EPA RCRA ID: PAD002350833
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.
A Final Remedy was determined in 1987 and construction completed on the groundwater pump and treat system in 1988. Additional contamination was found in both groundwater and potential vapor intrusion under the buildings. The on-site groundwater is not used as a source of drinking water. A new Final Remedy was chosen August 24, 2017 which incorporates an upgraded groundwater pump and treat system as well as soil vapor mitigation control systems. This new Remedy Decision is found in the Final Decision and Response to Comments.
In 1984, groundwater contamination was found via the groundwater monitoring well network approved by Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (PADER) for closure of the surface impoundments. In 1987, EPA issued an Administrative Order on Consent [3008(h) Order] to the facility for groundwater remediation. A groundwater remediation system was installed in 1988. Contaminated groundwater was pumped by three recovery wells at a rate of 300 gallons per minute, and was treated by an air stripper, which removed the organic contaminants. Some of the treated groundwater was used as non-contact cooling water in the manufacturing plant and is discharged under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to a tributary of the Schuylkill River. Excess treated groundwater was pumped to a wet-well that discharges under the NPDES permit.
During environmental sampling prior to a property sale, Baldwin found additional groundwater contamination which extended beyond the influence of the pump and treat system. The contamination did not go off-site. In addition, soil contamination under the buildings was found that potentially could cause a vapor intrusion exposure. EPA has determined this contamination is from leaks in the solvent sumps and degreasers in the affected buildings.
A new Final Decision was chosen by EPA in August 2017, which requires modifications to the groundwater pump and treat system to expand the capture zone. With these modifications, an updated piping and treatment system was installed which is expected to be more efficient and automatic. Construction on the new system was completed in 2016 and the system is currently operating. Monitoring of the effectiveness of the system will continue into the future.
EPA also required a Soil Vapor Mitigation System (SVMS) to be installed under the buildings to alleviate potential vapor intrusion exposures. The system pulls vapor from the soils under the buildings, sending it through activated carbon treatment to remove any organic contaminants. The system is in place and currently operating. Continued monitoring of the system is required into the future. The building floors act as "caps" to eliminate exposure to contaminated soil beneath.
EPA is requiring that groundwater is not used for potable purposes, and that the land be used for industrial/commercial purposes only.
On September 25, 2023, 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 |
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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 Baldwin Hardware Corporation was primarily involved in the manufacturing of solid brass mortise locks, forged materials and bathroom and desk accessories. Historically, plant operations included electroplating, polishing and lacquer clear coating.
Baldwin acknowledged groundwater contamination at their facility. The main constituents of the contamination are halogenated hydrocarbons, primarily trichloroethylene and its associated degradation products. The groundwater contamination is a result of the past usage of two unlined surface impoundments, in which electroplating wastewater treatment sludge were stored. The two surface impoundments have been excavated, backfilled, certified closed and built upon (construction ended in 1987). The work took place under the regulatory supervision of the PADER (predecessor to Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP)), Southeast Regional Office.
Baldwin Hardware sold the property in 2012 to SBD who then sold the property in July 2015, to TMAP Realty, LLC.
Contaminants at this Facility
The main constituents of the contamination are halogenated hydrocarbons, primarily trichloroethylene and its associated degradation products.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
The engineering controls for the facility require that there be quarterly groundwater monitoring to confirm that the pump and treat system is operational and effective in keeping the contamination on-site. In addition, the SVMS has monitoring requirements to confirm effectiveness in mitigating potential vapor intrusion exposures. The floor of the buildings act as a "cap" to eliminate exposure to contaminated soils beneath.
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: |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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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.