IN APRIL, 1983, A LARGE DEPOSIT OF MERCURY WAS DISCOVERED BY CHILDREN USING A METAL DETECTOR AT ONE OF THE SITES. THE CHILDREN RECOVERED APPROXIMATELY TEN POUNDS OF MERCURY USING THEIR T-SHIRTS TO SCREEN THE MERCURY FROM THE SOIL. WHEN THEY BROUGHT THE MATERIAL HOME, THEIR PARENTS REPORTED THE DISCOVERY AND LODGED A COMPLAINT WITH THE CONNECTICUT DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (CT DEP). MR. BOURDEAUDHUI PURCHASED WASTE DENTAL AMALGAM FROM 1969 UNTIL 1984 FROM DENTISTS AND DENTAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY COMPANIES, AND PROCESSED THAT AMALGAM TO RECOVER SILVER AND MERCURY UTILIZING A CRUDE STILL. MR. BOURDEAUDHUI PROCESSED AMALGAM AT THE BOURDEAUDHUI SITE FROM 1969 UNTIL 1973 AND AT THE KAPINOS SITE FROM 1974 UNTIL 1984. AS A CON- SEQUENCE OF MR. BOURDEAUDHUI'S PROCESSING OPERATION, EXTEN- SIVE SOIL CONTAMINATION OCCURRED AT THOSE SITES. THE CONTAM- INATION OCCURRED AT THOSE SITES. THE CONTAMINATION IS BE- LIEVED TO BE THE DIRECT RESULT OF CONDENSATION OF VAPORIZED MERUCURY, AS WELL AS POSSIBLE SPILLAGE OF MERCURY SOLUTE.