EPA RCRA ID: PAD073739005
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.
On June 3, 2022, EPA determined that contamination in groundwater and human exposures risk from contaminants were under control.. On September 6, 2022, EPA determined the facility was ready for anticipate use. Cleanup goals have been achieved current and reasonably anticipated future land uses of the facility so there are no unacceptable risks. On September 27, 2022 The EPA issued its Corrective Action Final Decision which includes land use and groundwater restrictions.
A preliminary assessment was conducted at the Facility in 1989 and included a geologic, hydrogeologic, demographic, and environmental survey. This assessment noted that groundwater monitoring had been conducted in 1984 and found elevated levels of chromium, lead, and zinc. Additionally, inspections between 1977 and 1993 found discharges from the Facility’s treatment plan that exceeded the NPDES permit limits for suspended solids, total aluminum, total chromium and total iron.
In 2019, Brightsmith reported a spill of RCRA regulated non-halogenated waste solvent from a drum that was located in a 90-day hazardous waste storage area. This spill was remediated via excavation; post excavation samples taken in 2020 confirmed all toluene and ethylbenzene contaminated soils had been removed. This remediation was conducted under the oversight of PADEP’s Act 2 cleanup program.
In 2021, Brightsmith conducted an investigation of soil, sediment, and groundwater to evaluate possible contamination identified in historic reports by EPA based on the known history of the Facility. This investigation found that soil sample results were all below Regional Screening Levels (RSLs). Groundwater in one well slightly exceeded EPA MCLs for arsenic and toluene, however this was not the case in downgradient wells. The impacts were determined to be localized and the source no longer present. Toluene was evaluated for vapor intrusion and determined not to be a risk factor for exposure.
Further sediment investigation is warranted based on the initial findings of this 2021 investigation. Brightsmith has proposed a sediment investigation workplan that is currently being reviewed by EPA.
On October 6, 2022, an environmental covenant was implemented for the facility.
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 Brightsmith Coil Coaters Facility is situated on approximately 8.25 acres of land in the central area of Falls Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, located 2.5 miles south of Morrisville. In 1973, Prior Coated Metals began operating a metal coil coating facility at the Site. From 1983 until 1998, Pre Finish Metals owned and operated the Site. MSC purchased the Site in 1998 and operated until it was purchased by Brightsmith in 2008. Operations at the Facility have included metal coil coating.
Contaminants at this Facility
The latest soil and groundwater sampling event was conducted in 2021-2022.at seven monitoring wells on site. Soil sampling results showed hexavalent chromium and heavy metals within EPA’s acceptable risk range of the Industrial RSLs. Groundwater sampling results showed slight exceedance of EPA’s MCLs for arsenic and toluene at one well located near a former UST and water treatment settling lagoon; downgradient wells did not detect contaminants above MCLs.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
Institutional Controls at the facility are in place via an Environmental Covenant on the property. The covenant disallows property use for residential purposes and ensures earth moving activities do not pose a threat to human health and the environment. Groundwater use on the property is restricted.
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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|---|---|---|---|---|
|
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.