Mid-Atlantic Corrective Action

Honeywell-Delaware Valley Works
(Formerly: Allied Signal)

On This Page

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

EPA ID: PAD981739758
Location:
6300 Philadelphia Pike
Marcus Hook, PA 19601
Property Area: 36 Acres
Congressional District: 6
Other Names: Allied Signal
General Chemical Corp
DVW North
LAST UPDATE: September 2012

Contacts

Bulletin Board

Status

• In the Fall of 2008, EPA collected sediment samples in the Delaware River basin in areas contiguous to the Honeywell Delaware Valley Works (DVW) facility. The data resulting from this effort indicated elevated levels of arsenic, lead and DDT in the sediment media.  
• In the Fall 2011, accumulated sediment and debris were removed from the storm sewers of the facility’s’ North Plant to eliminate future discharge of source material to the Delaware River.
• Removal of Sediment from the Facility’s “Sluiceway” in the South Plant is currently on-going to further reduce the possibility of contaminated material discharging to the River.
• Sediment sampling is continuing in the Delaware River to define the extent of contamination and to develop interim remedial measures to address any potential risk.

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Background

• The Honeywell DVW facility is a chemical manufacturing plant located in Claymont, Delaware and Marcus Hook, PA ("Facility"). The Facility, which straddles the Delaware and Pennsylvania state line, consists of approximately one hundred acres, which is divided by Route 13 into two separate plants, referred to as the "DVW North Plant" and "DVW South Plant." Two-thirds of the DVW North Plant is located in Pennsylvania with the remainder situated in Delaware. Virtually all of the DVW South Plant is located in Delaware. A variety of inorganic chemicals and pesticides were manufactured at the Facility during different periods since it began operation in the very late 1890's.
• General Chemical Corporation ("GCC") acquired the Facility from Allied Signal (now known as Honeywell International Inc.) in 1986. Allied Signal retained ownership of several contiguous parcels of property upon which chemical operations were conducted and continue today. In October 2002, GCC and certain of its affiliates filed a voluntary petition in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware for reorganization relief. GCC subsequently emerged from bankruptcy under an approved Reorganization Plan in October 2003. As a result of the finalized Reorganization Plan, GCC assumed cleanup responsibility for most of the soils in the DVW South Plant and Honeywell assumed responsibility for cleanup of the remainder of the DVW.
• Under EPA's Facility Lead Program, Honeywell completed a Phase I RCRA Facility Investigation ("RFI") of the facility. This included the collection of groundwater and soil samples for 8 Solid Waste Management Units ("SWMUs") and a site wide groundwater assessment of the property. Based on the Phase I results additional investigation was required at five of the SWMUs to complete the assessment. A phase II RFI to collect the additional data was completed in the Fall and Winter of 2004/2005.

• In September 2011 EPA issued an Administrative Order to Honeywell International Inc., which requires a facility wide investigation of the DVW facility.  The Administrative Order was issued pursuant to Section 3008(h) of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).  The requirements of the order include:

  • Interim Measures/Stabilization to achieve the initial goal of controlling ground water releases and controlling current human and ecological exposure to contaminated media;
  • RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI), to provide more in-depth information about Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs), and;
  • Corrective Measures Study (CMS) if warranted, to propose final cleanup actions needed.
• As a result of the GCC finalized Reorganization Plan, Honeywell has incorporated and is managing the investigation and cleanup of several additional solid waste management units on the DVW facility.

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