THE JMC SITE IS A FORMER METAL PLATING FACILITY LOCATED IN LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA. THE FACILITY OPERATED FROM THE EARLY 1960'S UNTIL 1987. WHILE THE FACILITY OPERATED UNDER A SERIES OF NAMES ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERAL OWNERS AND OPERATORS, THE FACILITY PROCESSES REMAINED BASICALLY THE SAME OVER THE ENTIRE PERIOD. THE SMALL OPERATION INITIALLY PLATED ZINC, CADMIUM AND CHROME. IN APPROXIMATELY 1970, WHEN THE FACILITY BECAME ASSOCIATED WITH THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY, CHROME PLATING WAS INCREASED AND NICKEL AND BRASS PLATING ADDED. THE PLATING PROCESS PRODUCED A WASTE SLUDGE CONTAINING HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES, INCLUDING CHROMIUM, NICKEL, CYANIDE, CADMIUM AND LEAD. THIS SLUDGE SPILLED AND LEAKED ON THE FACILITY GOUNDS, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS WHERE THE SLUDGE SPILLED OR WAS DUMPED DOWN A SLOPE BEHIND THE FACILITY. DURING THESE SPILLS AND DUMPINGS, THE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES IN THE SLUDGE WERE RELEASED INTO THE SOILS AND POSSIBLY INTO THE GROUNDWATER. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE FACILITY CLOSED DOWN IN 1987, THE OPERATOR ABANDONED NUMBEROUS DRUMS AND VATS CONTAINING PLATING SOLUTIONS AND WASTES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE FACILITY BUILDING. SEVERAL VATS APPEARED NEARLY OVERFLOWING. ACCESS TO THE WASTES WAS UNRESTRICTED.