Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Philip Services Corporation (Formerly: Republic Environmental Systems Incorporated) in Hatfield, Pennsylvania

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Cleanup Status

EPA has determined that the investigation is complete and no further action is required at the Republic Environmental Systems (Pennsylvania), Inc. facility.

The 2.2-acre site is located at 2869 Sandstone Drive in Hatfield, Pennsylvania. Since 1978, various companies operated at the property, which is a hazardous waste management facility for the treatment and transfer of processed chemicals.

On December 8, 1988, EPA issued a corrective action Permit for all releases from solid waste management units (SWMU). EPA and the Facility worked together to complete the requirements of the permit. A chronology of significant events under the permit is presented below:

• December 8, 1988: HSWA Permit issued
• 1988: sludge vault and drum storage areas built
• 1994-1995: soil and sediment sampling occurred
• June 1995: new "containment building" built; voluntary soil cleanup completed
• July-August 1995: groundwater sampling occurred

Cleanup Background

In 1986, the EPA Region 3 Superfund program identified the Facility as one of five Potentially Responsible Parties associated with contamination of the North Penn Water Authority (NPWA) that was discovered in drinking water well NP-15. After extensive investigation, the Source Control Work Plan Report concluded that "none of the constituents identified in the groundwater at NP-15 were found in the soil sample results," and that "trichloroethene (TCE) was not detected in any potential source areas of the facility. The above indicates that there is not a source of TCE at the facility." The Superfund report concluded that Republic Environmental "should no longer be considered as a potential source" of contamination at the NP-15 well. In June 1995, the facility voluntarily removed all soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons and low levels of volatile compounds. On September 4, 1998, EPA determined that the facility satisfied its obligations under the Administrative Order on Consent under the Superfund program.

On September 24, 1996, EPA issued a memorandum addressing "Coordination between Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action and Closure and CERCLA Site Activities." In this document, EPA outlined its policy to avoid occurrences of redundant remediation projects between RCRA and Superfund programs. In this case, "cleanup under RCRA corrective action or CERCLA will substantively satisfy the requirements of both programs. In most situations the expectation is that no further cleanup will be required under the deferring program. Similarly, a remedy that is acceptable under one program should be presumed to meet the standards of the other." In accordance with EPA policy, the RCRA program agreed with the conclusions developed under the Superfund Order.

EPA investigations under RCRA and Superfund programs demonstrated that the facility does not represent a risk to human health and the environment from past releases. On June 9, 1999, the RCRA Corrective Action program proposed in a Public Notice that "no further corrective action is necessary at this time at the Facility." EPA received no comments on its proposal, and on July 26, 1999, a Final Determination was issued to the Facility. This Final Determination states that "no further corrective action is necessary at the Facility."

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Site Description

Interactive Map of Philip Services Corporation, Hatfield, Pennsylvania


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Republic Environmental Systems (Pennsylvania), Inc. operates a hazardous waste management facility at 2869 Sandstone Drive in Hatfield, Pennsylvania. The Facility began operations in 1978 as Waste Conversion Inc. In 1992 the name was changed to the Republic Environmental Systems of Pennsylvania, Inc.

The Facility treats various drummed liquid and solid hazardous wastes, as well as residual wastes. All liquid waste processing occurs indoors in closed tanks and reactors. The Facility stores wastes and treatment residues for up to 90 days, then all treatment residues are shipped off-site for disposal. No landfills, surface impoundments, or land treatment units are present on the site.

Since 1978, various companies have operated the hazardous waste management facility. Prior to 1978, the land was used for farming.

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Contaminants at this Facility

EPA investigations under RCRA and Superfund programs demonstrated that the facility does not represent a risk to human health and the environment from past releases.

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Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility

Institutional Controls were not required at the facility.

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Land Reuse Information at this Facility

The facility is under continued use.

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Site Responsibility at this Facility

RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility have been conducted under the direction of EPA Region 3.

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