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Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Neville Chemical Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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The facility is currently under an Order on Consent from Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP).

Cleanup Status

In August 2003, EPA, PADEP, and EPA’s contractor conducted a site visit to assess the current condition at the facility.  The purpose of the visit is to determine if the facility meets the Environmental Indicators (EIs) for Human Exposures and Migration of Contaminated Groundwater.

In April 2004, Neville Chemical signed a new Consent Order and Agreement with PADEP to address the groundwater remediation and surface water assessment. The implementations consist of groundwater and surface water monitoring and optimizing the current groundwater remediation system. The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) is addressing the Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) air emissions onsite, specifically the resin rework area and the wastewater treatment tanks. Neville Chemical will install temperature control lockout and additional operating procedures for maintaining effective compliance at the resin rework area and will install covers over the wastewater treatment tanks.  In addition to the work at the Neville Chemical facility, the ACHD will conduct a 2-year air quality study in and around Neville Island to evaluate the air quality in the region.  

In June 2005, EPA determined that the Human Health Exposures Under Control -  Environmental Indicator had been met.

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Site Description

Interactive map of Neville Chemical Company, Pittsburgh, PA

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Neville Chemical Company is a manufacturer of synthetic hydrocarbon resins and coumarone-indene resins. Established in 1925, Neville Chemical Company is privately owned with the Corporate Headquarters and main manufacturing facility located on Neville Island. The Island is located in the Ohio River, six miles west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  The Facility occupies approximately 68 acres. 

Synthetic resins are produced from two primary raw materials. The first is a crude heavy solvent naphtha obtained during the production of coke from coal. This is used to manufacture Neville's coumarone-indene resins. The second is petroleum streams obtained during the cracking or chemical treatment of petroleum. These are used to manufacture Neville's petroleum hydrocarbon resins.

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Contaminants at this Facility

A Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (LNAPL) was identified in six of the twenty-two monitoring wells as well as six recovery wells. A central Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene (BTEX)-plume and a chlorinated plume exist near the northwest corner of the property. The plume migrates northward and discharges to the Ohio River from a number of historic release areas. 

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Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility

The need for institutional controls has yet to be determined.

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Land Reuse Information at this Facility

The site 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 PADEP.

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