Revere Chemical Co. sits on 113 acres in Nockamixon Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The facility processed acid, metal, and plating waste for many years before being abandoned in 1970. Poor waste handling left chromic acid, copper sulfate, sulfuric acid, and ammonia in unlined earthen lagoons, polluting soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment, including nearby Rapp Creek. EPA added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in 1987.
Contaminants of concern include asbestos, chromium (VI), copper, mercury, and trichloroethene. These were found in soil and solid waste. Soils also contain benzoic acid, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Surface water and sediments carry some of the same metals, and shallow groundwater contains VOCs. Health risks come from swallowing contaminated soil, touching it, or breathing dust from it.
Cleanup happened in stages. Pennsylvania removed about three million gallons of waste in 1970 and 1971. EPA then removed chromic acid drums and metal-laden sludge in 1984. A group of potentially responsible parties called the Revere Steering Committee, including General Electric, IBM, and Carpenter Technology, handled the remaining work. That work covered solid waste removal, soil vapor extraction, and installation of a protective cap. Major construction finished in November 1998. Nockamixon Township took ownership of the site in 2002. The cap is now planted with wildflowers and warm-season foliage, and the land supports migratory birds and is used for bird watching and star gazing.
The site is in long-term operation and maintenance under EPA oversight. Human exposure to contaminated soil is under control, and groundwater migration is stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. Groundwater sampling now happens once every five years, reflecting 20 years of clean results. Annual surface water and sediment sampling continues with no issues found. The 2021 five-year review found the remedy protective of human health and the environment in the short term, pending completion of a copper evaluation in surface water and sediments. The next five-year review is estimated for September through November 2026. A covenant on the property requires that EPA and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) be notified of and can comment on any future reuse proposals.
Community members can engage through EPA's Superfund Community Involvement Program and review the site's Community Involvement Plan. For direct questions, residents can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. The Pennsylvania DEP is also available for information.
