Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Beazer East, Incorporated (Formerly: Koppers Company) in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania

On this page:

Cleanup Status
Site Description
Contaminants at this Facility
Institutional/Engineer Controls
Land Reuse
Site Responsibility

Cleanup Status

From 2001 to 2002, Beazer East Inc. (Beazer) conducted additional investigation to evaluate soil, groundwater, sediment, and surface water at the Site. Based on the findings of the investigation, Beazer implemented corrective action measures at the former solid waste management units and specific area of concerns that eliminated direct exposures to potential soil contamination. In 2003, and as a result of the remediation, EPA determined that the Environmental Indicators (EIs) for Current Human Exposures and Migration of Contaminated Groundwater are under control.

In 2005, Beazer proposed to redevelop the site for commercial and residential use under the Pennsylvania Act 2 Land Recycling Program (Act 2 Program). EPA acknowledged and approved Beazer East’s Letter of Intent to implement corrective action at the site in accordance with the Act 2 Program. EPA relied upon the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) to resolve any current or future closure and corrective action issues associated with the Facility. However, EPA maintained the right to require additional corrective action or any other action if new information becomes available or there is a change in Site conditions indicating that such action is necessary to protect human health or the environment.

In 2007, Beazer entered into the Pennsylvania’s Land Recycling Program (Act 2 Program) to clean up the Property with the expectation that portions of the site would be developed for commercial and residential uses and certain areas would be restricted open space. Beazer conducted a site wide characterization that included surface and subsurface soils, groundwater, sediment, and surface water. Beazer identified several areas of contamination that required remediation. In addition, Beazer executed several environmental covenants (ECs) that implemented institutional controls to prevent direct human exposure risks to the contamination, to maintain the integrity of the remedy, and to prevent unacceptable future exposure risks for future development of the Site. Beazer completed the Act 2 Program investigation and cleanup of the Site in 2015. The investigation and remediation under the Act 2 Program met the requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action Program.

Currently, most of the Site have been redeveloped for residential and commercial use or preserved as open land. Several parcels remain available for future commercial redevelopment. Future redevelopment of these parcels will require the developer to enter the Act 2 Program and meet the requirements of the ECs and the Post Remedial Care Plan (PRCP).

On September 12, 2023. EPA determined Corrective Action Cleanup was completed with controls. These Controls are listed in the Institutional and Engineer Controls Section of this webpage.

Site Description

Interactive Map of Beazer East, Incorporated, Bridgeville, Pennsylvania

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The facility is located approximately ¾ mile west of Bridgeville in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The property comprises approximately 301 acres, of which the process area occupies approximately 55 acres. Chartiers Creek borders the property to the east and Millers Run borders the process area to the west and north. Both Chartiers Creek and Millers Run flow to the north. The Norfolk and Southern Railroad line runs in an east to west direction along the southern edge of the property. Interstate 79 is just east of the property and is separated from the process area by Chartiers Creek.

The facility was constructed in 1928, and was operated by the Seldon Company from 1928 until 1934. In 1934, the facility was purchased by the American Cyanamid Company (Cyanamid), which operated the facility until 1963. In 1963, the facility was sold to Koppers – Pittsburgh Company (KPC). In 1970, KPC sold the facility to Koppers Company, Inc. (Koppers). Koppers owned and operated the facility from 1963 until 1989. In 1989, Koppers leased part of the facility to Reichhold Chemicals, which continues to operate there. Koppers, which changed its name to Beazer East, Inc. (Beazer) in 1990, continues to own the property.

Manufacturing processes have been similar throughout the history of the facility. Historic manufacturing processes include the production of chlorinated naphthalene, amino and alkyd resins, resole resins, maleic anhydride, phthalic anhydride for use in foam board, while current manufacturing processes include polyester resins, coating resins and other products.

Contaminants at this Facility

The primary contaminants in the groundwater at the facility are low levels of VOCs and SVOCs. Results of groundwater monitoring at the facility indicate that, although groundwater containing site-related constituents is present at the facility boundary, there have been no site-related constituents detected in surface water at the downstream edge of the facility. A risk evaluation performed in 1994 indicated that there is no threat or risk to surface water adjacent to the facility as a result of site-related constituents in groundwater discharging to Millers Run and Chartiers Creek.

Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility

Beazer executed several Environmental Covenants (ECs) at the Site that require compliance with the Post Remedial are Plan (PRCP) and to prevent direct human exposure risks to the contamination, to maintain the integrity of the remedy, and to prevent unacceptable future exposure risks for future development of the Site. The following use and activity restrictions include:

Area AOE-1 will be limited to non-residential use;
No redevelopment of Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) K will occur;
A visual reconnaissance inspection will be conducted on an annual basis of the portion of the soil covers not beneath pavement or buildings for signs of erosion or other damage for the Central Soil Cover Area, Southern Soil Cover Area, SWMU J and SWMU K. Areas with erosion or other damage will be addressed and the repaired;
The installed fence and signage at SWMU K. A visual reconnaissance inspection will be conducted on an annual basis of the fence and signage for signs of damage. Areas with other damage will be addressed and the repairs documented;
Prohibit the use of groundwater throughout the Site; and,
Installation of passive vapor extraction systems beneath all inhabited and potentially inhabitable structure to address vapor intrusion, unless a vapor intrusion assessment has shown that such a system is not necessary.

Land Reuse Information at this Facility

Site Responsibility at this Facility

Site investigation and remediation at this facility have been conducted under the direction of EPA Region 3 RCRA Corrective Action Program and PADEP Pennsylvania’s Land Recycling Program.