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Hazardous Waste Cleanup: CEI Douglassville (Formerly: Hauer Custom Manufacturing, Incorporated & Kiwi) in Douglassville, Pennsylvania

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Cleanup Status

Hauer Custom Manufacturing (formerly named Kiwi Brands Inc.) has completed the final stages of cleanup at their Douglassville, Pennsylvania facility. The following paragraphs describe the releases that occurred at the facility as well as the corrective measures taken by the facility to remediate the releases.

In 1988, approximately 700 gallons of mineral spirits were released when an underground storage tank was overfilled. Cleanup actions were undertaken immediately, with approximately 120 tons of contaminated soil being removed, and the installation of three recovery wells. A similar spill of lesser magnitude occurred again in 1990, and once again groundwater was recovered and treated until petroleum hydrocarbons were found to be nondetect in the groundwater. At this time, a tank overfill protection system was installed to prevent any future spills.

In 1988, a non-hazardous surfactant was released to the environment when a rooftop tank overflowed during unloading of the material. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) investigated the spill and found it had been sufficiently remediated through the temporary storage of affected pond sludge in an on-site fire pond, and biodegradation of the surfactant. This temporary pond sludge holding area was later emptied and dismantled under PADEP approval.

On September 13, 1994, approximately 115 gallons of mineral spirits was released when a tanker delivering mineral spirits accidentally released mineral spirits to the ground. Immediate containment was accomplished, and contaminated soil and asphalt were excavated and sent offsite for disposal. The excavated area was then backfilled with clean soil.

Currently, there are five Solid Waste Management Units (SMWU) at the facility, which are all properly maintained and managed.

After a thorough site inspection, and an evaluation of past remediation practices, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that no further corrective action is necessary at the Hauer Custom Manufacturing facility. EPA submitted a "Statement of Basis" to solicit public comment to this proposal that no further correction action be required at this facility on May 25, 1999. On July 9, 1999, EPA completed the 45 day public comment period, during which time no comments were received on EPA's proposal that no corrective action is necessary at this time. Therefore, EPA has adopted the proposed decision as the final decision.

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Site Description

Interactive Map of CEI Douglassville, Douglassville, Pennsylvania


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Operation at the facility began in 1980, when Hauer moved from Pottstown, Pennsylvania to Route 662 in Douglassville Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. Hauer manufactures a variety of shoe care and toilet bowl products. Primarily, the hazardous waste generated by the facility includes various forms of waste shoe polish, bleach toilet bowl tablets, cleaning solvents, and aerosol containers. This waste is stored at the facility for under ninety days before being shipped off-site for disposal.

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Contaminants at this Facility

The threat of contamination to the environment at the Hauer Custom Manufacturing facility has been controlled, and the contaminants of concern have all been cleaned up within acceptable levels.

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Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility

     Institutional Controls were not required at the facility.

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    Land Reuse Information at this Facility

     The facility is under continued use.

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    Site Responsibility at this Facility

    Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action activities at this facility have been conducted under the direction of EPA Region 3 with assistance from PA DEP.

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