THE AQUA-TECH ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. STIE IS LOCATED AT 340 ROBINSON ROAD, 5 MILES EAST OF GREER, SC. THE SITE OCCUPIES 61.56 ACRES. FROM 1960 TO 1974, THE CITY OF GREER OWNED A 36-ACRE PARCEL OF THE SITE FOR OPERATION OF A MUNICIPAL LANDFILL. IN 1974, THE SITE WAS SOLD TO GROCE LABORATORIES, INC. BEGINNING IN 1975, GROCE OPERATED A HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT, STORAGE, & RECLAMATION FACILITY ON THE SITE. IN APRIL 1987, AQUA-TECH, INC., A WISCONSIN CORP, PURCHASED 100 PERCENT OF THE STOCK AND EQUITY OF GROCE, MAKING GROCE ITS WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY. THE RESULTING COMPANY CONTINUED TO OPERATE AT THE SITE USING THE NAME GROCE LABORATORIES. ON AUGUST 13, 1990, GROCE LABORATORIES CHANGED ITS NAME TO AQUA-TECH ENVIRONMENTAL, INC.
FROM 1982 THROUGH 1991, GROCE LABORATORIES AND ITS SUCCESSOR, AQUA-TECH ENVIRONMENTAL, INC., ENTERED INTO 5 CONSENT ORDERS WITH THE STATE OF SC, EACH OF WHICH ADDRESSED NUMEROUS ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATORY VIOLATIONS, INCLUDING THE UNPERMITTED RELEASE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INTO THE ENVIRONMENT. IN SEPTEMBER 1991, AFTER SEVERAL COMPLAINTS, RECORDED VIOLATIONS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS, AND ON-SITE ACCIDENTS, AQUA-TECH WAS ORDERED TO CEASE OPERATING BY THE SC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL (SCDHEC). ON OCTOBER 31, 1991, AQUA-TECH FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY UNDER CHAPTER 11. THE CASE WAS ULTIMATELY DISMISSED AS THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT ASSETS IN THE ESTATE.
FROM SEPTEMBER 1991 THROUGH JANUARY 1992, SCDHEC CONDUCTED AN EMER