Mid-Atlantic Corrective Action

Honeywell Resins & Chemicals
(Formerly: Sunoco, Inc.-Frankford Plant; Allied-Signal)

On This Page

• Status
• Background
• Contaminants and Risks
• Institutional Controls
• Documents and Reports
• Photos, Maps and Diagrams
• Reuse Information
• Questions

EPA ID:PAD002312791
Location:
Margaret & Bermuda Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19137
Property Area: 53 Acres
Congressional District: 3
Other Names: Honeywell Frankford
LAST UPDATE: February 2013

Contacts

Bulletin Board

Status

Honeywell Resins & Chemicals LLC Frankford Plant (the ‟Facility"), formerly known as Sunoco Frankford Plant and the Allied Signal Frankford Plant, is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1990, EPA issued the RCRA Permit for Corrective Action for the Facility. One requirement of the permit was that a RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) be conducted for 12 Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs) and two Areas of Concern (AOCs) at the Facility.

In 1992, the Facility conducted the RFI Phase I field work and concluded that a layer of light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) underlies the central portion of the Facility. In November of the same year, EPA requested that the Facility conduct an Interim Measure to enhance the LNAPL recovery. The Facility installed the LNAPL recovery system in 1994 and began the recovery activities in 1995. Since then the Facility has submitted semi-annual progress report to EPA summarizing the activities such as collection of water level measurements, and daily monitoring of and data collection from the LNAPL recovery control systems. Based on the 2013 January semi-annual progress report, the cumulative total production volume from all LNAPL recovery wells and systems is rounded to 527,261 gallons.

The Facility is an old site with widespread of soil and groundwater contamination. The main contaminants are solvents, benzene, naphthalene, acetone, o-cresol, methyl ethyl ketone, xylene, styrene, phenol, and cumene.

Operations of the boilers are controlled by meeting emission limits for metals and chlorides. The emission constituents are back calculated from health based ground level concentrations. Carbon monoxide, which is used as an indicator of proper combustion, is constantly monitored.

Reports of releases of phenol and cumene from a process sewer at the Facility were made to EPA in January 1999. It is possible that some released material will infiltrate into City of Philadelphia sewers. The releases may also affect the groundwater. At present, the Facility maintains its ongoing remediation projects to address infiltration of material into the City sewers.

The Facility has also implemented the interim status requirements of the Boiler and Industrial Furnace (BIF) rule since August 1991 due to the two on-site hazardous waste boilers. At present, the Facility utilizes the boilers to burn hazardous waste (mostly phenol) and has been in compliance with the triennial testing requirements since 1992. The testing requires the Facility to control emissions of regulated metals, chlorides, particulate matters and organics. The Facility conducted the testing in June 1998.

The Facility constructed a jet-grout cut off wall to act as a barrier in order to free product migration into the City Sewer in late February 2001. The Facility also proposed to use additional hydrogeologic data to assess the effectiveness of LNAPL collection trenches and sumps. 

The Facility continues to operate its two boilers to burn hazardous waste under the BIF interim status until a permit decision is made by EPA.

Based on a recent BIF air release risk characterization, it determined that the potential health effect to the receptors was low. A more extensive risk assessment would be performed in accordance with the Facility’s BIF permit compliance schedule.

Based on a 2006 monitoring report, it determined that the Facility will continue site-wide apparent LNAPL thickness measurements and monitoring the LNAPL thickness within each recovery well.

RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of EPA Region 3 with assistance from the State.

The Facility will provide press releases and other information regarding environmental matters for public review and comment if requested.

As part of the BIF permitting process, a local repository will be established for application review.

There are no institutional controls at this time.

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Background

The Facility (about 53 acres) is located in the Bridesburg Section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Immediately adjoining the Facility to the south is a densely populated residential area. A mixed residential/industrial area lies across Interstate 95 north of the Facility. A large portion of the Facility is paved and covered with buildings. The Facility is involved in the manufacturing of phenol and acetone, which are used in the manufacture of polymers, fibers, and resins.

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