An abandoned St. Paul factory with vats of poison and chemicals will be getting a $1.6 million cleanup from the federal government.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced that it will conduct the hazardous waste removal at the former site of Plating Inc., at 888 Prior Ave. in the Hamline-Midway neighborhood.

The 21,000-square-foot metal-plating facility has 82 open vats of cyanide and caustic chemicals, along with 76 drums of other chemicals. Asbestos has been found in the deteriorating building, and must be removed.

The EPA estimates the project will take about 65 workdays to complete.

The agency is planning to go door-to-door in the neighborhood to notify residents and businesses about the cleanup.

For more information, visit response.epa.gov/Plating-Inc.