Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Edgewater Steel Company in Oakmont, 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. Edgewater Steel Company clean closed an EAF dust waste pile in 1991 and closed in place a construction/demolition waste landfill in 1995. The facility shut down operations in 2001. In October, 2001 an environmental inspection was done. An Environmental Indicator (EI) report was prepared in March 2002. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) determined that with the removal of waste from the manufacturing buildings, the EI's would be under control (Sept. 2003). The buildings were demolished in 2005, but some waste (dust) was apparently disposed on site during demolition activities. Subsequent sampling in 2006 did not locate any dust or materials that exhibited a hazardous waste characteristic. Additionally as part of a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) Act 2 site characterization, limited TCE impacts to groundwater were found.
The site was divided into two parcels for remediation and redevelopment as residential, commercial and light industrial properties; the 32-acre Oakmont area and the 28 acre River Edge area. The Oakmont area remediation and redevelopment plan received PADEP Act 2 approval, and redevelopment is underway. The River Edge area is currently under remediation.
Site Description
However, the facility operations ceased in 2001 and the current plant property owner, RIDC, has been removing wastes, including oils, from various sumps, pits and the former wastewater treatment plant, thus taking measures to minimize any continued threat of releases to surface water.
Contaminants at this Facility
PADEP allowed the Edgewater Steel Corporation to cease groundwater monitoring activities for the former EAF dust landfill because: 1) it could not be properly monitored due to hydraulic influences from nearby Plum Creek and 2) Edgewater removed the EAF dust and contaminated soil, thus clean closing the unit. Earth Sciences Consultants, on behalf of Edgewater, closed monitoring wells MW-903 through MW-906. Therefore this area posed no further groundwater contamination potential. Fay Construction currently owns the property where this unit was located.
The plant has a “large asbestos situation” in the old stream boilers, and possibly asbestos contaminated furnaces, ceiling tiles, and floor tiles, none of which are Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs). Operations have ceased at the site due to bankruptcy; hence there are currently no workers at the site. The plant is undergoing selective demolition, so any asbestos concerns will be addressed as part of any demolition work.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
The need for Institutional Controls is yet to be determined.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
The site is being reused.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility have been conducted under the direction of PADEP with assistance from EPA Region 3.