Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Dow Chemical (Formerly: Rohm and Haas Chemicals LLC) in Bristol, Pennsylvania
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
This facility is one of EPA Region III’s high priority Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action sites. Remediation is complete at several areas of the site. Other areas are completing the investigation/remediation work.
Bristol Landfill - The landfill is a 60 acre, pre-RCRA landfill that operated between 1952 and 1975. It was the primary disposal site for plant waste generated during that period of operation. Remediation is complete. The waste material was incased in a hydraulic barrier (slurry wall) and a RCRA-type cap.
Wastewater Treatment Plant/Former industrial treatment plant. – Remediation is complete. The treatment facilities were removed. The former wastewater treatment basins (polishing ponds) remain. The environmental investigation showed that no additional remediation is warranted.
River Road North Parcel/Croydon Woods – This 80 acre area is undeveloped. It was remediated and received Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) Act 2 approval for the remediation.
Ammonium Sulfate Area – A dense plume from past land disposal activities has migrated to and stabilized along the surface of the bedrock. Monitoring continues at evaluate the stability of the ammonium sulfate plume.
Trailer Staging Area – Investigations are on-going
Manufacturing Area – Investigations are on-going.
Site Description
Interactive map of Dow Chemical (Formerly: Rohm & Haas Chemicals LLC), Bristol, PA
The Rohm and Haas Company Bristol Plant (R and H Bristol) is an 880-acre chemical manufacturing facility which produces plastics, resins, and emulsion polymers. The plant is located in Bristol Township, Pennsylvania, and has been in operation since 1917. The plant is located in a mixed industrial, commercial, and residential area north
of Philadelphia. The property is adjacent to the Delaware River. The plant uses municipal water supplied by AQUA Pennsylvania (formerly Philadelphia Suburban Water Company) from the Bristol Borough filtration plant for drinking and some process purposes. The plant is separated into five study areas under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action Order: the Trailer Staging Area (TSA), the Manufacturing Study Area (MSA), the Ammonium Sulfate Area (ASA), the former Wastewater Treatment (WWTP) area, and the Bristol Landfill. Rohm & Haas also owns undeveloped property on the north side of River Road.
Contaminants at this Facility
The soil is contaminated with a variety of organic and inorganic chemicals, frequently localized
in extent of contamination and details are given in the Human Exposures Environmental Indicator Document.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
Institutional controls are in place for the Bristol Landfill in the form of a deed restriction. Both land and groundwater uses are restricted. Dow is preparing an Environmental Covenant for the landfill to further insure that the restrictions remain in place. The River Road North Parcel/Croydon Woods area has an environmental covenant restricting the uses to open space/passive recreation and preventing groundwater use.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
The facility is under continued use.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility have been conducted under the direction of EPA Region 3 with assistance from Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.