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B&B Chemical Co., Inc.
National Information
Photos/Multimedia
Buildings on B&B Chemical site
Additional Resources
- Site Cleanup Terms - can be found in EPA's glossary
- EPA Guides to Cleanup Technologies
- Superfund Community Involvement (PDF) (17 pp, 130K, About PDF)
Site Summary Profile
EPA ID: FLD004574190Location: Hialeah, Dade County, FL
Lat/Long: 25.839580, -080.300130
Congressional District: 21
NPL Status: Proposed: 06/24/88; Final: 08/30/90
Affected Media: Ground water, Soil
Cleanup Status: Construction Complete – physical cleanup activities have been completed
Human Exposure Under Control: Yes
Groundwater Migration Under Control: Yes
Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Use: No
Site Reuse/Redevelopment: In continued use – industrial land uses are located on site
Site Manager: Bill Denman (denman.bill@epa.gov)
Current Site Status
The B&B Chemical Co., Inc site includes the area where B&B Tritech, Inc. (formerly B&B Chemical Co., Inc.) began operations in 1963. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990 because of contaminated ground water and soil resulting from facility operations. EPA, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and B&B Tritech, the site’s potentially responsible party (PRP), have investigated site conditions and taken steps to clean up the site in order to protect people and the environment from contamination. Site contamination does not currently threaten people living and working near the site. By undertaking Five-Year Reviews, EPA, FDEP and the site’s PRP continue to protect people and the environment from site contamination.Site Location and Background
The 4.5-acre site is located at in an industrial area at 875 West 20th Street in Hialeah, Miami-Dade County, Florida. Site features include several buildings, warehouses and storage tanks. A concrete wall and fenced gates surround the site. Industrial land uses surround the site and several other Superfund sites are located nearby. The site includes the area where B&B Tritech began making industrial cleaning compounds in 1963. In 1990, EPA listed the site on the NPL. B&B Tritech continues to operate at the site.
Threats and Contaminants
Site investigations found contamination in ground water and soil that could potentially harm people in the area. Ground water and soil contamination resulted from waste handling practices at the site. Contaminants of concern identified include benzene, chlorobenzene and vinyl chloride.
In addition, the South Florida Water Management District has listed the site and nearby surrounding area as a ground water delineation area, which means all wells placed in the area require the District’s approval.
During the Five-Year Review conducted in 2007, EPA assessed whether workers might be at risk from harmful ground water vapors in buildings. EPA found that vapor intrusion did not pose a threat to workers.
Investigation and Cleanup Responsibility / Oversight
B&B Tritech, the site’s PRP, led cleanup activities with oversight provided by EPA and FDEP.
Site Cleanup Plan
In 1994, EPA issued a cleanup plan (a Record of Decision, or ROD) for the site. The plan included the following activities:
- Using monitored natural attenuation to address contamination in ground water.
- Placing institutional controls on the site to make sure future uses of the site property continue to protect human health and the environment.
In 2009, EPA issued an Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD) to address potential vapor intrusion issues at the site.
Cleanup Progress
In the mid-1970s, the Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) documented wastewater at the site. In 1981 and 1982, construction workers complained of skin burns and irritation while digging near the site. In 1985, DERM requested that EPA investigate conditions at the site. EPA confirmed contamination in groundwater and soil.
From 1988 until the early 1990s, the PRP operated a ground water treatment system at the site. From 1995 until 2007, the PRP used monitored natural attenuation to address remaining ground water contamination. Site ground water currently meets federal and state drinking water standards.
Summaries of cleanup activities are also available in Five-Year Reviews online.
Enforcement Activities
EPA negotiated legal agreements with the site PRP to investigate and clean up the site. The PRP continues to fund site cleanup, monitoring and oversight activities.
Community Involvement
EPA has worked with the community and its state partner to develop a long-term cleanup plan for the site, reflecting the Agency’s commitment to safe, healthy communities and environmental protection. Community engagement and public outreach are core components of EPA program activities.
EPA has conducted a range of community involvement activities at the site to solicit community input and to make sure the public remains informed about site activities throughout the cleanup process. Outreach efforts have included public notices and information meetings.
Future Work
EPA, FDEP and the site PRP continue to work on placing an institutional control on the site. Once the institutional control is in place, EPA will begin the process to delete the site from the NPL.
EPA completed the last Five-Year Review in 2012 and plans to complete the next Five-Year Review in 2017.
Additional Information
EPA keeps additional site documents and information in a site information repository at the location below. EPA also posts site documents, when available, on EPA’s CERCLIS Site Profile page. For documents not available on the website, please contact the Region 4 Freedom of Information Office.
Site Repository
John F. Kennedy Memorial Library
190 West 49th Street
Hialeah, FL 33021