitewide ready-for-anticipated-reuse status in 2014. As of December 2024, two businesses operate on the property, including an automobile repair shop, employing 17 people and generating about $1.54 million in annual sales. The EPA completed its fifth five-year review in April 2022, confirming the cleanup remains protective of public health and the environment. The next five-year review is estimated for April through June 2027. The site has not yet been deleted from the NPL.
Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager. Site documents are available in person at the West Babylon Library (211 Route 109, West Babylon, NY 11704) or at the EPA's New York office (290 Broadway, 18th floor, New York, NY 10007). The Superfund Records Center can be reached at (212) 637-4308.
