The Chemical & Minerals Reclamation site is a 1-acre property in Cleveland, Ohio. It was used to collect and store industrial wastes, including flammable and nonflammable solvents, paints, tar, grease, and resins held in vats and barrels. A warehouse fire in July 1980 temporarily closed the nearby Cleveland Memorial Shoreway, though no injuries were reported. The site was proposed for the National Priorities List (NPL) in October 1981 but was later deleted after cleanup was finished.
The main contamination concerns involved soil and waste containers holding a mix of industrial chemicals. Cleanup crews removed 2,000 containers of waste materials and emptied six 3,500-gallon vats between 1981 and 1982. The building was demolished, and visibly contaminated soil was sent to a licensed landfill. Remaining chemicals were directed to recyclers, incinerators, and landfills. Groundwater is not a concern at this site.
The City of Cleveland, the U.S. Coast Guard, Ohio EPA, and the U.S. EPA all worked together on the cleanup. EPA declared all appropriate cleanup complete in December 1982. A Consent Decree finalized in June 1987 recovered more than 85 percent of EPA's cleanup costs from the potentially responsible parties.
Human exposure is currently considered under control across the entire site. No unacceptable exposure pathways exist at this time. Physical construction of the cleanup is complete. The site has not yet reached a sitewide ready-for-anticipated-use status, meaning one or more criteria for full completion have not been met. Those criteria can include cleanup goals for current or future land uses, required land-use restrictions, or other controls.
Community members or property developers interested in future use of the site can reach out through the EPA's Superfund Redevelopment Program, which helps return cleaned-up properties to productive economic and community use. Direct questions about the site can be directed to the EPA's Remedial Project Manager.
