Superfund Sites in Reuse in Pennsylvania
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A.I.W. Frank/Mid-County Mustang
A.I.W. Frank/Mid-County MustangThe American Cyanamid Superfund site in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey housed numerous chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing operations for over 80 years. Improper waste storage and disposal contaminated surrounding soil and groundwater. In 1983, EPA added the 575-acre site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL). In 1996, EPA selected a remedy for the 140-acre portion of the site known as the Hill Property, which called for no further action with groundwater monitoring. After ensuring that the property posed no current or future risks to human health and the environment, EPA deleted this portion of the site from the NPL in December 1998. EPA, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and local community members worked together to pave the way for the construction of the Bridgewater Promenade. This multi-use commercial complex provides retail, hotel and office space. A 6,300-seat minor league baseball stadium also opened on the property in 1999.
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American Street Tannery
Several tanneries operated on one city block within the Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until 1986. Tannery operations led to contamination of the area with pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and metals. Due to contamination, EPA designated one of the tanneries, located between George, Bodine, American and Widley Streets, as the American Street Tannery Superfund site. In 1987, EPA removed drums, hundreds of laboratory chemical containers, sludge containers, and crushed drums from the land and buildings on the site. In 1990, EPA cleaned up PCBs spilled at the site following a fire. After cleanup ended, Tower Development purchased the site and began redevelopment. Liberty Homes Philadelphia Inc. currently owns the site property and operates a residential condominium and commercial mixed-use complex. EPA conducted further testing of soil and groundwater to ensure the safety of the site for reuse.
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Austin Avenue Radiation Site
The Austin Avenue Radiation Superfund site consists of 40 privately-owned properties. The properties are located in Lansdowne Borough, East Lansdowne Borough, Upper Darby Township, Aldan Borough, Yeadon Borough and Darby Borough, Pennsylvania. Contamination resulted from the disposal of radioactive wastes generated by W.L. Cummings Radium Processing Company. The company conducted radium refining operations from 1915 to 1925. Site operators mixed radium tailings materials to construct buildings or used the mixture for fill material at the 40 properties. Contaminants in the structures posed significant health risks, and EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1992. Cleanup activities at the site included the removal of materials contaminated with radioactive waste and demolition of contaminated houses. Cleanup also included removal of contaminated soils from 21 different properties and rebuilding of 11 houses. EPA completed cleanup activities in 1998 and returned properties to their respective owners. Private residential use continues at 11 properties. Residents from eight of the demolished homes were permanently relocated; the respective municipalities acquired these properties for public use. A private developer built new homes on three properties. In 2002, EPA deleted the site from the NPL.
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Avco Lycoming (Williamsport Division)
The 28-acre Avco Lycoming (Williamsport Division) Superfund site is located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The site housed manufacturing facilities since the early 1900s. Former manufacturing operations include a bicycle and sewing machine facility, a sandpaper plant, a tool and die shop and a silk plant. Avco Corporation began production of aircraft engines at the site in the 1920s. The company also reclaims a petroleum solvent and began operating a waste treatment plant at the site in the early 1950s. Site activities resulted in contamination of groundwater at on-site monitoring wells, off-site down gradient wells, and a well field near the site. Contamination also affected shallow groundwater beneath the facility on site. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990. Groundwater treatment systems continue to operate on site and off site. Lycoming Engines, a division of Avco Corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron, Inc., continues operations at the site, primarily manufacturing and repairing aircraft engines.
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Bally Ground Water Contamination
The 20-acre Bally Ground Water Contamination Superfund site includes the former Bally Engineered Structures (BES) plant in Bally, Pennsylvania. From 1972 to 1995, BES manufactured insulated panels for refrigeration on the site. From about 1955 to 1965, the company and its predecessors disposed of solvent wastes in on-site impoundments. The aquifer under the site supplies drinking water to residents of the Borough of Bally and Washington Township. In 1982, a water quality inspection identified groundwater contamination. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1987. Under EPA’s oversight, the site’s potentially responsible parties (PRPs) conducted cleanup activities. Cleanup included pumping and treating groundwater, air stripping and long-term site monitoring. In 2003, studies showed further groundwater contamination. The PRPs disconnected the contaminated municipal supply well. In 2010, the PRPs built a new municipal supply well and connected it to the water supply. Current site tenants conduct light manufacturing, shipping and receiving, self-storage and office work activities. The PRPs installed a vapor intrusion mitigation system at the former BES facility and long-term indoor air monitoring is ongoing.
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Berkley Products Co. Dump
The Berkley Products Co. Dump Superfund site occupies 5 acres on a 21-acre area of land in Denver, Pennsylvania. From the 1930s until 1965, a privately-owned municipal waste landfill operated at the site. Site operators burned or buried municipal wastes on site. In 1965, Lipton Paint and Varnish Co., a subsidiary of Berkley Products Co., bought the site. The firm used the site to bury municipal waste, along with some organic solvents, paint wastes, resins and pigment sludge. When operations ceased in 1970, site operators covered the site with soil, seeded the site and sold the property parcel. EPA identified plastic production wastes in groundwater, soil and leachate. Further investigations found contamination from heavy metals. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Site cleanup activities included capping the landfill and installing monitoring wells. EPA removed the site from the NPL in 2007, but long-term monitoring continues. Private owners continue to use a portion of the site for residential purposes.
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Berks Landfill
The Berks Landfill site is located in Spring Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, approximately seven miles southwest of the City of Reading. From the 1950s to the 1980s, the site operated as a municipal landfill facility with two major landfills: a 47-acre eastern landfill and a 19-acre western landfill. Operations ended in 1986 and site operators closed the landfills with a soil cap. Site investigations identified ground water contamination. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Under EPA oversight, the site’s potentially responsible parties (PRPs) conducted cleanup activities at the site in 2000. Cleanup included repair of the leachate collection system, relining of three leachate ponds, repair of the eastern landfill soil cover, installation of a sentinel well and gas monitoring probes, planting trees and wetland vegetation, and construction of access roads. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 2008. Long-term monitoring of the landfills and ground water continues. Open green space, trees and vegetation cover the landfills on site. The current property owner uses on-site structures for storage.
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Berks Sand Pit
The Berks Sand Pit Superfund site occupies 4 acres in Longswamp Township, Pennsylvania. The site consists of a contaminated groundwater plume that runs beneath a residential and undeveloped wooded area. Emergency response and EPA follow-up efforts did not identify the source of contamination. Contaminants at the site included chemicals typically found in solvents and degreasers. Contamination threatened the bedrock aquifer and the Middle Branch of the Perkiomen Creek. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. Cleanup activities included pumping and treating contaminated groundwater and temporarily connecting four residences to an alternate water supply. Monitoring of residential wells and streams near the site is ongoing. Residential land use continues at the site.
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Boarhead Farms
The 120-acre Boarhead Farms Superfund site is located in Bridgeton Township, Pennsylvania. From 1969 until 1976, site owners improperly stored and disposed of hazardous materials in burial pits, drums and directly on the ground on site. These practices resulted in the contamination of groundwater, surface water and sediment on site, as well as nearby residential wells. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. EPA removed the most harmful waste in the 1990s. In the early 2000s, the potentially responsible parties started additional cleanup activities. Cleanup included installation of a groundwater treatment system, removal of buried drums, off-site disposal of all hazardous materials and installation of water treatment systems on some nearby residential wells. By 2004, workers completed soil and source cleanup. The groundwater extraction and treatment system continues to operate. A residential home is on site.
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Boyle Galvanizing
The Boyle Galvanizing removal site is located on a 1-acre plot in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When the steel galvanizing factory on the site closed, contaminated soil remained at the site. In 1995, EPA conducted a removal action and backfilled the site with clean soil. A local entrepreneur purchased the property in 1998 and cultivated an urban garden called Greensgrow Farm. As of 2015, the farm has grown to include a plant nursery, farm stand, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, beehives, chickens a pig, a solar panel array and a second location assisting low-income families. Greensgrow Farm offers cooking classes and a food safety-training program. The farm recycles vegetable oil from its restaurant clientele to produce its own biodiesel. The site and the Greensgrow Farm exist as a model for the development of small agricultural enterprises in low income, urban areas.
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Brodhead Creek
From 1888 until 1944, a coal gasification plant operated at the 12-acre Brodhead Creek Superfund site in the Borough of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. The plant, which operated along the west bank of Brodhead Creek, produced coal tar wastes during its operation. Waste disposal practices resulted in the contamination of groundwater, soil and creek sediment at the site. EPA installed an underground slurry wall to contain the coal tar wastes during early response actions before selecting a site cleanup plan. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup activities included a groundwater treatment system and coal tar recovery. These activities removed over 2,000 gallons of coal tar before site-specific constraints, including a flood control levee and on-site wetlands, determined that federal cleanup standards would be unattainable. Restrictions prevent the use of groundwater at the site and prohibit excavation without prior written approval. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 2001. Monitoring continues at the site to ensure the remedy remains protective. EPA performed removal actions in 2008 and 2012 to address areas where creek erosion had caused coal tar seeps. A variety of wildlife, including waterfowl and fish, use the creek habitats on site. Also, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission stocks Brodhead Creek with trout, allowing local residents opportunities to fish recreationally. Portions of the site support the Stroudsburg Gas Company and a Pennsylvania Power and Light electrical substation.
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Brown's Battery Breaking
The 14-acre Brown’s Battery Breaking Superfund site is located in Hamburg, Pennsylvania. The now-abandoned facility recycled batteries from 1961 to 1971. Three families lived on site when the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania discovered high levels of lead in children living in residences at the site. EPA identified groundwater, surface water and soil contaminated with lead and related metals from former site operations. In 1983, EPA temporarily relocated on-site residents. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. In 1993, after further testing, EPA permanently relocated residents and an on-site business. Cleanup activities included the removal and treatment of contaminated soil, removal of battery casings and treatment of groundwater. Currently, a machine shop and notary/auto sales service businesses lease the two buildings on site for use as office and work space.
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Butler Mine Tunnel
Constructed in the 1930s, the Butler Mine Tunnel Superfund site is located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The Butler Mine Tunnel serves as a collection and discharge point for mine drainage from an estimated five-square-mile area of underground coal mines. Parties disposed of hazardous materials in underground mine areas connected to the tunnel, which discharges directly to the Susquehanna River. In 1979, an oily discharge coming from the tunnel created an oil slick on the river. Investigations traced the contamination back to illegal dumping of hazardous chemicals into a borehole that drained to the Butler Mine system. Sampling identified contaminated water in the former underground coal mines and surface water. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1987. Cleanup activities included collecting oil from the river, installing a semi-automated detection system, constructing access roads and anchors along the Susquehanna River’s edge and pre-purchasing materials to respond to potential future flushouts of the mine system. Continuous monitoring of the tunnel is ongoing and flushout-response system deployments for actual or potential future flushouts are in place. An auto repair and service center continues to operate on site, above the site’s underground features .
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Butz Landfill
The Butz Landfill Superfund site occupies about 13 acres in rural Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. An 8.5-acre municipal dump operated at the site from 1965 to 1973. In 1984, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) investigated the site. PADEP found that unpermitted landfill operations resulted in groundwater contaminated with solvents and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Residents near the site used groundwater wells as a drinking water source. PADEP and EPA supplied nearby residents with bottled water and carbon filtration systems. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Between 1992 and 1993 EPA constructed a water supply system to supply impacted residents with clean potable water. EPA installed a groundwater treatment system at the site in 2001. In 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2014, EPA assessed vapor intrusion into homes near the site and determined that vapor intrusion does not pose an immediate threat. During cleanup activities, crews discovered bog turtles, a protected wildlife species, at the site. Following site visits by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, EPA made design changes to the groundwater treatment system plan. EPA relocated a discharge structure and built about 3 acres of new wetlands to protect the bog turtle population. PADEP took over operation and maintenance at the site in 2011. Also in 2011, a site owner began storing and recycling soil on a portion of the site.
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C & D Recycling
The 45-acre C & D Recycling site is located in Foster Township, Pennsylvania. For 20 years, a metal-reclamation plant operated at the site. The plant incinerated lead and plastic-cased telephone cables or burned cables in pits to melt off the plastic and reclaim the remaining copper wire. Operations included stripping plastic coverings before incineration and storing the coverings in piles on site. Site investigations identified high concentrations of heavy metals in soil and sediment, both on site and off site. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1987. Cleanup included the removal, stabilization and off-site disposal of contaminated soil and sediment. Under EPA oversight, the site’s potentially responsible parties (PRPs) demolished site infrastructure and removed remaining wastes and tons of cable casings from the site. The PRPs put erosion control measures in place and replanted the site. The PRPs completed cleanup at the site in 1999. A private party purchased the site and deeded the property as a nature conservancy trust for open space. Cleanup and restoration activities restored the site to its natural state.
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Centre County Kepone
The 32-acre Centre County Kepone Superfund site is located in State College, Pennsylvania. The chemical manufacturing facility on site produced pesticides and other chemicals between 1959 and 2004, when the plant closed. The site operator disposed of wastewater and sludge in drums and lagoons on site. Site investigations found that hazardous materials leaked from the lagoons, contaminating groundwater, soil, surface water and drainage ditch sediments. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Completed in 1999, cleanup activities included installing a groundwater treatment system; upgrading surface water management controls; and removing and disposing of contaminated soil, sediment and waste materials. In 1998, construction of a shopping center next to the site property included cleanup and redevelopment of part of the drainage ditch into a storm drainage system, a sidewalk and a vehicle access lane under an EPA order. After EPA changed the site’s cleanup plan for soil in 2003, a soil vapor extraction system was installed to remove contaminants from subsurface soil at the site. EPA deleted an 8-acre area of the site referred to as the “Administration Parcel” from the NPL in 2004. This deleted area includes the administration building, a parking lot and open areas. The site owner sold about 19 acres of the site property to a local developer. Former on-site warehouses are currently used by a roofing company for material storage and sales. A heating and cooling supply company also operates on part of the redeveloped property. Interim uses are underway at the site while the potentially responsible party explores long-term redevelopment options for the property. EPA is currently overseeing ongoing groundwater treatment and monitoring, the intermittent operation of the soil vapor extraction system, and the site’s ongoing vapor intrusion investigation.
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Craig Farm Drum
The Craig Farm Drum Superfund site occupies 117 acres of land in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. Between 1958 and 1963, the Koppers Chemical Plant deposited tons of drummed waste material from its production operations in two former strip mine pits at the site and covered the materials with topsoil. Waste disposal resulted in the contamination of groundwater and soil at the site, as well as a nearby unnamed creek. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. The site’s potentially responsible party (PRP) conducted cleanup activities under EPA’s oversight. Cleanup included removal, solidification and placement of treated waste and contaminated soil into a 2-acre, double-lined landfill on site. The PRP then capped the landfill, covered it with soil, and seeded and fenced the area. The PRP also installed a system to collect contaminated water in an on-site storage tank for transport to an off-site wastewater treatment facility. In 2010, the PRP installed a cap over part of the site to reduce groundwater discharges into the seep interceptor system. The site was deleted from the NPL in 2013, after cleanup activities reached their goals. One acre of the site is reused as wetlands.
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Crater Resources, Inc./Keystone Coke Co./Alan Wood Steel Co.
The Crater Resources, Inc./Keystone Coke Co./Alan Wood Steel Co. Superfund site is located in Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania. The site consists of four inactive quarries on a 95-acre parcel of land. Beginning in 1919, Alan Wood Steel Company disposed of wastes generated by its coking facility into three of the quarries at the site. In 1977, Keystone Coke Company purchased the Alan Wood Steel Company and continued to dispose of wastes at the site until operations ended in 1980. Site investigations identified contaminated wastes, liquids, soil and sediment within the quarries. Groundwater at the site also contained contamination. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1992. Cleanup activities at the site required removal of contaminated soil and sediment and construction of multi-layer caps. Groundwater monitoring and some cleanup activities are ongoing. A commercial office park and golf course operate on site.
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Crossley Farm
The 209-acre Crossley Farm Superfund site sits atop Blackhead Hill in Hereford Township, Pennsylvania. The property has served as dairy farm since 1927. From the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, the Bally Case and Cooler Co. plant sent numerous drums containing liquid waste to Crossley Farm for disposal. A 1983 investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources found hazardous chemicals in residential wells near the site. In 1992, EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL). The state issued an initial health advisory for the use of contaminated wells and provided water to residents who depended on the wells. In 1995, cleanup activities included removal of contaminated soil and buried drums from the site. In 2000, EPA installed carbon filtration systems to remove contaminants from drinking water at 55 area residences. In 2009, the site received $6.5 million in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funds to begin construction of the groundwater treatment system. Area residents and local government representatives celebrated the completion of a $10 million water treatment facility in July 2012. With the facility completed, EPA will focus future cleanup efforts on groundwater contamination. Crossley Farm remained in operation during the cleanup and has continued to operate as a farm.
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Croydon TCE
The Croydon TCE Superfund site occupies a 4-square-mile residential area between Croydon and Bristol Townships in Pennsylvania. The site also hosts several industrial complexes and small businesses. In 1985, EPA detected chemical components of solvents and degreasers in groundwater and in eight residential wells. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. EPA connected residences impacted by groundwater contamination to the public water supply. In 1995, EPA installed a groundwater treatment system, which operated until 2009. EPA and the state continue to conduct long-term groundwater monitoring. Residential, commercial and industrial land use continues at the site.
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Cryochem, Inc.
The Cryochem, Inc. Superfund site is located in Worman Township, Pennsylvania. Since 1962, a metals production plant operated at the site. The 19-acre site includes several production and storage buildings and an office complex. Site operations included metal cleaning waste draining into nearby surface waters. A site investigation found contaminants in an on-site production well and in nearby residential wells. This led to EPA placing the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Groundwater treatment consists of extraction, treatment and discharge to surface water. Area residences use regularly maintained carbon filtration systems on private wells. Currently, Apex Fabrication & Design, Inc. leases the property and continues to operate a metal fabrication facility on the site.
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Dorney Road Landfill
The Dorney Road Landfill Superfund site occupies 27 acres in Upper Macungie Township, with a small portion extending into Longswamp Township, Pennsylvania. The site first operated as an open-pit iron mine. From 1966 until 1978, the site operated as a municipal and industrial landfill that received wastes including industrial sludge, batteries and petroleum products. Site investigations detected contaminants in leachate, groundwater and soil. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. Cleanup activities included constructing a multilayer landfill cap and installing a passive gas vapor venting system. Cleanup also included regrading, constructing a permanent drainage system for stormwater control, restricting building and restoring wetlands. Since initial planting, the wetlands have developed into quality habitat for a variety of wildlife species.
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Douglassville Disposal
The 52-acre Douglassville Disposal Superfund site in Douglassville, Pennsylvania, operated as a waste oil recycling facility from 1941 to 1986. Site operators kept waste oil sludge in on-site lagoons, which washed into the Schuylkill River during flooding in 1970 and 1972. Site operators mixed waste oil sludges into site soils, called landfarming. The operators stored about 700 drums, many leaking, at the site from 1979 until 1982. Site investigations detected contaminants in on-site groundwater, surface water, soil and river sediments. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup activities included dismantling the on-site tank farm and processing equipment, as well as constructing a soil cap over the former waste lagoon and the landfarm areas. Groundwater monitoring continues at the site. Currently, the site provides space for recreational activities including hiking, biking and hunting. The Schuylkill River Greenway Association has also extended its Schuylkill River Trail to the site, creating a walking trail on site along the abandoned railroad.
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Drake Chemical
The 8-acre Drake Chemical Superfund site in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, operated as a chemical plant from the 1960s to 1981. The plant manufactured chemicals for pesticides and other organic compounds. Site operators filled open areas on site with chemical sludge and contaminated soil, resulting in widespread soil contamination. Groundwater and various on-site structures also contained contamination. In 1983, EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL). EPA removed soil in the leachate runoff area and directed the runoff into a sewer line in 1986. Cleanup activities also included excavating the lagoon where the leachate drained, treating contaminated soil on site, demolishing buildings and other on-site structures and disposing of materials off site. EPA completed cleanup in 2000. EPA began operating a groundwater treatment system in 2000. The treatment system continues to operate. A commercial storage facility uses a portion of the site. A local municipality owns the remainder of the site, and it is currently not in use.
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Dublin TCE Site
The Dublin TCE Superfund site is located in Dublin Borough, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Over the last 50 years, several manufacturing facilities operated at the 4.5-acre site. During its operation on the site, Kollsman Motor Corporation reportedly used and disposed of solvents. In 1986, Bucks County Health Department identified contamination attributed to site operations in private drinking water wells. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990. EPA completed construction of an alternate water supply for affected wells in 1998. Currently, the site’s potentially responsible party is working with EPA to treat groundwater contamination. The current site owner uses the site to store and repair antique cars and leases some of the space to other businesses.
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Eastern Diversified Metals
The 25-acre Eastern Diversified Metals Superfund site is located in Rush Township, Pennsylvania. From 1966 to 1977, Eastern Diversified Metals disposed of waste materials from copper and aluminum electrical wires on the property. The company used an on-site water treatment plant to collect and treat shallow groundwater. Occasional overflows occurred and resulted in runoff into the Little Schuylkill River, which is a frequented location for trout fishing and recreation. Groundwater underneath the site also provides drinking water for nearby residents. EPA began collecting groundwater, surface water and sediment samples at the site in 1985. After finding high contaminant levels, EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. The cleanup plan includes removing contaminated materials, installing a runoff collection and treatment system, and capping the contaminated 60-foot pile. Cleanup construction reached completion in 2008. Cleanup also involved replanting the cap area with native meadow plants, which provides habitat for ground-nesting birds and small mammals. Groundwater monitoring continues at the site.
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Enterprise Avenue
The 57-acre Enterprise Avenue Superfund site is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For five years, the City of Philadelphia used the site to dispose of incineration residue, fly ash and bulky debris. Several waste handling companies also illegally buried drums containing industrial and chemical wastes on site. Improper disposal practices resulted in the contamination of soil and groundwater. In 1983, EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL). The City of Philadelphia removed contaminated soil and placed a protective cap over the landfill. Groundwater monitoring and treatment is ongoing at the site. After completing cleanup construction, EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 1986. In 1999, the Philadelphia Department of Aviation completed a 5,000-foot commuter runway over the site for the Philadelphia International Airport. The commuter runway reduces flight delays and traffic congestion at the airport. In 2008, the Philadelphia International Airport began plans to extend the commuter runway as part of an airport-wide expansion. The new runway is expected to be operational in 2019.
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Fischer & Porter Co.
The 6-acre Fischer & Porter Co. Superfund site currently operates as an active commercial property in Warminster Township, Pennsylvania. Fischer & Porter Company (F&P), a producer of flow meters and process control equipment, formerly owned the property and used it for testing and manufacturing operations. In the early 1980s, EPA identified contamination in industrial supply wells on site and in public water supply wells in Warminster Township and the Borough of Hatboro. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Site cleanup activities included installing groundwater pump and treatment systems at both the industrial wells and public water supply wells. F&P (now named ABB Instrumentation) sold the property and original buildings in 1997, but continues to lease some of the office space at the site and operate the long-term pump and treat remedy. In 2000, Blue Marlin Associates purchased part of the undeveloped portion of the site property to build an 80,000 square-foot office, manufacturing and warehouse facility. Commercial business activities continue at the site while groundwater treatment is ongoing.
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Havertown PCP
The 12-acre Havertown PCP Superfund site is located in Havertown Township, Pennsylvania. From 1947 to 1991, National Wood Preservers operated a wood treatment facility at the site. The company reportedly poured liquid wastes on surface soil and disposed of liquid wastes in a well. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources identified contamination in the site’s groundwater, surface water and soil. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Since 2001, groundwater treatment has been occurring on site. Cleanup activities included the removal and disposal of hazardous liquid, solid and sludge wastes. After removing all site buildings, workers installed a 3-acre synthetic cap over areas of soil contamination on the property. In 2009, the site received $3.2 million in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funds to help with cleanup and monitoring efforts. With the ARRA funding, workers completed the site’s cleanup in 2010. Two commercial establishments continued operations at the site during cleanup: a produce store and a fast food restaurant. On another portion of the site, demolition of the former Philadelphia Chewing Gum Corporation factory made way for the new $22 million Freedom Valley YMCA. The YMCA facility, which includes three pools, a gymnasium, wellness center, locker rooms, an indoor track and an educational care center, opened in October 2013. In October 2015, EPA Region 3 awarded the YMCA facility with the Excellence in Site Reuse award to recognize their outstanding efforts to support site reuse. A storage facility is currently planned for a portion of the capped area of the Site. EPA, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Haverford Township are coordinating on the proposed plans for this facility. Haverford Township and EPA will continue to work with interested parties to return the site to safe and productive reuse.
For more information:
- Redevelopment of the Havertown PCP Superfund Site (PDF)(1 pg, 80 K, About PDF)
- Press Release: EPA Announces Excellence in Site Reuse Award for Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA
- News Article: Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA receives 2015 Excellence in Site Reuse Award from the EPA Exit
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Heleva Landfill
The Heleva Landfill Superfund site in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania encompasses 93 acres of land including a 26-acre capped landfill. Open-pit iron ore mining operations in the late 1800s left four open, water-filled pits at the site. In 1967, the site began operations as a sanitary landfill. The landfill accepted general mixed refuse including paper, wood and orchard wastes. The landfill also accepted unconfirmed types and amounts of industrial wastes, including solvents. The landfill closed in 1981 and the landfill operators placed a 2-foot clay layer over the wastes. Detection of contamination in a groundwater well resulted in EPA placing the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup activities included installing a new landfill cover, a passive gas venting system and a groundwater pump-and-treat system. Cleanup activities also included extending the public water supply to 38 residences impacted by site contamination. Currently, the groundwater pump-and-treat system continues to operate at the site. A landscaping business also uses a 1-acre area outside the capped area for storage. The remaining areas of the site include the 26-acre capped area as well as wooded areas, surface water bodies and cleared areas that are used as farm fields.
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Henderson Road
The 7-acre Henderson Road Superfund site is located in Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania. In the 1970s, O’Hara Sanitation Company, Inc. used the site for waste storage and recycling, vehicle maintenance and parking, and office facilities. Site operators used a former industrial water supply well to dispose of industrial liquid wastes. EPA identified groundwater contamination and a contaminated landfill on the site. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. Cleanup activities include capping the landfill, groundwater and leachate monitoring, erosion repair, and methane monitoring at the capped landfill on site. Currently, Republic Services operates a solid waste management company at the site.
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Industrial Lane
The Industrial Lane Superfund site is located in Easton, Pennsylvania. The site includes a zoned industrial area and a 30-acre sanitary landfill. In 1961, the site began functioning as an unlined landfill, accepting miscellaneous wastes. It operated as a permitted landfill until 1988. Activities at the site resulted in groundwater contamination. Iron ore extraction and iron works operations may have contributed to site contamination. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. Cleanup activities included providing an alternate drinking water source to affected residences, closing the unlined municipal landfill and treating the contaminated groundwater. A permitted, lined landfill continues to operate on top of and next to the site.
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Jacks Creek/Sitkin Smelting & Refining, Inc.
The 115-acre Jacks Creek/Sitkin Smelting & Refining, Inc. Superfund site is located in a rural agricultural area of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. From 1958 until 1977, Sitkin Smelting Company operated a smelting and precious metals reclamation facility on the site. Site investigations identified lead and other metals in soil on site. Sediment contamination identified along Jacks Creek, a recreational area for fishermen, prompted a consumption advisory for brown trout, bluegill, rock bass, fall fish and white suckers. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Cleanup activities included demolishing on-site buildings; removing underground storage tanks, ash material, transformers and drums; removing and treating contaminated soil on site; and constructing a multi-layer cap. Cleanup activities also included floodplain restoration and wetland re-creation. Monitoring is ongoing. A metal scrap yard and aluminum recycling facility continue to operate on a portion of the site.
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Keystone Sanitation Landfill
The Keystone Sanitation Landfill Superfund site is located in Union Township, Pennsylvania. The 40-acre landfill accepted municipal and industrial wastes, as well as construction debris, from 1966 until 1990. Site investigations identified contaminants in groundwater, surface water and sediments. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1987. Cleanup included groundwater treatment and enhanced landfill gas extraction. Operation of the groundwater extraction and treatment system began in 2000, and operation of the landfill gas extraction system began in 2003. Both systems continue to operate as part of long-term cleanup actions. Currently, grass covers the capped landfill part of the site, and there is one private home located on site.
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Kimberton
The 45-acre Kimberton Superfund site is located in the Kimberton Borough (East Pikeland Township), Pennsylvania. Since 1947, site operators manufactured resins, textiles and asphalt products on the site. From 1947 to 1959, site operators disposed of various residues in eight lagoons at the site. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983 after confirming soil and groundwater contained volatile organic compounds. Cleanup workers removed drums, excavated lagoons and treated residential wells. The site’s potentially responsible parties provided an alternate source of drinking water to 25 nearby residences and businesses until completion of the public water supply connection in 1992. Groundwater treatment, which began at the site in 1993, is ongoing. The Henry Company started producing roofing products at the site in 1969. The plant was able to continue operations during cleanup. The company’s facilities include a main plant, warehouse, office buildings and the groundwater treatment plant on a 24-acre portion of the property. Private parties purchased and entered into long-term leases for the remaining approximate 21 acres of open, undeveloped land at the site. East Pikeland Township has proposed the purchase of the approximate 21 acres for protection as green space and potential future light recreational use.
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Lansdowne Radiation Site
The Lansdowne Radiation Superfund site is located in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. From 1924 to 1944, a University of Pennsylvania chemistry and physics professor processed enriched radium ore in the basement of his home. Processing of the ore resulted in radioactive contamination of the three-story duplex house in which he lived, as well as two garages on the property, two garages on neighboring properties, approximately 243 feet of municipal sewer line, sidewalks, the street and soil on eight properties. Radioactive contamination prompted EPA to place the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1985. In 1986, EPA began cleanup, including demolishing the house; cleaning up contaminated soil, sidewalks and portions of the street; repaving the street and replacing the sewer line. EPA disposed of contaminated materials at an off-site radioactive waste disposal facility and then backfilled and reseeded the excavated areas. EPA removed the site from the NPL in 1991. The site remains a residential neighborhood with private homes.
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Lindane Dump
The Lindane Dump Superfund site is located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. From 1850 until 1986, several companies used the site for waste disposal. Wastes disposed of at the site include wastes from mining, chemical manufacturing, electrical generation, steel manufacturing and building demolition. EPA identified contamination in groundwater, soil and leachate and placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup activities included capping the site and constructing a leachate collection and treatment system. Operation and maintenance activities at the site are ongoing. In 1999, after the completion of cleanup activities at the site, work began to restore the Alsco Community Park. Restoration of the 14-acre recreational park included planting 150 trees. The park now includes tennis courts, baseball fields, a utility building, pedestrian paths, picnic areas, open space and parking areas.
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Lower Darby Creek Area
The Lower Darby Creek Area Superfund site is located along Darby Creek in Philadelphia and Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania. The site consists of two landfills: the Clearview Landfill and the Folcroft Landfill. The landfills operated from the 1950s until the 1970s accepting municipal, demolition and hospital wastes. Site operators placed wastes and landfill material along the edges of the creek. The landfill contaminated surrounding creeks and wetlands through surface erosion, runoff and seeps. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 2001. EPA selected a cleanup plan for the Clearview Landfill Soils and Waste part of the site in September 2001. Businesses operating on the Clearview Landfill part of the site will be relocated as part of the cleanup. EPA is working with potentially responsible parties (PRPs) to conduct site investigations and studies for the Folcroft Landfill portion of the site. EPA is also conducting human health and ecological risk assessments for the aquatic portions of the site. Today, several businesses operate on the southern end of the Clearview Landfill including a trash hauling business, an asphalt paving business, an auto repair and a metal salvage business. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service currently manages the Folcroft Landfill portion of the site as part of the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge. As part of cleanup planning, EPA supported community based reuse planning efforts. The first phase of reuse planning identified reuse goals and potential future uses for the site, including reuse options to support a regional recreational greenway along Lower Darby Creek. EPA is planning to conduct more reuse evaluations for the Clearview Landfill as part of the cleanup design process.
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McAdoo Associates
The McAdoo Associates Superfund site consists of two separate areas: the McAdoo Kline Township location in Kline Township, Pennsylvania; and the McAdoo Blaine Street location in McAdoo Borough, Pennsylvania. From the 1880s to the 1960s, deep coal mining and metal recycling operations occurred at the McAdoo Kline Township location. Prior to 1972, the McAdoo Blaine Street location operated as a heating oil and gasoline storage business. McAdoo Associates stored wastes at these sites from 1978 until 1979, when the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (now the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection) revoked McAdoo's permit to operate. EPA identified contaminated soil and groundwater at the site. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup activities at the McAdoo Klein location included removing storage tanks and soil, studying the potential collapse of mining areas, installing a cap and monitoring groundwater. Cleanup activities at the McAdoo Blaine location included emptying and removing the storage tanks, removing soils, and installing groundwater monitoring wells. The McAdoo Klein location remains capped and fencing surrounds the area. In 1998, a local business owner entered into a Prospective Purchaser Agreement (PPA) to purchase the McAdoo Blaine portion of the site. A PPA is a tool used by EPA that encourages the redevelopment of contaminated property by eliminating liability issues for the purchaser. With the PPA in place, the owner constructed a small warehouse/storage facility on the property for business operations. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 2001.
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Middletown Air Field
The 500-acre Middletown Air Field Superfund site is located between Middletown and Highspire in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. From 1898 until 1966, the federal government owned and operated the site as Army Camp George Gordon Meade and later as Olmstead Air Force Base. Historically, maintenance, overhauling and testing of aircrafts took place at the site. The site also housed U.S. Air Force personnel. In 1966, the Harrisburg International Airport began operating on the site. Site activities resulted in contamination of wells, groundwater and soil on site. Groundwater at the site provides water to area residents, as well as airline travelers and industry users. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. EPA identified five disposal areas as potential sources of groundwater contamination. As a result, cleanup activities included removing all contaminated materials from these areas and installing groundwater treatment and monitoring systems. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 1997.The Harrisburg International Airport continues to operate at the site. The site also houses a Pennsylvania State University Campus, several industrial properties and a storage and vehicle maintenance area for the Middletown School District.
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Mill Creek Dump
The 124-acre Mill Creek Dump Superfund site is located in Erie, Pennsylvania. The site includes 84 acres of former freshwater wetlands and a 40-acre strip of land next to Conrail railroad tracks. For 40 years, the site operated as an industrial and municipal dump, as well as an unpermitted dump area. The site accepted foundry sands, solvents, waste oils, and other industrial and municipal wastes, filling all but 4 acres of the site. On-site practices resulted in the contamination of soil, sediments and groundwater. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources closed the dump in 1981. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. Cleanup activities began in 1987, including construction of a groundwater treatment system, soil cap and a flood retention basin; and replacement of lost wetland habitat areas. In 1996, the site’s potentially responsible parties (PRPs) and Millcreek Township worked with EPA to modify the cap design to allow for development of a golf course over the cap. In 1998, the PRPs proposed the construction of 8 acres of wetlands next to the site to compensate for habitat lost in the cleanup. Construction of the golf course, named the Millcreek Golf and Learning Center, concluded in 2001. PRPs donated the popular 9-hole golf course and driving range property to Millcreek Township in 2002. In 2011 the golf course was closed to allow construction of the Erie International Airport runway expansion project. The project required 12 acres of the cap and golf course area for the runway expansion and for easements. The Airport runway was completed and opened in November 2012, and the driving range portion of the golf center reopened in August 2014. However, the golf course needs to be reconfigured to replace holes lost to the runway project.
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Modern Sanitation Landfill
The Modern Sanitation Landfill Superfund site occupies 66 acres in the townships of Windsor and Lower Windsor in Pennsylvania. Once a farm, the site is part of the 371-acre Modern Landfill, an active permitted facility. The total area of Modern Landfill property is 535 acres. In the 1940s the site’s 66 acres functioned as a landfill for open domestic dumping. Between 1976 and 1979, the unlined landfill reportedly received hazardous wastes. Later site investigations found contamination in soil, groundwater, surface water, and private wells and springs near the site. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. Cleanup activities involved capping over 62 acres of the landfill portion of the site. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provides oversight of the permitted active Modern Landfill, which includes a leachate collection system, a groundwater extraction and treatment system, and a gas collection system.
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North Penn - Area 2
The North Penn - Area 2 site is located in Hatfield, Pennsylvania. The site is one of 12 Superfund sites identified in the North Penn area contributing to area-wide groundwater contamination. The Area 2 site originally included eight properties. However, investigations found contamination on only two of the properties: the 87-acre former Ametek facility and the former Steiert property. From 1963 to 1986, the Ametek facility used a degreasing solvent in its manufacturing processes. In 1980, the North Penn Water Authority detected site-related contaminants in on-site and down gradient wells. Area 2 operations also resulted in contamination of soil at both properties and sediment at the Steiert property. EPA placed the site, including both properties, on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Two separate cleanup efforts, in 1987 and 1995, removed contaminated soil and sediments from the Ametek property, stabilized them in an on-site berm, and capped and seeded the berm. In 2007, cleanup activities included removal and disposal of lead contaminated soil and sediment from a portion of the former Steiert property. In 2009, EPA selected a cleanup plan for the former Ametek facility, which included soil and sediment removal, as well as upgrades to the system that pumps contaminated groundwater off site for treatment. The potentially responsible party achieved completed cleanup in 2012. Penn Color, Inc., a pigment production facility, currently operates at the former Ametek site.
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North Penn - Area 5
The North Penn - Area 5 Superfund site occupies 35 acres in Hatfield and New Britain Townships, Pennsylvania. The site is one of 12 Superfund sites identified in the North Penn area contributing to area-wide groundwater contamination. Since the late 1940s, various industries operated at the Area 5 site. These industries include an electronic communication systems and components manufacturing facility and an automobile parts manufacturing facility. Site investigations found contamination in on-site and off-site wells. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Cleanup included soil removal, groundwater treatment and land use restrictions. Cleanup efforts at the site are ongoing. Commercial businesses, residences, undeveloped woodlands, parkland and farmland continue to occupy various portions of the site.
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North Penn - Area 6
The North Penn - Area 6 site is one of 12 Superfund sites identified in the North Penn area contributing to area-wide groundwater contamination. The Area 6 site encompasses groundwater contamination in and around the Borough of Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Investigations found chemicals related to solvents and degreasers in groundwater at the site. EPA identified 26 facilities in the Lansdale area as possible sources of contamination due to their use of site-related solvents. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Since initial site investigations began, EPA extended the public water supply to 20 residences with contaminated wells. Cleanup activities addressed contaminated soil at several properties. Groundwater treatment systems continue to operate. The site currently houses a variety of light industrial, commercial and residential land uses.
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North Penn - Area 7
The North Penn - Area 7 Superfund site is located in North Wales, Pennsylvania. The Area 7 site is one of 12 Superfund sites identified in the North Penn area contributing to area-wide groundwater contamination. The site covers 650 acres and includes five industrial facilities that use or previously used solvents. Industrial process wastes contaminated groundwater and soil at the site. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Cleanup activities performed by individual facilities include soil removal, soil treatment and pumping of contaminated wells. EPA entered into a Prospective Purchaser Agreement and a removal action consent order with one property owner. This allowed soil removal and construction of an apartment complex on the site. EPA and the PRPs completed cleanup of the Spra-Fin Inc. portion of the site in 2011. The PRPs have completed a soils investigation, and are currently developing soil remedial alternatives for the source area properties. EPA completed a site-wide groundwater investigation in 2011, and continue to conduct groundwater studies, in order to develop a groundwater cleanup plan. A vapor intrusion study is ongoing at the facilities on site. Several industrial facilities continue operations on several portions of the site.
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North Penn - Area 12
The North Penn - Area 12 Superfund site includes the 25-acre Transicoil, Inc. facility in Worcester, Pennsylvania. The site is one of 12 Superfund sites identified in the North Penn area contributing to area-wide groundwater contamination. Electric motor manufacturing took place at the North Penn Area 12 site from 1952 until 1991. The company disposed of solvent and waste oils in an underground storage tank. In 1979, the state discovered contamination in the groundwater. In 1990, EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL). EPA’s 1997 Record of Decision (ROD) directed potentially responsible parties to extend the public water supply to affected residences and businesses and construct a groundwater treatment system. Techni-Tool Inc., a catalog tool company, purchased the site through a Prospective Purchaser Agreement (PPA) with EPA in 1998. In 2000, Techni-Tool Inc. completed construction of a new distribution facility on site and began operations.
For more information:
- Reuse and the Benefit to Community: North Penn Area 12 Case Study (2014) (PDF) (6 pp, 448 K, About PDF)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Novak Sanitary Landfill
The Novak Sanitary Landfill Superfund site occupies 65 acres in a residential community near Allentown, Pennsylvania. This privately-owned landfill operated from the late 1950s until 1990. The landfill accepted demolition, municipal and industrial wastes. For 20 years landfill operators disposed of organic wastes in trenches throughout the site. The poorly engineered landfill had no liner or adequate cap. Rain filtered down through the waste, creating hazardous landfill liquid (leachate) and carrying contaminants into groundwater below the site. Investigations determined that site activities contaminated soil and groundwater. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Cleanup activities included installing fencing, a leachate collection system and landfill vents; capping the landfill; monitoring groundwater and placing land use controls on the site. The potentially responsible parties completed construction of the landfill cap and leachate collection system in September 2002. EPA’s cleanup plan allowed the continued residential use of part of the site throughout cleanup activities.
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Occidental Chemical Corp./Firestone Tire & Rubber Co.
The 250-acre Occidental Chemical Corporation site is located in Lower Pottsgrove Township, Pennsylvania. Since before World War II, site owners have disposed of industrial wastes at the site. From before World War II until 1944, the site operated as an airplane engine manufacturing facility. Firestone Tire and Rubber occupied the site from 1945 until 1980, making tires and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resins. Occidental Chemical Corporation purchased the property in 1980 and continued to manufacture PVC resins at the site. On-site disposal of industrial wastes in landfills and unlined earthen lagoons caused contamination of ground water. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. The site ground water remedy involves extracting and treating ground water, as well as long-term ground water monitoring. Cleanup activities, completed in 2008, included the excavation and removal of PVC sludge materials in the earthen lagoons and restoration of the area with clean fill. Occidental Chemical Corporation has ended operations, but long-term ground water treatment and monitoring continues at the site. A warehouse facility, owned by BCW, Inc., currently occupies approximately 40 acres of the original 250 acres.
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Ohio River Park
Ohio River ParkOnce a municipal landfill and a disposal site for industrial and chemical wastes, the Ohio River Park Superfund site now hosts a 32-acre sports complex. The site lies on Neville Island, Pennsylvania, in the middle of the Ohio River. In 1976, Allgheny County received the land as a donation for use as a park. Allegheny County discovered the industrial waste during park development and returned the land to its previous owner, Neville Land Co. (NLC). Improper waste storage and disposal resulted in contaminated soil, sediment, surface water and groundwater. In 1990, EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL). EPA, NLC, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Allegheny County, and the local community worked together to return the land to productive use. Under EPA, state, and county oversight, NLC removed contaminated soil, covered waste with a multi-layer cap and covered remaining site areas with an erosion cap. After placing use restrictions on the property, developers began construction of the multi-purpose recreational center in 1998. The Island Sports Center began its first full season of operations in 1998. The Center includes a golf training facility, a fitness center, a restaurant, a covered golf dome, an outdoor site for soccer and baseball, a shot put practice area, a 5-acre building housing two Olympic indoor ice skating rinks, and accompanying parking lots and sidewalks. The 250-by-300-foot covered golf dome lies on a section of a 7-acre area covered by a multilayer cap. Another capped area supports an ice rink and a restaurant. In 2004, Robert Morris University purchased the property and added a new track area, a lacrosse field and a practice field. NLC remains responsible for ensuring the cleanup remains protective, as operation and maintenance at the site.
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Old City of York Landfill
Old City of York LandfillThe 178-acre Old City of York Landfill Superfund site is located in Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania. From 1961 until 1975, the City of York operated a 56-acre landfill that reportedly accepted industrial wastes on the site. In 1981, site investigations found contamination from the landfill in groundwater and nearby domestic wells. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup included restoring 16 acres of soil cover that had eroded from a portion of the landfill, installing a groundwater pump-and-treat system, removing contaminated sediment from the on-site leachate vaults and monitoring surface water. In 2000, treatment of groundwater ended and monitoring of natural processes to clean up groundwater began at the site. A private home currently occupies a portion of the site.
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Palmerton Zinc Pile
The Palmerton Zinc Pile Superfund site is located in the Borough of Palmerton, Pennsylvania. Former primary zinc smelting operations from two plants in Palmerton (east and west plants) resulted in area-wide contamination. The several-thousand-acre site includes Blue Mountain, a large smelting residue pile called the Cinder Bank, and much of the surrounding valley north of Blue Mountain. For nearly 80 years, the New Jersey Zinc Company disposed of 33 million tons of smelting waste at the site. Former smelting operations released heavy metals into the valley, causing the wide-spread loss of trees on about 4,000 acres of Blue Mountain. This barren area allowed for surface water contamination from erosion of contaminated soils into Aquashicola Creek and the Lehigh River. Heavy metals contaminated dust, soil, shallow groundwater and surface water. The presence of lead in children’s blood samples triggered public health and environmental investigations. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. The site’s cleanup includes revegetation of Blue Mountain, surface water diversion and treatment, and soil cleanup on private properties. EPA is currently developing a cleanup plan for shallow groundwater and surface water. Horsehead Industries purchased one of the smelters and continues operations at the site today. In 2002, the Lehigh Gap Nature Center (LGNC) purchased over 750 acres of property along Blue Mountain. The responsible parties, in cooperation with LGNC began erosion stabilization and revegetation of the property with native grasses in 2003. In the same year, the Lehigh Gap Wildlife Refuge officially opened to the public. Today, over 13,000 trees, including the American chestnut, and native grasses cover 3,000 acres of Blue Mountain. The refuge provides valuable habitat for local wildlife and migratory species, while also stabilizing soils, minimizing erosion and improving water quality. The refuge has a vast trail system for hikers, birders and outdoors enthusiasts. It also offers programs in environmental education, wildlife viewing and native habitat restoration research. In 2010, a new visitor and education center opened at the site. The center includes a lobby, research library and classroom/laboratory space. In September 2014, EPA Region 3 awarded the LGNC with an “Excellence in Site Reuse” award. The award highlights the organization’s efforts to reuse a large portion of the site as a wildlife preserve that promotes ecological conservation and education. Residential use also continues in the town of Palmerton.
For more information:
- Press Release: EPA Announces Excellence in Site Reuse Award for Pa. Lehigh Gap Nature Center
- News Article: Superfund to super nature EPA honors Lehigh Gap Center for transformation to green site Exit
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Presque Isle
The Presque Isle Superfund site is located on the Presque Isle State Park peninsula in Erie County, Pennsylvania. From the early 1970s until the early 1980s, discharge of a noxious black liquid released contamination into the air, soil and shallow groundwater near Beach No. 7 within the park. Investigations identified an unplugged natural gas well, which was dug in 1910 and abandoned in 1920, as the source of the discharge. The discharge contaminated soil and groundwater. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup activities included plugging the leaking well with cement down to 900 feet. Monitoring has not detected discharge since 1982. EPA removed the site from the NPL in 1988. Today, Presque Isle serves as a public recreational area used for picnicking, swimming and fishing. The park contains an ecological reservation, which provides a natural habitat for deer, squirrels and waterfowl. Approximately four million people visit the Presque Isle State Park each year.
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Price Battery Lead Smelter
The Price Battery Lead Smelter Superfund site is a 187-acre area located in Hamburg, Pennsylvania. The Price Battery plant operated from 1940 to the mid-1990s. Price Battery manufacturing contaminated the nine-acre plant and surrounding areas with lead and heavy metals. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in April 2005. EPA continues to clean up residential and commercial properties. The potential responsible party (PRP) continues to clean up the source area. Currently, residential, public services and commercial use of the site continues.
Publicker Industries, Inc.
The Publicker Industries Inc. Superfund site is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, along the Delaware River and covers about 40 acres. Publicker Industries Inc. produced liquor and industrial alcohols at the site and later used the site as a petroleum product and chemical storage facility. Publicker ended operations and abandoned the site in 1986. The abandoned site included tanks, drums, chemical laboratories, production buildings, warehouses, a power plant, and aboveground and underground process lines. Solid and liquid gas streams, highly-reactive lab wastes and gas cylinders posed a threat of fire and explosion. Site activities caused contamination of groundwater, soil and debris. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Site cleanup involved the removal and off-site disposal of contaminated debris and soil; the capping and sealing of groundwater wells; asbestos removal; and repair of electric and stormwater utilities. The site represents one of the first sites in the country where the Prospective Purchaser Agreement (PPA) led to redevelopment and economic revitalization at the site, allowing the new site owners to purchase and redevelop the site without liability for contamination caused by previous owners. In 1997, EPA recognized the site as the nation's 500th construction complete Superfund site. In 2000, EPA deleted the site from the NPL. Currently, the site is used as a parking lot for new cars coming through the marine terminal, and as a location to repair marine shipping containers.
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Recticon/Allied Steel Corp.
The 5-acre Recticon/Allied Steel Corp. Superfund site is located in East Coventry Township, Pennsylvania. The site includes two properties: the former Recticon facility and the Allied Steel facility. Recticon, a subsidiary of Rockwell International, made silicon wafers at the site from 1974 to 1981. Allied Steel Products Corporation manufactured steel at the site beginning in 1972. Manufacturing activities at the site contaminated on-site and private wells. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Residents impacted by contaminated groundwater received water filtration systems until their connection to municipal water supply lines in 1999. Site cleanup activities included removing and disposing of contaminated soils off site and installing a groundwater pump-and-treat system. In 2002, a pilot program successfully tested a new technique to clean up groundwater at the site. Groundwater at the Site has been at or below the cleanup action levels since October 2011. Longstreth Corp. purchased the Allied Steel property through a Prospective Purchaser Agreement (PPA) with EPA and currently operates a women’s sports equipment business and retail store. A marble and granite showroom operates on the Recticon property.
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Revere Chemical Co.
The Revere Chemical Co. Superfund site is located in Nockamixon Township, Pennsylvania. Until abandoning the property in 1970, Revere Chemical Co. operated a processing facility for acid and metal-plating waste at the site. The company stored hazardous wastes at the site in drums, piles and unlined earthen pits. Wastes contaminated surrounding soil, groundwater and Rapp Creek, which flows through the heart of Nockamixon. In 1987, EPA added the 113-acre site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL). EPA worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Revere Steering Committee, a group of 12 potentially responsible parties (PRPs), to clean up the site and prepare it for reuse. The PRPs installed a cap over the contamination and planted wildflowers and other warm season foliage on top of the cap. In 2002, Nockamixon Township took ownership of the site. The site now provides habitat to a diverse population of migratory birds and other wildlife. Nockamixon Township also allows use of the site for bird watching and star gazing activities. EPA and the PRPs placed a covenant on the site property to ensure both the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and EPA receive notice of and opportunity to comment on any proposed reuse of the site.
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Ryeland Road Arsenic Site
Ryeland Road Arsenic SiteThe Ryeland Road Arsenic Superfund site consists of five parcels of land covering 7 acres, and a forested wetland in a former nursery property, in Heidelberg Township, Pennsylvania. Until 1942, Standard Chemical Works Corporation (SCWC) and Allegheny Chemical Corporation (ACC) used four of the parcels to manufacture pesticides, fungicides, paints and varnishes, and for waste disposal. In the late 1970s, residential development began on these four parcels of land. SCWC and ACC used the fifth parcel primarily for waste disposal. Site investigations found high levels of arsenic and lead in soil at the site. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 2004. In 2006, cleanup activities began, including permanently relocating residents of three on-site homes, demolishing of vacated homes, and removing and disposing of contaminated soil off site. Cleanup also involved removing contaminated soil from adjacent residential properties. EPA conducted innovative cleanup and restoration activities on the forested and wetland-covered portion of the site. In 2009, EPA vacuum dredged the spring-fed creek at the site to minimize the impact on the stream, woods and wetlands. EPA continues to plant ferns that absorb arsenic to help reduce arsenic concentrations in soil and wetland sediment. Groundwater studies continue at the site. Residential land use continues on a portion of the site, and the remainder of the site transferred to Heidelberg Township. Heidelberg Township constructed a pole building, which a local youth sports league leases for equipment storage.
For more information:
- Redevelopment of the Ryeland Road Superfund Site (PDF)(1 pg, 80 K, About PDF)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Saegertown Industrial Area
Saegertown Industrial AreaThe 100-acre Saegertown Industrial Area Superfund site is located in Saegertown, Pennsylvania. From the mid-1950s to 1965, General American Transportation Corporation (GATX) cleaned and repaired railroad tank cars at the site. The Saegertown Manufacturing Co. began producing small steel components in 1965 and continues operations today. The Lord Corporation continues to produce adhesives, urethane coatings and rubber chemicals at the site. In 1980, the state identified contamination in a municipal supply well. In 1990, EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL). EPA selected a cleanup plan for the site including on-site treatment for the groundwater, sludge and soil contamination; removal of tons of soil and sludge from the GATX area; and treatment and disposal of contaminated soil and sludge. The site’s potentially responsible party conducted cleanup under EPA oversight and backfilled the site with clean soil and reseeded. Groundwater treatment and industrial operations continue at the site.
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Sharon Steel Corp. (Farrell Works Disposal Area)
The 325-acre Sharon Steel Corporation (Farrell Works Disposal Area) Superfund site is located in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, near the Pennsylvania/Ohio state border. Starting in 1900, the Sharon Steel Corporation used the area to dispose of furnace slag and sludge. From 1949 to 1981, site operators dumped millions of gallons of waste acid over the slag to try to neutralize the acid. Leachate from the slag and sludge migrated into soil and groundwater, leaving the site contaminated. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1998. In 2000, under a Prospective Purchaser Agreement (PPA), EPA worked with a local company to reuse the slag at the site for construction and road projects. In 2006, EPA divided the site into two Operable Units (OUs) so that two ongoing businesses (an asphalt plant and trucking company) located on the OU-2 property could continue to operate throughout the cleanup process. Also in 2006, EPA selected a remedy for the OU-1 property that includes re-grading, contouring and treating contaminated slag and sludge with a biosolids cap; stabilizing eroded banks next to a river; placing restrictions on land and groundwater use to protect the remedy; and developing a long-term monitoring plan for groundwater, surface water and sediment at the site. The OU-1 remedy will be built in two phases to allow the continued beneficial recovery of slag. The site is currently for sale. In 2012, EPA completed the design of the OU-1 biosolids cap and is now awaiting funding for construction. Once completed and re-vegetated, the area may well serve recreational users.
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Stanley Kessler
The 3-acre Stanley Kessler Superfund site is located in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. A welding wire degreasing and repackaging business operated at the site from the 1960s until 2000. During operations, site operators improperly disposed of solvent degreasers. In 1979, sampling detected contaminants in the Upper Merion Reservoir, a source of drinking water for the area. In response, EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup activities included groundwater treatment. Two tenants continue industrial operations on site. Groundwater treatment and monitoring are ongoing.
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Strasburg Landfill
The 302-acre Strasburg Landfill Superfund site is located in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The permitted landfill received municipal and industrial wastes at the site from 1978 until 1983. In 1983, the state found contamination in on-site monitoring wells and in an off-site private well located down-gradient of the site. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. Cleanup activities included capping the landfill, constructing a leachate collection and treatment system, and fencing the site. EPA completed cleanup of the site in 1999. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection now operates the cap and groundwater collection and treatment system. A conservation easement with Natural Lands Trust protects 159 acres of privately owned land at the site. The land includes deciduous woodlands and a trout-breeding stream.
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Valmont TCE Site (Former Valmont Industrial Park)
The Valmont TCE Site (Former – Valmont Industrial Park) Superfund site is located in West Hazleton, Pennsylvania. The site consists of the former Chromatex plant in the Valmont Industrial Park. It also includes an area of groundwater contamination that extends from the plant. From 1978 until 2001, Chromatex manufactured upholstery fabric at the site. In 1987, EPA identified contamination in groundwater at the site and several residential wells in the area. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 2001, and provided municipal water to the neighborhood. In 2004, EPA removed contaminated soil from the site for disposal at an off-site facility. In 2006 and 2007, EPA installed vapor reduction systems in homes to address vapor intrusion in nearby residences. These systems continue to operate. In 2007, EPA constructed a soil vapor extraction system inside the former Chromatex plant to address contaminated soils beneath the foundation. The soil vapor extraction system ran until 2009. Cleanup includes treating contaminated groundwater, monitoring groundwater, operating treatment systems and placing use restrictions on the site. While cleanup activities are ongoing, the plant on site continues to operate as a storage facility for detergent products.
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Wade (ABM)
The 3-acre Wade (ABM) Superfund site is located along the Delaware River in Chester, Pennsylvania. From 1950 until the early 1970s, a rubber recycling facility operated at the site. Illegal industrial waste storage and disposal also took place at the site until 1978. Parties stored wastes in drums on site or dumped the wastes directly onto the ground or into trenches. A fire in 1978 and waste disposal activities resulted in contamination of groundwater and soil. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. EPA removed liquid waste and contaminated soil and debris for off-site disposal. EPA capped and re-graded the site, covering it with topsoil and seeding it to minimize erosion. After completing cleanup activities, EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 1989. In 2003, EPA and the Chester Parking Authority entered into a Prospective Purchaser Agreement (PPA). The Chester Parking Authority purchased the site and redeveloped it as a parking area for the City of Chester’s Barry Bridge Park complex. Redevelopment activities included making improvements to the cap, installing a storm drainage system, and resurfacing the site for parking and green space. In 2008, the City demolished parts of the Barry Bridge Park complex to prepare for the construction of Chester’s new professional soccer stadium. The on-site parking area site was retained but slightly modified to accommodate large delivery truck access to the stadium, which opened June 27, 2010.
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Walsh Landfill
The 7-acre Walsh Landfill Superfund site is located along a forested ridge in Honey Brook Township in Chester County and Caernarvon Township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. From 1963 until 1977, the site operated as an unpermitted landfill accepting industrial and hazardous waste and municipal trash. Waste disposal at the site resulted in contaminated groundwater and residential well water. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. EPA removed drummed wastes from the site and connected affected residences to a municipal water supply. In 2006, a group of potentially responsible parties (PRP) installed an evaporation/transpiration cover system over the site to reduce water infiltration through the landfill and further limit the potential for migration of contaminants into groundwater. The PRP group planted 4,100 deep-rooting hybrid poplar trees and shallow rooting plants on top the cover system. These plantings absorb rainwater and prevent excess water from collecting on top of the cover and potentially damaging it. Ecological reuse covers the site and most trees planted on the cover now stand 16 to 20 feet tall. The PRP group continues to inspect the site and conducts routine groundwater monitoring.
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Westinghouse Electric Corp. (Sharon Plant)
Westinghouse Electric Corp. (Sharon Plant)The 58-acre Westinghouse Electric Corp. (Sharon Plant) Superfund site is located in Sharon, Pennsylvania. From 1922 to 1985, Westinghouse Electric manufactured electrical transformers at the site. Spills during plant operations led to contamination of soil, groundwater and sediment of the nearby Shenango River. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990. Under EPA oversight, the site’s potentially responsible parties (PRPs) completed cleanup activities for soil, groundwater and sediment. The PRPs continue to conduct monitoring activities at the site. Current industrial operations at the site include galvanized steel and coil manufacturing, as well as a marine crankshaft factory.
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Westline
The 40-acre Westline Superfund site is located in McKean County, Pennsylvania. For almost 40 years, the Westline Inn on the site has served as a landmark destination for tourists that come to visit the nearby Allegheny National Forest. From 1901 to 1952, the Day Chemical Company operated at the site. The firm converted lumber into charcoal, methanol and acetic acid. The Westline Inn began operating in the old house on the site in 1975. EPA discovered toxic tar deposits from the former operations in soil and groundwater in the early 1980s. EPA removed the exposed tar and placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. EPA developed a cleanup plan that included removing several additional tar deposits and monitoring groundwater. After completing cleanup activities, EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 1992. The Westline Inn continued to operate throughout the cleanup and remains a popular McKean County attraction.
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Whitmoyer Laboratories
Whitmoyer LaboratoriesThe 22-acre Whitmoyer Laboratories Superfund site is located in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. For fifty years, a veterinary and pharmaceutical manufacturing plant operated on the site. Site operators disposed of arsenic compounds in unlined lagoons at the site. These practices resulted in the contamination of site soil, groundwater and surface water. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. The site’s cleanup began in 1993, and included groundwater treatment and removing on-site buildings, contaminated soil and hazardous waste. In 2004, EPA entered into a Prospective Purchaser Agreement (PPA) with Jackson Township to help speed the Township’s purchase of the site for recreational use. Jackson Recreational Park opened in 2005. Today, the local community enjoys baseball and soccer fields, as well as a scenic walking trail surrounded by trees, shrubs and plants. The trail links to other local and regional natural resources, such as Tulpehocken Creek and the historic Union Canal.
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- Redevelopment of the Whitmoyer Laboratories Superfund Site (PDF)(1 pg, 80 K, About PDF)
- Video: Whitmoyer Laboratories Site Redevelopment Exit
- Superfund Site Profile Page
York County Solid Waste and Refuse Authority Landfill
The 135-acre York County Solid Waste and Refuse Authority Landfill Superfund site is located in Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania. From 1974 to 1985, the York County Solid Waste Authority (YCSWA) operated a permitted landfill on site. The dumping of wastes into unlined pits contaminated groundwater. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) discovered the contamination in 1982. PADEP ordered YCSWA to stop operations in 1985. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1987. YCSWA led the cleanup. Cleanup included groundwater treatment and use of carbon filtration systems in affected homes. Monitoring of the landfill’s gas ventilation system and groundwater wells, groundwater treatment, and landfill cap maintenance are ongoing. YCSWA also established legal controls to prohibit new wells and activities that may disturb the landfill cap. After cleanup, EPA took the site off the NPL in 2005. Today, Hopewell Township and YCSWA reuse portions of the site for recreational and ecological use and also for alternative energy generation. YCSWA and York County Solar Partners, LLC launched a 2-acre solar array, consisting of 806 panels, to generate power for the site’s general energy needs, including ongoing management of groundwater treatment systems and office buildings. Annually, the array generates 300,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity. The array became operational in July 2014 and reduces the facility’s dependence on fossil fuels. YCSWA and Hopewell Township also made a portion of the site part of the 200-acre Hopewell Area Recreation Complex. Trails, playgrounds, athletic fields, picnic pavilions, wildlife habitat and two wildlife viewing areas are located there. The recreation complex opened in 2007. The wildlife habitat attracts over 122 different species of birds, including raptors, woodpeckers and doves.
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