Hazardous Waste Cleanup: BASF (Formerly: Cognsis Corporation) in Ambler, Pennsylvania
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
EPA had reviewed the existing groundwater investigation and has determined that the groundwater plume does not extend off-site. Monitoring on-site will continue. An environmental indicator of “Yes” for groundwater contamination was determined on November 13, 2013.
An environmental indicator determination for the soils will be completed once all environmental information is available.
Cleanup Background
Low-flow extraction and ex-situ ozone-peroxide treatment of contaminants removed much of the most highly contaminated parts of the plume between 2007 and 2009.
Additional treatment, hydraulic and pneumatic fracturing in conjunction with in-situ injections of a bioegradation product in 2010 and 2013 will be evaluated periodically to determine if modifications need to be made to the system. The 2013 monitoring showed a considerable reduction in the size of plume and concentration of the contaminants. Perimeter monitoring shows that the plume is contained within the property boundary and does not extend off-site.
A number of soils investigations and remedial activities have taken place on the site. A number of soils investigations and remedial activities have taken place on the site. Only two areas identified compounds at levels above the applicable non-residential Statewide Health Standards (SHS) under Act Two. BASF used the Act Two non-residential and used aquifer SHSs for all evaluations except for the Building 14 Area, as described below.
Excavations at the two areas that exceeded Act Two standards removed 265 cu yd of contaminated soils. Post-excavation confirmation sampling at these areas did not show any exceedances of the applicable Act Two standards for direct contact or soil to groundwater transport.
Building 14 Area
As a special project, BASF directed several investigation and remediation tasks associated with soil around Building 14 and railroad (RR) siding that formerly existed along the southwestern side of Building 14. Approximately 380 cu yd of contaminated soil where excavated from the RR siding area under a 1986 Administrative Consent Order (ACO) by EPA. The excavation ranged between one and three-feet deep over an area of approximately 5,500 sq ft. Dioxin cleanup tasks were successfully performed to meet an EPA mandated cleanup criteria of 0.246 mg/kg. Arsenic cleanup tasks were successfully performed to meet an EPA and PADEP-approved, risk-based screening level of 3,066 mg/kg. In a letter dated January 22, 1999, EPA approved the clean-up and the ACO was satisfied.
Several pesticides, naphthalene, dioxin and arsenic exist at levels above the most stringent applicable Statewide Health Standards in the Building 14 Area. BASF installed a cap of four-inch thick asphalt cap on top of one ft deep fill along the entire south-southwestern side of the Building 14. Building 14 is roofed and constructed of concrete, brick, and steel. With the addition of the asphalt cap, the Building 14 area is completely surrounded by asphalt and concrete, which serves as an engineering control for the area.
Site Description
Interactive map of BASF (Formerly: Cognsis Corporation), Ambler, PA
View larger mapCognis Corporation (Cognis) owns a former metal-treatment and herbicide/pesticide manufacturing facility located in Ambler, Pennsylvania. One or both of these operations were generally performed between 1914 and 2003. Since then, operations have been reduced to specialty laboratory work in one building and general business and site-support services throughout the remainder of the 26-acre property.
Cognis and previous owners have directed several environmental investigation and/or remedial activities at the Ambler facility between the early 1980s and present. Several of these voluntary actions were performed under oversight by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP). PADEP’s Release from Liability under Pennsylvania’s Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (Act Two) program was received on May 3, 2006 for work associated with closure and transfer of 18 acres to Lower Gwynedd Township in 2002. An environmental covenant has not yet been recorded for this property.
Contaminants at this Facility
Groundwater beneath the property has been evaluated since the early 1990s for VOCs, SVOCs and metals. Certain VOCs; 1,1-Dichloroethene (1,2-DCE), 1,2-Dichloroethane (1,2-DCA), 1,2-Dichloropropane (1,2-DCP), trichloroethene (TCE), were found in the overburden and bedrock aquifers above Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for drinking water. 1, 2-DCA is the primary contaminant, and in 2007 was found in the bedrock aquifer, at the source area near the former Tank Area 3. Also several pesticides, naphthalene, dioxin and arsenic exist at levels above the most stringent applicable Statewide Health Standards in the Building 14 Area.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
An environmental covenant dated June 20, 2011 requires BASF or any future owner of the property to restrict land and groundwater use activities to those compatible with non-residential, land-use categories. In addition, the covenant requires inspection, maintenance and record-keeping of the integrity of the engineered cap that overlies Building 14 Area.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
The site has an unused and reused parcels.
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.