MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. – The Environmental Protection Agency was at the now-condemned Electro-Plating Services in Madison Heights collecting more soil samples.
The agency said it has pumped more than 11,000 gallons of contaminated groundwater from the building so far. Testing had shown what’s leaking from the dilapidated building is hexavalent chromium.
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Hexavalent chromium is used in the plating process and is also known to cause cancer. The EPA said drinking water in the area has not been affected.
The owner of Electro Plating Services, Gary Sayers, was recently sentenced after he pleaded guilty to storing hazardous waste without a permit. He is heading to prison this month.
Because of his track record as a polluter, Sanilac County Emergency Management visited property Sayers owns on Loree Road in Deckerville. Not only is the property a mess, but a drum which housed hazardous chemicals was found on site.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy had visited the property in 2017 and determined, at that point, that Sayers didn’t dump chemicals there. The agency will be conducting another inspection next week.
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