THE BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDING INVOLVING L&S INDUSTIRES, INC. (L&S) IS A CHAPTER 7 LIQUIDATION, NO. B87-4597, PENDING BE- BEFORE JUDGE RANDOLPH BAXTER IN THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO. EPA FIRST BECAME AWARE OF THIS ACTION WHEN, ON SEPT. 30, 1988, THE ATTORNEY FOR THE U.S. TRUSTEE, JOEL RATHBONE, FILED TWO MOTIONS BOTH OF WHICH NAMED THE U.S. AS A DEFEN- DANT. THE FIRST OF THESE MOTIONS SOUGHT A COURT ORDER TO ALLOW THE TRUSTEE TO USE ESTATE FUNDS TO DISPOSE OF CHEMICAL WASTE ON THE L&S PROPERTY. IT WAS ESTIMATED IN THAT MOTION THAT THE COST OF PROPERLY DISPOSING OF ANY CHEMICAL WASTE WAS $1500 TO $10,000. THE TRUSTEE REPORTED THAT THE ESTATE CONTAINED $135,167, ALL OF WHICH WAS SUBJECT TO CLAIMS OF SECURED CREDITORS AND VARIOUS ADMINISTRATIVE CLAIMS. THE SECOND MOTION REQUESTED THE COURT TO ENTER AN ORDER RE- QUIRING THE UNITED STATES, THE EPA, THE STATE OF OHIO AND THE OHIO EPA TO ASSIST THE TRUSTEE IN THE PROPER DISPOSAL OF CERTAIN CHEMICAL WASTE BELONGING TO THE DEBTOR. THAT MOTION FURTHER STATED THAT THERE WERE THREE DRUMS OF CHEMICAL WASTE ON THE L&S PROPERTY WHICH THE TRUSTEE BE- LIEVED REQUIRED SPECIAL DISPOSAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATIONS. - A HEARING ON THE MOTIONS WAS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 3, 1988, AT WHICH TIME A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE SECTION AT THE DEPT. OF JUSTICE, ELI