Boarhead Farms

Overview

Boarhead Farms is a Superfund site on a residentially zoned property in Bridgeton Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Boarhead Corporation bought the land in 1969 and began storing and releasing hazardous substances there. A nearby fish kill in 1970 and a 1976 evacuation of about 34 residents due to sulfuric acid vapors were early signs of the damage. The site was added to the National Priorities List in 1989, and a remedial investigation started that same December.

EPA has identified 34 contaminants of concern spread across groundwater, soil, sediment, and surface water. These include chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethene (TCE), tetrachloroethene, and vinyl chloride. Heavy metals like arsenic, lead, cadmium, and chromium are also present, along with volatile organic compounds including benzene, toluene, and xylene, plus one phthalate compound.

Cleanup has been organized into four operable units. EPA carried out three removal actions in the 1990s, covering drum excavation, off-site disposal of radioactive waste, and construction of a groundwater extraction and treatment system. A formal cleanup plan was selected in November 1998. A fourth removal action ran from 2009 to 2019 to address TCE vapor intrusion at the on-site residence, with upgrades completed in January 2019 reducing concentrations to acceptable levels. A groundwater and phytoremediation system began operating in April 2000, and drum excavation and soil removal wrapped up in November 2003. Physical construction of the full cleanup was completed on November 10, 2003. The site reached "Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Use" status on September 17, 2020, meaning all cleanup goals for current and expected future land uses have been met. A potentially responsible party handles ongoing operation and maintenance under EPA oversight, with monitoring wells sampled twice a year. Institutional controls restrict residential use, limit excavation near buried contamination, and protect cleanup infrastructure such as extraction wells and monitoring wells.

The 2022 Five-Year Review found the remedy continues to protect human health and the environment in the short term. Human exposure is under control across the entire site, and contaminated groundwater is stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. The next five-year review is scheduled between September and November 2027.

Community members can stay involved through EPA's Community Involvement Program. EPA also attends Bridgeton Township meetings throughout the year to share updates on site work. Site documents are available online or in person at the Main Branch of the Bucks County Free Library in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, or at the EPA Region 3 office in Philadelphia. Appointments are recommended for in-person visits.