Hazardous Waste Cleanup: National Standard - Impoundment Area (Formerly: Mount Joy Wire Company) in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
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. EPA determined that the Human Exposure and Groundwater Environmental Indicators had been met in March 2005 and August 2016, respectively.
The hazardous waste impoundment was used to store process waste water. The impoundment was closed and capped in 1990. On January 13, 1992, the PA Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) determined that the former surface impoundment area had been closed in accordance with the approved closure/post closure plan. Post-closure care continues under the terms of the PADEP-issued Post Closure Permit. Post-closure activities include: groundwater monitoring; operation of the groundwater treatment system; and monitoring and maintenance of the cap and perimeter fence.
EPA issued a Corrective Action Statement of Basis (SB) in August 2016. The SB described the environmental conditions at the site and asked for public comments on EPA's tentative decision. In September 2016, EPA issued a Final Decision requiring continued compliance with the PADEP Post Closure Permit (reissued 4-24-2008), and implementation of land and groundwater use restrictions through an environmental covenant. The environmental covenant was filed with the Lancaster Recorder of Deeds in December 2018.
Site Description
The National-Standard Company's former Mount Joy facility is located in Mount Joy, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The facility was sold to Mount Joy Wire Corporation in 1991. The site covers approximately 27 acres. The facility is an active manufacturer of steel and specially plated wires. The process of making wire uses acidic, alkaline and other caustic or corrosive liquids. The process involves drawing, heat-treating, cleaning, descaling, plating and finishing of wire. Rinse waters from the chemical processing were (are) treated at their permitted onsite wastewater treatment plant. If the treatment plant could not keep pace with the incoming flow or the filter area was down, rinse waters were directed into a hypalon lined concrete impoundment, which was constructed in 1978/1979 to provide temporary storage of process wastes.
Contaminants at this Facility
Historically, Chloride, Iron, Lead, Manganese, Nitrates, Sodium and Sulfate exceeded Primary/secondary maximum containment levels onsite.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
An Environmental Covenant was recorded with the deed for the property on 12/11/2018. The covenant prohibits residential use of the property, prohibits groundwater use for purposes other than monitoring, and requires protection of the landfill caps.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
The site under continued use.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility have been conducted under the direction of EPA Region 3 with assistance from Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.