FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         ENR
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1997                          (202) 514-2008
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

                                 
                          MEDIA ADVISORY

     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The United States this week filed two
settlements with nine companies that have agreed to to complete
the clean up the Nascolite Superfund site in Millville and
Vineland, New Jersey, estimated to cost nearly $23 million. The
agreements, filed February 25, in U.S. District Court in Camden,
should complete the cleanup. 

     The proposed settlements will be published in the Federal
Register.  The case is filed under Civil Action Number: 97 CV
847.

     The now defunct Nascolite Corporation operated a plastics
manufacturing facility on the 17.5 acre site located in a mixed
commercial and residential neighborhood from 1952 to 1980. 
Hazardous substances used to manufacture the plastics, including
an acid-derived resin known as methyl methacrylate, contaminated
the groundwater and soil.  Each of the settling companies
supplied Nascolite with varying quantities of methyl methacrylate
at different times, and are responsible for a share of the site
cleanup.

     Under the first settlement, five companies who contributed a
small amount of hazardous waste to the Nascolite site agreed to
pay a total of $894,000 for their share of the clean up costs. 
This settlement is the result of administrative reforms designed
to speed the pace and protect the fairness of Superfund clean
ups.  Under last year's administrative reforms, the United States
established a fast track settlement process for those who
contributed a small amount of hazardous waste to a site.  The
process allows them to avoid costly, time consuming litigation
while ensuring they pay their share of the cleanup costs. 
   
     Under the second settlement, the four companies responsible
for supplying Nascolite with the bulk of the hazardous substances
that contaminated the site, agreed to cleanup the contaminated
groundwater at the site and reimburse EPA for a some of its
cleanup costs.  The settlment has an estimated value of $22.6 million.

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97-091