Airco Plating Co. is a two-acre metal plating facility in Miami, Florida, that has operated since 1955. EPA added it to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990 after plating operations left soil and groundwater contaminated with harmful substances. The site sits in a commercial and industrial area. Nearby residents and businesses use public water systems, and site contamination does not currently threaten people living or working nearby.
EPA identified 22 contaminants of concern at the site. Heavy metals include cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are chemicals that easily evaporate and can move through soil and water, include vinyl chloride, trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, and several related compounds, as well as chloroform. Other contaminants include acetone, bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, and cyanide. All were found in soil, groundwater, or both.
EPA selected the long-term cleanup remedy in 1998. Workers used soil vapor extraction to pull VOCs out of soil using vacuum pressure, then covered remaining contaminated soils with concrete. Groundwater was treated using an air stripping system that removes VOCs, with treated water sent to the municipal sewer. Construction ran from 1995 to 1997, with a second phase completed in September 1999. The potentially responsible party (PRP), the company or person legally required to pay for cleanup, regularly inspects the concrete cover and monitors groundwater to confirm contamination stays within site boundaries. Zoning restrictions prevent residential use, and the South Florida Water Management District requires approval for any new wells in the area. The PRP is working with EPA to place a formal land use restriction on the property.
Human exposure to contaminants is under control, and groundwater contamination is stabilized. The site achieved sitewide ready for anticipated use status on July 15, 2019, meaning all cleanup goals for current and expected future land uses have been met. Airco Plating Company, Inc. still operates on-site, serving the aviation, aerospace, and commercial industries. As of December 2024, two on-site businesses employed 42 people and generated roughly $4.96 million in annual sales. The site has not yet been deleted from the NPL. A five-year review, which EPA conducts to confirm the remedy still protects human health and the environment, was most recently completed on August 31, 2021. The next review is estimated between August and October 2026.
Community members can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager with questions. Site documents are available at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library in Hialeah, Florida.
