The Department of Environmental Protection will conduct an environmental cleanup at Rapid Circuits in Bristol Township, Bucks County, to remove hazardous materials remaining at the property. 

“Although DEP has been working with Rapid Circuits since we first learned they were having financial problems, and the company has taken away some of the material stored onsite, we want to remove all of the material before any chemical release can occur to the surrounding community,” DEP Southeast Regional Director Cosmo Servidio said.

Rapid Circuits, at 6401 MacPherson Ave. in Bristol, previously manufactured printed circuit boards for the electronics industry. Its process line included a number of plating baths, plating solutions and a hazardous wastewater treatment system.

During an October 2011 inspection, DEP discovered that the company was storing larger quantities of waste for longer periods of time. When questioned about their storage practices, facility management reported financial trouble, which prompted DEP to schedule a comprehensive inspection in February 2012. At that time, an inventory of hazardous materials revealed 61 drums, four storage tanks, two 1,200-pound bags of sludge and nearly 80 plating baths filled with contaminated solutions. The agency issued a notice of violation to company owners.

In May 2012, DEP attempted to conduct a follow-up inspection along with Bristol Township officials, but the facility was found to be closed, inaccessible and without power.

DEP conducted an inspection in June to assess the facility’s status and confirm its onsite inventory, which included sulfuric acid, isopropyl alcohol, formaldehyde and other chemicals used in the plating process.

That visit resulted in the issuance of an order requiring company officials to report back to the agency about the building’s security and to schedule the removal of onsite waste and chemicals. Although the company has met with DEP on several occasions and has personnel onsite periodically, most of the hazardous materials remain onsite.  

“While there was no evidence of spills or leakage during our site visits, DEP is taking action before an accident can happen,” Servidio said.

The cleanup is slated to begin around October 29 and is expected to last several months. DEP will then hold a public hearing to outline the actions taken to date and give area residents an opportunity to provide public comment for the record on the activities.

10/29/2012