EPA RCRA ID: PAD069778967
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) is the public law that creates the framework for the proper management of hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste. Corrective action is a requirement under RCRA that facilities that treat, store or dispose of hazardous wastes, or did so in the past, investigate and clean up hazardous releases into soil, groundwater, surface water and air. For more information, and for more information on RCRA-specific terms used on this page, please visit EPA’s umbrella RCRA web page or EPA’s RCRA Corrective Action page.
On this page:
- Cleanup Activities
- Facility Description
- Institutional/Engineering Controls
- Enforcement and Compliance
- Related Information and Publicly Available Electronic Records
- Contacts for this Facility
Cleanup Activities
The most recent Groundwater Monitoring Report, " December 22, 2020 - Facility Lead Support Program Water Monitoring" , continues to show an overall decreasing trend in chlorinated compound concentrations since initiating monitoring. Based upon the groundwater sampling, the plume is contracting, the source mass is reducing, and the migrating concentrations appear to be being attenuated.
Cleanup Background
In November, 1992, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) issued a RCRA operating permit to Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated (APCI). EPA issued a permit for Corrective Action in December 1997.
APCI discovered that tetrachloroethene (PCE) tanks and a cooling unit containing PCE had leaked and, in 1994, removed contaminated soil. They also discovered that some of the PCE had entered the groundwater. Other soil and groundwater contamination exists at the site but does not have an identifiable source and is most likely due to inadequate care when using solvents. Air Products monitors the groundwater for chloroethane (CE), 1, 1-dichloroethene (1,1-DCE), tetrachloroethene (PCE), TCE), 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-1,2-DCE), trans-1,2-dichloroethene (trans-1,2-DCE), and vinyl chloride (VC).
Groundwater flow in this area is primarily through fractured bedrock into east-west channels. The solvents form plumes in the groundwater that are stretched in the east-west direction following these fractures in the bedrock. Because the contamination is in fractured bedrock it is very difficult to remove. The Corrective Action Permit allowed APCI to sample the groundwater for 2 years to show whether or not the contaminants in the groundwater are naturally degrading.
Between January 1998 and January 2000, APCI conducted 8 quarters of groundwater sampling to determine if the groundwater contamination is decomposing due to natural attenuation. APCI submitted a final report during 2000. EPA worked with APCI to determine if the solvents in the groundwater are naturally attenuating, to modify the existing sampling plan and, to determine which further steps are necessary. Based on discussions with EPA during a Fall 2002 meeting, APCI submitted a proposed revised monitoring plan in Spring, 2003.
EPA approved the revised monitoring plan on October 22, 2003, which was a revision to the RCRA Corrective Action Permit. This modification reduced the groundwater sampling from the semi-annual schedule to a once-per five quarter schedule. EPA determined that this reduction was warranted based on the declining levels of constituents of concern. There was no change to the required monitoring parameters.
Within one mile of APCI are drinking water wells in the fractured bedrock. No contamination from APCI has been found in these wells.
On June 1, 2007, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APCI) submitted a formal request for renewal of its Corrective Action Permit at the current terms which has since expired on December 1, 2007. After reviewing this request as well as other options available to allow APCI to fulfill its Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action requirements, discussions have led to EPA and APCI agreeing to APCI fulfilling its Corrective Action requirements under the Facility Lead Agreement (FLA). EPA sent a letter on November 13, 2007, inviting APCI to participate in the FLA by responding with a Letter of Commitment. EPA is in receipt of APCI's Letter of Commitment as of December 14, 2007. EPA considers this letter the commitment by APCI to perform the requirements set forth in the FLA at the APCI facility.
On February 14 2008, EPA determined that the Corrective Action Permit was expired and that APCI would conduct the remaining tasks of long-term groundwater monitoring through the Facility Lead Program.
On September 29, 2023, the EPA conducted a Long Term Stewardship assessment to assess whether the remedy was implemented and protective of human health and the environment.
Cleanup Actions or environmental indicators characterizing the entire facility are shown below. This listing, and all the data on this page, come from EPA’s RCRAInfo and are refreshed nightly to this page. For this table, a blank in the Status column could mean the action either has not occurred or has not been reported in RCRAInfo.
Cleanup Activities Pertaining to the Entire Facility
| Action | Status | Date of Action |
|---|---|---|
| Human Exposure Under Control Human Exposure Under Control(CA725) | ||
| Groundwater Migration Under ControlGroundwater Migration Under Control (CA750) | ||
| Remedy DecisionRemedy Decision (CA400) | ||
| Remedy ConstructionRemedy Construction (CA550) | ||
| Ready for Anticipated Use Ready for Anticipated Use (CA800) | ||
| Performance Standards AttainedPerformance Standards Attained (CA900) | ||
| Corrective Action Process TerminatedCorrective Action Process Terminated (CA999) |
For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Cleanup Activities Pertaining to a Portion of the Facility
| Action | Area Name | Date of Action |
|---|
For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Facility Description
Link to a larger, interactive view of the map.
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. is located in Hometown, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania and consists of 393 contiguous acres of which 60 are the industrial site and the rest are fields, wooded, or a wildlife refuge. Since 1972, APCI has manufactured fluorine gas and fluorine compounds as well as conducted transfilling, purification, and distribution of specialty gasses.
Air Products monitors the groundwater for chloroethane (CE), 1, 1-dichloroethene (1,1-DCE), tetrachloroethene (PCE), TCE), 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-1,2-DCE), trans-1,2-dichloroethene (trans-1,2-DCE), and vinyl chloride (VC).
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
An Environmental Covenant (EC) was recorded for the Property in 2016 which subjects it to the following activity and use limitations, which then current Owner and its tenants, agents, employees, and other persons under its control shall abide by:
a) The use of the Property shall be limited to commercial, industrial, or nonresidential use, excluding schools, nursing homes or other residential-style facilities.
b) On-site excavation work at the Fluorine Development Building shall be done in a manner consistent with the EPA-approved SMP (Exhibit C of EC). A map of the VOC release point and excavation limitation area is shown (Exhibit D of EC).
c) The groundwater within the plume at and under the Property shall not be used for potable or agricultural purposes.
Institutional and Engineering Controls help ensure human exposure and groundwater migration are under control at a cleanup facility. Where control types have been reported by states and EPA in EPA’s RCRAInfo, they are shown below. Not all control types are needed at all facilities, and some facilities do not require any controls. Where there are blanks, the control types may not be needed, may not be in place, or may not be reported in RCRAInfo.
Are Controls in Place at this Facility?
|
Control(s) Type |
Control(s) in Place? |
Areas Subject to Control(s) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Institutional ControlsNon-engineering controls used to restrict land use or land access in order to protect people and the environment from exposure to hazardous substances remaining in the site/or facility. (CA 772) |
Informational DevicesInformational Devices (ID) |
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Governmental Controls (GC) |
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Enforcement and Permit Tools (EP) |
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| Proprietary ControlsProprietary Controls (PR) | |||
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Engineering ControlsEngineering measures designed to minimize the potential for human exposure to contamination by either limiting direct contact with contaminated areas or controlling migration of contaminants. (CA 770) |
Groundwater ControlGroundwater Control (GW) |
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Non-Groundwater |
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For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Enforcement and Compliance at this Facility
EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) provides detailed historical information about enforcement and compliance activities at each RCRA Corrective Action Site in their Enforcement and Compliance Historical Online (ECHO) system.
RCRA Enforcement and Compliance Reports from ECHO
Related Information and Publicly Available Electronic Records
For more information about this facility, see these other EPA links:
- RCRA information in EPA’s Envirofacts database
- Information about this facility submitted to EPA under different environmental programs as reported in EPA’s Facility Registry Services
- Alternative Names for this facility as reported by EPA programs in EPA’s Facility Registry Services
- Cleanups in My Community provides an interactive map to see EPA cleanups in context with additional data, and lists for downloading data
- Search RCRA Corrective Action Sites provides a search feature for Corrective Action Sites
Documents, Photos and Graphics
Contacts for this Facility
EPA Region implements and enforces the RCRA Corrective Action program for and federally recognized tribes.
For further information on this corrective action site, use the Contact Information for Corrective Action Hazardous Waste Clean Ups listings that are accessible through Corrective Action Programs around the Nation.