Search Frequent Questions

Displaying 1 - 15 of 23 results

• What questions was EPA trying to find answers to during its first round of sampling at the Norwood Landfill site?

  The main question that EPA seeks to answer is whether the identified waste areas warrant consideration for placement of the Site on the National Priorities List (NPL) or Superfund List. In the first round of sampling, EPA collected surface soil samples (0-2 feet) from the landfill property, and surface water…

  • Last published: March 1, 2024

• What does it mean when EPA finds contamination that “exceeds screening levels?”
  

  Screening levels are not the same as cleanup or action levels. An exceedance of a screening level indicates the need for additional evaluation, potentially including a site-specific risk assessment.

  • Last published: March 4, 2024

• If EPA finds any contamination associated with the Norwood Landfill site that “exceeds” what is considered safe, will EPA clean up that contamination - even if the Agency cannot find any “pathways” for that contamination to reach humans or sensitive environments?

  If the sampling data shows an exceedance of a screening level, EPA will consult with the site Toxicologist and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to conduct a human health risk screening assessment to determine any potential threat to human health. EPA will also consult with the…

  • Last published: March 8, 2024

• How do you know you are not missing some areas that might be contaminated?

  EPA uses all credible information available, including community input, regarding the boundaries and geographic areas of waste that may have been deposited or where contaminated soil may have been placed. The team selects its sampling locations based on those areas and consults historic aerial images that help depict those boundaries.

  • Last published: March 8, 2024

• Will EPA sample the Glenolden Laboratory property?

  The former Glenolden Laboratory property located on South Avenue is a separate site. The previous owners conducted a voluntary cleanup pursuant to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (PADEP) Environmental Cleanup Program, known as Act 2. Concerns regarding remedial actions conducted under Act 2 should be directed to PADEP as…

  • Last published: March 18, 2024

• How do the different parts of particulate matter (PM) fit together?

  The various parts of PM in the NEI are related as follows. PM10-FIL > PM25-FIL because PM10-FIL includes PM25-FIL PM25-PRI = PM25-FIL + PM-CON This equation only applies at the process level. Because some sources only can report PM2.5 (due to test method differences), this equation does not apply to…

  • Last published: April 17, 2024

• How does PM2.5 relate to PM species such as EC, OC, SO4, NO3, PMFINE, and DIESEL-PM25?

  Primary PM2.5 estimates are speciated into the five PM species in the NEI: elemental (black) carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), nitrate (NO3), sulfate (SO4), and the remainder of PM25-PRI (PMFINE). Diesel engine PM25-PRI and PM10 emissions are also labeled as DIESEL-PM25 and DIESEL-PM10 for mobile source diesel engines. For all…

  • Last published: April 17, 2024

• Will EPA conduct sampling in local parks in the Norwood community?

  EPA will sample Norwood Park because of its close proximity to the Old Norwood Dump and Norwood Landfill. There is no current information that would warrant sampling in other parks.

  • Last published: March 1, 2024

• What sources make up the Tier 1 categories used in the emissions trends?

  Tier 1 categories are assigned by source classification codes (SCCs) that are the most specific processes available in the NEI. The latest SCC list with the Tier 1 assignments can be downloaded from the EPA SCC website in Comma Separate Values (CSV) format.

  • Last published: May 1, 2024

• What is the cause of the large decrease in electric utility emissions, particularly sulfur dioxide, starting in 1995?

  SO2 emissions reductions from utilities during this time are primarily attributed to the impacts of the acid rain program. As described on EPA’s Acid Rain Program web page, Phase 1 of this program began in 1995 and affected 263 units at 110 most coal-burning electric utility plants in 21 eastern…

  • Last published: May 1, 2024

• Is EPA planning on taking samples from the basements in the homes you are sampling in the Norwood community? If not, why not?

  EPA is not planning to collect samples from residential basements or crawl spaces at this time. EPA installed six groundwater wells within the Old Norwood Dump, Norwood Lower Park, and the Winona Homes neighborhood. Groundwater wells will not be placed on private residential properties. The wells will be used to…

  • Last published: March 4, 2024

• How are EPA’s sampling results verified for accuracy?

  Samples were sent to an EPA certified laboratory for analysis. After the samples are analyzed, the data will be validated independently by chemists to verify the accuracy of the results.

  • Last published: March 12, 2024

• What is included in the emissions “Tiers”?

  The Tiers are assigned by a Source Classification Code (SCC), which has the most detail about the emissions processes that generate the emissions. The full list of SCCs, their associated Tiers, and the SCC descriptions is available online at https://ofmpub.epa.gov/sccwebservices/sccsearch/ .

  • Last published: March 18, 2024

• Will EPA sample the Norwood school?

  EPA continues to work closely with the Interboro School District, but there are no plans to sample the Norwood school at this time. For site investigations, sampling activities must be based upon the identification of a potential source of contamination. Based upon research and historic images, EPA has not seen…

  • Last published: April 1, 2024

• What does an annual emissions value in the NEI represent (one year or multiple years)?

  The NEI provides total annual emissions for a single year.

  • Last published: January 7, 2025