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Solitron Microwave
National Information
Photos/Multimedia
Pond on the Solitron Microwave 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: FLD045459526Location: Port Salerno, Martin County, FL
Lat/Long: 27.136660, -080.199160
Congressional District: 16
NPL Status: Proposed: 03/06/98; Final: 07/27/98
Affected Media: Ground water, Soil
Cleanup Status: Construction complete: Physical cleanup activities have been completed
Human Exposure Under Control: Yes
Groundwater Migration Under Control: No
Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Use: Yes
Site Reuse/Redevelopment: In reuse as an industrial park, including retail, office, and warehouse space
Site Manager: Bill Denman (denman.bill@epa.gov)
Current Site Status
The Solitron Microwave site is an industrial property in Port Salerno, Florida. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1998 because of contaminated soil and ground water resulting from former metal plating and manufacturing activities. EPA and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) 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 threaten people living and working near the site. EPA and FDEP continue to protect people and the environment from site contamination with annual sampling of the ground water to ensure natural attenuation is occurring and by conducting Five-Year Reviews.
Site Location and Background
The 20-acre site is located along Cove Road, approximately three-quarters of a mile east of U.S. Highway 1, in Port Salerno, Florida. The site originally included a main plant building, a hazardous waste storage building, parking lots, a manmade pond and two wastewater fields. Residential areas surround the site.
The Solitron Microwave Company (Solitron) ran a metals plating and manufacturing business at the site from 1968 until January 1987. Solitron made materials for the military, aerospace and microwave industries. From 1963 to 1968, the General R. F. Fittings Company ran the facility. The companies used solvents – substances used to dissolve other substances – in the manufacturing and cleaning work. The companies then placed the solvents in barrels and shipped them off site. Site inspections during the mid-1980s found leaking pipes and drum pads that were potential sources of contamination for surrounding soil and ground water.
The State of Florida required Solitron to remove about 260 cubic yards of sediments from the facility’s manmade pond in 1989. Later, Solitron did more soil and ground water sampling. Since 1991, the Martin County Health Department has regularly tested private drinking water wells in neighborhoods near the site. At first, 12 private wells had contaminant levels above allowable drinking water standards. Martin County connected these residences to the public water supply. Solitron collected ground water samples between 1988 and 1991 and found contaminant concentrations above drinking water standards. In 1998, EPA listed the site on the NPL.
In 2003, the Port Salerno Industrial Park, LLC purchased the site property and redeveloped it into an industrial park. The industrial park includes retail, office and warehouse space.
Threats and Contaminants
Site investigations found contamination in soil and ground water that could potentially harm people in the area. Soil and ground water contamination resulted from waste handling practices at the site. Contaminants of concern include tetrachloroethylene (also known as PCE or PERC), trichloroethylene, 1,2 dichloroethene and vinyl chloride.
Contamination does not threaten residents living and working near the site. A middle school is located near the site, but contaminated ground water flows in the opposite direction from the school. Both residents and businesses use the public water system for drinking water.
Investigation and Cleanup Responsibility / Oversight
EPA leads site investigation and cleanup activities in cooperation with FDEP.
Site Cleanup Plan
In 2000, EPA issued a cleanup plan (a Record of Decision, or ROD) for the site. The plan included the following activities:
- Excavation and off-site disposal of contaminated soils.
- Chemical treatment of contaminated ground water.
- Monitored Natural Attenuation (natural attenuation is the reduction of contaminants in soil or ground water through natural physical, chemical, or biological processes).
- Extension of water lines to provide people access to the public water system.
In 2005, EPA made some small changes to the cleanup plan by issuing an Explanation of Significant Differences (ESD). The ESD changed the ground water cleanup plan to rely only on monitored natural attenuation. In addition, Port Salerno Industrial Park LLC’s demolition of several buildings on site made it possible for EPA to excavate contaminated soil under the former building locations and send the soil off site for disposal at a landfill. The ESD also changed the cleanup plan to include this work.
Summaries of selected cleanup approaches are available online in the site ROD, ESD and Five-Year Reviews.Cleanup Progress
In 2002, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), through a cooperative agreement with EPA, excavated contaminated soil near the former main plant building. In 2004, USACE and EPA excavated soil from under the former site buildings, removed the remaining contaminated soil and sent it to an off-site landfill for disposal.
EPA continues to carry out the monitored natural attenuation cleanup plan selected in the 2000 ROD. Activities include annual sampling of ground water to monitor the progress of natural attenuation. Sampling and monitoring will continue until all contaminants of concern are below cleanup level goals.
In 2003, Martin County finished the installation of water line extensions, allowing residents in the area to connect to the public water system.
In 2004, EPA issued a report stating that the Agency had finished all construction activities for the site’s cleanup.
Port Salerno Industrial Park, LLC redeveloped the site into the Port Salerno Industrial Park, which provides retail, office and warehouse space. In 2008, EPA Region 4 presented the Port Salerno Industrial Park with an "Excellence in Site Reuse" award. Port Salerno Industrial Park, LLC received the award for developing the site in a way that enhanced the site’s cleanup and helped to revitalize the site property and the surrounding community.
Six acres of the site have been reserved for wetland areas, a nature preserve, and a retention pond.
EPA’s first Five-Year Review, completed in 2009, found that cleanup actions were continuing to make sure workers and residents did not come into contact with remaining site contamination.
Enforcement Activities
Port Salerno Industrial Park, LLC and EPA entered into a Prospective Purchaser Agreement for the site in 2003 that helped enable the site’s cleanup and redevelopment.
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 to solicit community input and to make sure the public remains informed about site activities throughout the cleanup process. Outreach efforts have included fact sheets (see below), public notices, interviews and public meetings.Fact Sheets
- Fact Sheet - 2005 ESD (PDF) (5 pp, 600K, About PDF)
Future Work
EPA will continue to conduct annual sampling of the ground water through July 2014. After July 2014, the FDEP will assume the responsibility for conducting annual ground water sampling until all contaminants of concern are below cleanup level goals.
EPA completed the last Five-Year Review in 2009 and plans to complete the next Five-Year Review in 2014.
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
Robert Morgade Public Library
5851 SE Community Drive
Stuart, FL 34997