Mid-Atlantic Corrective Action

Adhesives Research Inc.

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EPA ID: PAD003010345
Location:
Route 216
Glen Rock, PA 17327
Property Area: 12.5 Acres
Congressional District: 19
Other Names: n/a
FINAL UPDATE

Contacts

Bulletin Board

Status

• Adhesives Research Inc. has completed the environmental cleanup at their Glen Rock, Pennsylvania facility. The following paragraphs describe the releases that occurred at the Adhesives Research Inc. facility, as well as the corrective measures taken by the facility to remediate the releases.
• On December 14, 1987, a fire in the northeast corner of the facility's main manufacturing building occurred when a spark ignited during the transfer of vinyl ethyl ether from a mixing tank to a 55 gallon drum. The release of chemicals to the environment occurred when water used to fight the fire flooded the immediate area of the fire. Approximately 32,000 gallons of this contaminated water was collected and transported off-site by trucks. An additional 90,000 gallons of water were treated by an on-site carbon treatment system. A soil gas analysis survey indicated that the soils in the area had not been substantially impacted by the spill, therefore soil excavation was not required. On-site groundwater wells were tested repeatedly during a two year period following the fire incident. All of these sampling results revealed that the groundwater under the facility had not been impacted by the spill.
• In 1990, two leaky underground farm use fuel tanks located on the facility property were removed. Approximately 16.47 tons of contaminated soil was excavated and disposed of off-site. Groundwater continued to be sampled at three locations near the tank removal area, and the results were sent to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) for review. No detectable amounts of petroleum hydrocarbons were found in any of the groundwater samples.
• In 1992, seven underground storage tanks were removed from the facility. Leakage of fuel oil to the surrounding soils had occurred at two of these tanks. Approximately 40 tons of contaminated soil were excavated under PADEP oversight. Subsequent groundwater sampling at the facility found no detectable amounts of petroleum hydrocarbons in any of the groundwater samples.
• After performing a facility inspection, and an evaluation of past remediation practices, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) believes that no further corrective action is necessary at the Adhesives Research Inc. facility. On October 22, 1999, EPA completed the 45 day public comment period for the Adhesives Research Inc. facility, during which time no comments were received on EPA's proposal that no further corrective action is necessary at this time. Therefore, EPA has adopted the proposed decision as the final decision.

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Background

• The Adhesives Research Inc. facility consists of approximately 12.5 acres located on Route 216 in Glen Rock, Pennsylvania, and is located in a largely agricultural area. Operations at this facility began in 1974, and continue today. Adhesives Research Inc. manufactures pressure sensitive adhesives and applies adhesive to a variety of media, including foams, plastic sheets, paper, and some metals. This process generates non-chlorinated solvents such as methyl ethyl ketone, toluene, xylene, heptane, and hexane as hazardous wastes. This waste is stored at the facility for less than ninety days before being shipped off-site for disposal.The threat of contamination to the environment at the Adhesives Research Inc. facility has been controlled, and the contaminants of concern have been cleaned up within acceptable levels.
• EPA released a "Statement of Basis" for the Adhesives Research Inc. facility on September 14, 1999. The public was invited to comment on the proposal that no further corrective action be required at the Adhesives Research Inc. facility during a public comment period which lasted forty-five calendar days from the date that this matter was publicly noticed in a local newspaper (September 14, 1999 to October 22, 1999). On October 22, 1999, EPA completed the public comment period, during which time EPA did not receive any comments on its proposal that no further corrective action is necessary at this time. Therefore, EPA has adopted the proposed decision as the final decision.

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