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SUMMIT COUNTY
COPLEY
Congressional District # 13
COPLEY SQUARE PLAZA
EPA ID# OH0000563122Last Updated: September, 2009
Site Description
The Copley Square Plaza Superfund site is located in Copley Township, Summit County, Ohio. The site first came to the attention of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) when there were complaints of an odor in water from wells serving two businesses in the Copley Square Shopping Center - a dry cleaners and a grocery store.
Ohio EPA found that the groundwater contained volatile organic compounds (named that way because they vaporize easily into the air) at levels higher than what Ohio EPA considers safe. Investigations at the dry cleaners revealed that chemicals used for dry cleaning, the same volatile organic compounds as in the groundwater, were being disposed/stored in eight wastewater tanks in the back room of the dry cleaner. Testing showed that the eight wastewater tanks were leaking the volatile organic compounds into the groundwater under the building.
After four years of extensive testing in the 1990s, Ohio EPA asked for assistance from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect local residents from the contaminated groundwater and to remove their source, the eight wastewater tanks in the dry cleaner.
EPA oversaw extensive testing of nearby homes, the installation of water treatment systems in nearby homes with contaminated wells, the closing of eight wastewater tanks at the dry cleaners and the installation of a system to treat the ground water. After the in-home treatment systems were in place and tested to ensure their effectiveness at removing the volatile organic compounds, EPA turned over the maintanence of the in-home treatment systems to Ohio EPA. Ohio EPA continues to maintain the systems.
In 2000 EPA reviewed the situation at the site, as requested by Ohio EPA, and found the ground water was still contaminated, and there had been no improvement since the mid-1990s. The site was placed on the National Priorities List (NPL) in April 2005.
Site Responsibility
The site is being addressed through federal and state actions.
Threats and Contaminants
Soil and groundwater were contaminated with tetrachloroethylene (PCE or PERC), a volatile organic compound, and its derivatives including: trichloroethylene (TCE), cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (cis-DCE), trans-1,2-dichloroethylene (trans-DCE), and vinyl chloride (VC). Eight homes were provided with water treatment systems in the mid-1990s to address contaminated wells. Ohio EPA has been maintaining the systems since their installation.
Cleanup Progress
A passive ground water collection system was installed to collect ground water leaving the eastern side of the dry cleaner and water treatment systems were installed in homes with contaminated wells during the mid-1990s. Ohio EPA has been maintaining the water treatment systems since their installation.
EPA conducted a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS) between 2006 and 2009. Site soil, both under and east of the former dry cleaners, remains contaminated with PCE and its breakdown compounds. Shallow groundwater is also contaminated, though contamination extends east into the undeveloped area between the former dry cleaners and the townhome development. Deep groundwater contamination extends approximately one quarter mile southeast of the former dry cleaner. EPA also conducted indoor air sampling, which revealed PCE and its breakdown compounds in a number of single family and townhomes.
In June 2009, EPA issued it's Proposed Plan, which outlined it's preferred remedy for addressing the contamination and risks at the site. The public comment period on EPA's proposed plan began at the end of June, and a public meeting was held on July 22, 2009, where EPA received numerous comments on its Proposed Plan. EPA has addressed public comments and is preparing its Record of Decision, expected to be signed in the fall of 2009.
Community Involvement
The public comment period on EPA's proposed plan began at the end of June, and a public meeting was held on July 22, 2009, where EPA received numerous comments on its Proposed Plan.Aliases
DANTON DRY CLEANERS