Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Allentown Paint Company, Allentown, PA
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
An Environmental Indicator (EI) inspection was performed at the former Allentown Paint facility (Facility) in October 2007 to determine whether human exposures to contamination and migration of contaminated groundwater are under control. Several underground storage tanks were removed in the 1990s, and several soil removals in the 1990s and 2000s first led to the attainment of Non-Residential Statewide Health Standards (SHS) for soil in 2000, then to the attainment of Residential SHS for soil in 2003. Groundwater sampling in 1999 indicated slightly elevated levels of lead in each of the three wells on-site; however, groundwater in the vicinity is not used for drinking water and any contamination above the lead action level of 15 ug/L is not expected to migrate off-site due to the removal of the lead source and the physical properties of lead (low solubility and preference of binding to soil). This information from the EI inspection led to EPA's determination that both EIs are under control at the Facility. In July 2009, EPA issued a Final Decision of Corrective Action Complete without Controls for the Facility.
Site Description
Interactive map of Allentown Paint Company, Allentown, PA
View larger mapThe former Allentown Paint facility is situated on an approximately 3.8-acre lot located on the corner of Graham and Allen Streets in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. The Facility was owned by the Helfrich family and manufactured various paints from the 1930s to 1989, when the Facility was sold to the Stulb Paint Company. Stulb continued to manufacture paint at the Facility until 1995, when they went out of business. From 1997 to the present, the property has been leased to several tenants as commercial and storage space.
Contaminants at this Facility
The primary concern was levels of lead in each of the three wells on-site.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
Institutional Controls were not required at the facility.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
The site is being reused.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action activities at this facility have been conducted under the direction of EPA Region 3.