Berks Landfill

Overview

Berks Landfill is a 66-acre former municipal waste disposal site in Spring Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, about seven miles southwest of Reading. It operated from the 1950s until 1986. EPA added it to the Superfund National Priorities List in October 1989 after investigations found groundwater contamination. The site was deleted from that list in November 2008 after cleanup was finished.

Groundwater at the site contains 21 contaminants of concern. These include volatile organic compounds such as benzene, trichloroethene, vinyl chloride, and chloroform, as well as metals including lead, cadmium, beryllium, copper, and barium. Sampling in the 1980s also detected aluminum, iron, and manganese in on-site monitoring wells.

EPA selected the cleanup remedy in July 1997. Construction ran from June through November 2000 and included repairing the eastern landfill cap, cleaning and repairing leachate collection lines, relining three collection ponds designed to hold up to 1.5 million gallons of leachate, installing monitoring wells and gas probes, and planting trees and wetland vegetation. Leachate, the fluid that seeps through waste, is pumped to the local wastewater treatment plant. Institutional controls prevent groundwater use in contaminated areas and restrict disturbance of protective construction on the landfills. Zoning rules also prevent residential development on the site.

Human exposure is under control. Contaminated groundwater migration is stabilized, and there is no unacceptable discharge to surface water. The site is considered ready for anticipated use. The landfills now support open green space, and one on-site business operates from structures used for storage. EPA and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection continue to oversee operation and maintenance, including regular groundwater monitoring. Residential wells in surrounding areas are also sampled to confirm they remain unaffected.

The most recent five-year review was completed in 2020 and confirmed the remedy remains protective of human health and the environment. Community members can get involved through EPA's Community Involvement Program. Public records are available at the Township of Spring office at 2850 Windmill Road, Sinking Spring, PA 19608, or at the EPA Region 3 office in Philadelphia. Appointments can be made by calling the township at (610) 678-5393 or EPA at (215) 814-2396.