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Hazardous Waste Cleanup: SPS Technologies Incorporated in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania

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Cleanup Status

The final decision of Corrective Action Complete without Controls became effective September 29, 2015, after a 30-day public comment period. No further action is required to make the facility suitable for any type of land use.

An Environmental Indicator (EI) inspection was conducted in December 1998, to assist in determining whether human exposures to contamination and the migration of contaminated groundwater were under control at the facility. Based on the results of this inspection and continued groundwater monitoring, both EIs were determined to be under control in September 2000.

After one exceedance of the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for cadmium in groundwater was detected during the bi-annual groundwater sampling event in 2012 and no exceedances were detected from the 2014 sampling event, EPA requested two additional groundwater sampling events in 2015, in addition to stream and soil sampling events, to confirm that cleanup objectives had been met at the facility. Results from these sampling events suggest that no contamination remains at the facility above risk-based levels appropriate for any type of land use.

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Site Description

Interactive map of SPS Technologies Incorporated, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania

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Since 1901, SPS Technologies has manufactured specialty metal fasteners and machined parts for the aviation and aerospace industries.

Remedial investigations at the facility began in the 1980s and included remediation of a leaking underground storage tank, the closure of wastewater impoundments, and a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Assessment.  Monitoring of groundwater beneath the facility also began at this time and remained a post-closure requirement for the wastewater impoundments until the completion of Corrective Action requirements.

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Contaminants at this Facility

Contaminants resulting from facility operations included chlorinated solvents (primarily trichloroethene) and cadmium. Low levels of chlorinated contamination persisted in groundwater up to 2010, and low levels of cadmium persisted in groundwater up to 2012. Sampling results from 2014 and 2015 suggest that no contamination remains at the facility above risk-based levels appropriate for any type of land use.

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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

SPS continues to use the facility for specialty metals manufacturing.

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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.

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