Matthews Electroplating sits on a 1.7-acre property in Roanoke County, Virginia. An automobile plating business operated there from 1972 to 1976, disposing of liquid waste directly onto the ground. That waste drained into a sinkhole beneath the property and contaminated groundwater with chromium and soil with chromium, nickel, and cyanide. In November 1975, nearby residents complained of discolored drinking water, and the Virginia State Water Control Board confirmed the contamination. An emergency order in 1976 stopped further waste discharge and the facility closed. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List on September 8, 1983.
EPA identified chromium in groundwater as the primary contaminant of concern. The agency determined chromium posed an unacceptable risk to human health based on the amount present and the potential for people to be exposed through drinking water. Soil contamination included nickel and cyanide in addition to chromium.
EPA's main cleanup action extended the municipal water supply from the City of Salem to 31 nearby buildings, completed in 1986, so residents would no longer rely on contaminated groundwater. Between March and August 1988, EPA also removed roughly 1,500 gallons of chromium and mercury waste and sludge from drums and tanks on the property. The state managed operation and maintenance of the groundwater remedy from July 1986 through February 1992. Construction of the full remedy was finished on March 29, 1988, and the site was deleted from the National Priorities List on January 19, 1989.
EPA completed a five-year review in June 2004 and confirmed the remedy continues to protect human health and the environment. Human exposure is under control with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified. Contaminated groundwater has been stabilized and is not discharging to surface water at unacceptable levels. The site achieved sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status on June 26, 2006, meaning all cleanup goals have been met for current and reasonably anticipated future land uses. No further reviews are required.
Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. Public records for the site, including 96 administrative documents, can be reviewed at the Salem Public Library in Salem, Virginia or at the EPA Region 3 office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. An appointment is required to view records at the EPA office.
