The Zschiegner Refining Company (ZRC) was located in Howell, New Jersey, and operated as a metal refining facility. Some of their operations included stripping the chemicals off of precious metals from watch bands, photographic film, and electrical components. In 1992, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discovered that 3,000 chemicals had contaminated the soil, surface water, and groundwater. These areas were contaminated due to discharge of waste to the ground surface, the movement of waste and contamination downhill from the site building, along with surface water runoff. When the EPA investigated the site and found the chemicals in the groundwater and soil, they shut down the company that same year in 1992. In that area, the environment and people were affected, esp