EPA RCRA ID: PAD000647735
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Facility Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Enforcement and Compliance
- Related Information
- Contacts for this Facility
Cleanup Status
Note: The EPA is the lead agency for managing cleanups at this facility.
The final remedy for the former facility is complete and consists of institutional controls to restrict land use and groundwater use on a portion of the facility property. These institutional controls were codified in an environmental covenant recorded with the Schuylkill County Recorder of Deeds on March 21, 2014. The Final Decision for the facility was issued by EPA on September 28, 2012.
An Environmental inspection was performed in February 2009, to determine if human exposures to contamination are under control at the former Keystone Chemical facility. Remedial efforts since the facility’s closure in 1986 have focused on proper closure of Impoundment A and groundwater monitoring primarily for hazardous inorganic contaminants leaching from the impoundment. In March 1993, the facility obtained clean closure certification from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP). More information on the investigation and remediation of the facility can be found in the Statement of Basis.
On June 30, 2020 , the EPA conducted a Long Term Stewardship assessment to assess whether the remedy was implemented and protective of human health and the environment. EPA determined that the remedy institutional and engineering controls have been fully implemented and no control deficiencies were identified.
Cleanup Actions or environmental indicators characterizing the entire facility are shown below. It is not intended as an extensive list of milestones/activities. This listing, and all the data on this page, come from EPA’s RCRAInfo and are refreshed nightly to this page. For this table and the Cleanup Activities Pertaining to a Portion of the Facility table that follows, 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.
The former Keystone Chemical facility was originally used for the disposal of coal refuse and was also mined for coal in the 1970s. In 1978 the facility was leased to Keystone Chemical, who operated a waste oil recovery operation and a landfill (Impoundment A) for the disposal of stabilized sludge. The facility was sold to Van Dexter Manufacturing in 1982, who continued to operate the facility under the Keystone Chemical name. All operations ceased at the facility in 1986. All operational structures were demolished, wastes deposited in impoundment A were removed, and the impoundment was closed. The facility is currently vacant and owned by the Trustees of the Estate of Stephen Girard.
Contaminants at this Facility
Primary contaminants at the facility included heavy metals from the stabilized sludge deposited in Impoundment A and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the waste oil recovery operation. Sludges and waste material were subsequently removed from Impoundment A during closure of the facility, and VOCs were not detected above protective levels in groundwater samples taken by PADEP in 1992. PADEP determined that elevated concentrations of iron, manganese, and sulfate detected in groundwater beneath a portion of the facility were likely a result of acid mine drainage from surrounding areas; however, an institutional control prohibiting groundwater use is required to prevent exposure to contamination. An institutional control prohibiting residential use of a portion of the property is also required unless or until a residential cleanup standard is demonstrated throughout the facility property.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
Institutional controls prohibiting both residential use and groundwater use beneath a portion of the facility (defined in the covenant as the Environmental Covenant Area) are required as part of the final remedy.
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) |
Documents available on-line: |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
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
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.