RTE 2
The 2-acre Upjohn Facility site contains a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant. In 1982, approximately 15,300 gallons of waste material, including carbon tetrachloride, leaked from an underground storage tank on the site. Six wells were sampled for contamination shortly after the leak was detected; four were taken out of service and one on the adjacent A.H. Robins (now Merck) property was commissioned as a recovery well. The population affected by the contaminated wells was given alternative water supplies and subsequently, the company installed a replacement well and connected one area to the public water system. Upjohn also installed 22 groundwater monitoring wells. In 1984, the tank farm area of the facility was covered with a fiberglass-reinforced concrete pad to prevent rainwater from seeping into the ground. The company installed an extraction well downgradient of the spill area to intercept the majority of the contaminated groundwater before it left the site. In addition, 19 vacuum extraction wells were employed to withdraw carbon tetrachloride from the soil. More than 12,000 gallons of carbon tetrachloride have been removed from the soil and groundwater. Upjohn ceased all use of carbon tetrachloride by 1986. The Upjohn facility is located in a sparsely populated area. Two communities, Tiburones and Garrochales, with a population of approximately 3,000 people, are directly affected by the site. The island's largest aquifer is underneath the site and supplies drinking water to 12,000 people. In addition, the aquifer discharges to a wetland area that supports a large aquatic and bird population. The Rio Grande de Arecibo and Rio de Manati are located along the borders of the site. Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through Federal and potentially responsible party's actions
3,315 |
People living within a 1 mile radius |
$24,558 |
Average Income |
1,187 |
Occupied homes |
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