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Cleanup of contaminated industrial site in Detroit is expected to cost millions

Efforts to contain the leak at the site has cost at least $200,000 over 24 days.

MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. — Officials of Michigan’s environmental agency says the cleanup of an industrial site in suburban Detroit from which contaminated water leaked last month will likely cost millions of dollars. 

Tracy Kecskenmeti of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy on Wednesday told Michigan lawmakers efforts to contain the leak at the Electro-Plating Services Inc. site in Madison Heights has cost at least $200,000 over 24 days. 

She said the presence of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances could triple the cost of removing contaminated water and soil from the site.  

The chemical oozed from the basement of Madison Heights-based Electro-Plating Services and entered an I-696 storm sewer and sewer clean-out between the business and the freeway's service drive, according to the Associated Press. 

Electro-Plating and services was shut down in December 2016 due to EPA violations. More recently was fined $1.5 million and its owner received one year in prison for illegally story hazardous waste, according to a report by WXYZ.

The company was fined $1.5 million and its owner received one year in prison for illegally storing hazardous waste. WXYZ says crews have another sump pump at the place where a pit used to be filled with the toxic chemical.

13 ON YOUR SIDE contributed to this reporting.

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