# NORTHERNAIRE PLATING CO.
> **Judicial** · FY1983 · — · Litigated With Penalty
## Case
- **Activity ID:** `25203`
- **Case Number:** 05-1983-0017
- **Type:** Judicial
- **Lead:** EPA
- **Outcome:** Litigated With Penalty
- **Penalty assessed:** $342K
- **Cost recovery:** $0
- **Compliance action $:** —
- **Multimedia (multi-env):** N
## Defendants
- 3RD PARTY - CITY OF CADILLAC (complaint) (settlement)
- GARWOOD, WILLIAM S. (complaint) (settlement)
- NORTHERNAIRE PLATING (complaint) (settlement)
- R.W. MEYER, INC. (complaint) (settlement)
## Summary

NATURE OF CASE                                                  ON JULY 5, 1983, US.S EPA COMMENCED AN IMMEDIATE        REMOVAL ACTION AT THE NORTHERNAIRE PLATING COMPANY FACILITY  IN CADILLAC, MICHIGAN, TO REMOVE HAZARDOUS PLATING WASTES.   THE WASTES WERE ABANDONED BY NORTHERNAIRE PLATING COMPANY    AND/OR TOP LOCKER ENTERPRISES, INC., FOLLOWING THE LIQUIDA-  TION OF NORTHERNAIRE'S ASSETS TO SATISFY A LOAN TO THE FIRST BANK OF CADILLAC.                                                 EMERGENCY ACTION WAS TAKEN TO PREVENT DRUMS AND VATS OF CYANIDE WASTE FROM MIXING WITH ACIDS LEFT AT THE SITE.  MIX- TURE OF THE CYANIDE AND ACID WASTE WOULD RESULT IN THE       FORMATION OF DEADLY HYDROGEN CYANIDE GAS.  IN ADDITION,      EMERGENCY ACTION WAS UNDERTAKEN TO REMOVE GROSSLY CONTAMI-   ATED SLUDGES FROM A SEWER LINE TO PREVENT FURTHER GROUND-    WATER CONTAMINATION.                                              R. W. MEYER, INC., OWNS THE LAND ON WHICH THE           NORTHERNAIRE PLATING FACILITY IS LOCATED.                         MEYER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, CONSTRUCTED A SEWER LINE    WHICH EXTENDS BETWEEN THE FACILITY AND THE CITY SEWER        SYSTEM.  THE SEWER LINE WAS CONSTRUCTED IN A MANNER WHICH    ALLOWED HAZARDOUS WASTE TO ESCAPE INTO THE SURROUNDING SOILS AND GROUNDWATER.                                                  NORTHERNAIRE PLATING COMPANY OWNED AND OPERATED THE     PLATING FACILITY BETWEEN THE YEARS 1971 AND 1981.  THE       FACILITY WAS ABANDONED IN MAY OR JUNE,

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*Source: [EPA ECHO](https://echo.epa.gov/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*