Solitron Microwave

Overview

The Solitron Microwave site is a 20-acre former metal plating and microwave manufacturing facility in Port Salerno, Florida. Operations ran from the 1960s through 1987, and improper storage of solvents along with leaking pipes and drum pads contaminated both soil and groundwater. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in 1998.

EPA identified 16 contaminants of concern across soil and groundwater. Groundwater contains chlorinated solvents including tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, several forms of dichloroethene, and vinyl chloride, plus acetone and manganese. Soil contamination includes tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, and the metals cadmium, copper, nickel, and silver. All contamination is grouped under Operable Unit 1.

Active cleanup ran from 2002 to 2004. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and EPA excavated contaminated soil near the former plant building and sent it off-site for disposal. Early on, 12 nearby private drinking water wells exceeded safe drinking water standards, and Martin County connected those homes to the public water system. In 2005, EPA updated the cleanup plan to use monitored natural attenuation, meaning natural physical, chemical, and biological processes break down the remaining groundwater contamination over time. EPA transferred groundwater monitoring to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in 2014. The most recent five-year review, completed in 2024, confirms natural attenuation is working effectively. Contamination does not threaten nearby residents or a neighboring middle school, since contaminated groundwater flows away from the school. Both residents and businesses use the public water system, which is not affected by site contamination.

The site has been redeveloped as an industrial park by Port Salerno Industrial Park, LLC, which received an EPA Region 4 "Excellence in Site Reuse" award. Six businesses now operate on-site, employing 104 people. Institutional controls limit the property to industrial and commercial uses, and fencing controls site access. A solar energy project operates on a portion of the property. Annual groundwater sampling will continue until all contaminants reach cleanup level goals.

Community members can stay involved through public notices and public meetings that EPA holds during the cleanup process. For specific questions, residents can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.