Breslube-Penn, Inc

Overview

Breslube-Penn, Inc. is a 7-acre former oil processing and reclamation facility in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. It sits in the floodplain of Montour Run. Operations ran from 1977 to 1992 and left behind contaminated soil, groundwater, and sediment. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in June 1996. The NPL is the federal list of the most serious hazardous waste sites in the country.

The site has 78 confirmed contaminants of concern. Groundwater holds the highest number, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as trichloroethene, benzene, toluene, and vinyl chloride. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and chromium, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are also present in soil and groundwater. The greatest health risk comes from drinking contaminated groundwater or contacting contaminated soil. Human exposure is currently under control, but groundwater migration has not yet been stabilized.

EPA divided cleanup into operable units. A 1994 removal action disposed of 6,400 tons of contaminated waste before formal cleanup began. The main remedy, selected in August 2007, included capping contaminated soils in a Waste Management Area, building a slurry wall, and running a groundwater collection and treatment system. Cap construction finished in September 2015. Groundwater remedial action started in January 2021 and moved to long-term response action status in April 2022. On July 3, 2025, EPA issued an Explanation of Significant Differences declaring the original remedy for Operable Unit 1 had failed and identifying 1,4-dioxane as a new contaminant of concern. The responsible parties are now designing a replacement remedy that extracts and treats groundwater inside the Waste Management Area, working alongside EPA and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP).

An Environmental Covenant recorded in 2016 restricts groundwater use, excavation, and residential land uses at the property. Any future public or commercial use requires EPA and PADEP approval. New buildings must include vapor intrusion mitigation systems to keep contaminants out of indoor air. Construction across all operable units is estimated to finish between October and December 2027. The most recent Five-Year Review, completed in April 2024, found the remedies protective of human health and the environment. The next review is scheduled for 2029.

Community members can get involved through EPA's Community Involvement Program. Site records are available at the Coraopolis Memorial Library at 601 School Street in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, and at the EPA Region 3 Public Reading Room in Philadelphia. Angela Ithier is the Community Involvement Coordinator and can answer questions about public participation. Mark Conaron is the Remedial Project Manager for technical cleanup questions.