Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Mersen USA in Saint Marys, Pennsylvania
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
The Former Carbon of America Industries Corp (Facility or Site), now owned and operated by Mersen USA (Mersen), is currently undergoing remediation in accordance with Pennsylvania’s Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (Act 2). A Combined Remedial Investigation Report/Final Report (RI/Final Report) and the accompanying Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment Report (RA Report) was submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) for final review and approval in January 2012.
A copy of the RI/Final Report and RA Report was also submitted to EPA for review. If EPA concurs with the findings of the RI/Final Report and associated RA Report, EPA will select a proposed remedy for the Site, which will be noticed for public comment in a local newspaper.
EPA sets national goals to measure progress toward meeting the nation’s major environmental goals. For Corrective Action, EPA evaluates two key environmental indicators for each facility: (1) current human exposures under control and (2) migration of contaminated groundwater under control. Based on a review of available information, EPA determined that the Facility met both of these indicators on December 19, 2010.
Cleanup History
In November 1990, contamination was discovered at the former Stackpole Carbon (Stackpole) Facility, which is now owned and operated by Mersen. Primary contaminants at the Facility include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) consisting predominantly of trichloroethylene (TCE), 1,2-Dichloroethane (DCA), and 1,2-Dichloroethene (DCE) in soil and groundwater, in addition to total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil. Soil remediation activities at the site have included the use of a soil vapor extraction (SVE) system to remove VOCs and excavation of soil contaminated with TPHs. A groundwater pump and treat system, in addition to numerous monitoring, recovery and observations wells, were installed to remove and monitor VOCs in the groundwater at the site. All investigative and remedial work has been performed under the direction of PADEP.
Site Description
Interactive map of Mersen USA, St. Marys, PA
View larger mapSite operations date back to 1902, when the property was owned by Pennsylvania Fire Proofing, a manufacturer of clay pipes. In 1940, the property was purchased by the Stackpole Corporation (now the Hall Corporation) and used to manufacture carbon and carbon graphite products. Stackpole Corporation operated the facility until the sale to Carbone in November 1991. Prior to 1990, the Former Stackpole Corporation facility property consisted of approximately 170 acres. Since that time, the original property has been subdivided into numerous parcels. Carbone, who changed its name to Mersen USA in July 2010, occupies approximately 46 acres of the original 170 –acre property, and continues to manufacture carbon and carbon graphite products through operations including mixing, milling, molding, baking, grinding, chemical impregnation, tamping and machining. These operations are divided throughout the numerous buildings at the facility. The other parcels that made up the Former Stackpole Corporation 170-acre Site either remain wooded and undeveloped, or are being used for commercial/industrial purposes.
Contaminants at this Facility
The primary contaminants at the Facility include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) consisting predominantly of trichloroethylene (TCE), 1,2-Dichloroethane (DCA), and 1,2-Dichloroethene (DCE) in soil and groundwater, in addition to total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
Currently, deed restrictions affecting the Site prohibit the use of groundwater at the property and restrict the property to commercial and industrial uses.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
Site is under continued use.
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 PADEP.