The Lord-Shope Landfill sits on five acres in Girard Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania. Between 1959 and 1979, the site received about four million cubic feet of waste, including solvents, organic and inorganic chemicals, rubber scrap, cooling oils, acids, and caustic agents. It was added to the EPA's National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983. The site sits near farmland, a golf course, orchards, and vineyards, with roughly 125 people living within one mile and about 5,700 within three miles.
Groundwater and soil are contaminated with 20 chemicals. Groundwater contains metals such as arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, and lead, along with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including benzene, toluene, tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, and vinyl chloride. Soil contains arsenic, benzene, and tetrachloroethene. Arsenic and copper have also been detected at low levels in off-site surface water. The main long-term concern is potential consumption of contaminated groundwater, though no drinking water wells have been affected.
Lord Corporation began early cleanup work in 1983, removing waste drums, containerizing leachate, capping the landfill with a synthetic cover, and installing a subsurface wall to divert groundwater. EPA selected a formal cleanup plan in June 1990, calling for in-situ vapor stripping to remove VOCs and groundwater extraction and treatment. Construction ran from July 1994 to September 1996. The vapor stripping system came online in November 1995 and groundwater treatment started in June 1996. An Explanation of Significant Differences issued in September 2021 updated cleanup standards, contaminants of concern, and applicable requirements for the site.
As of 2024, physical construction is complete and the remedy is operational. Residential wells remain within safe drinking water levels. The groundwater extraction and treatment system continues to run and is expected to reach cleanup goals within 40 years. A cap, fence, and vegetation prevent direct contact with contaminated materials. Institutional controls restrict groundwater use and land uses that conflict with cleanup levels. EPA completed its sixth five-year review on September 1, 2024, finding the remedy short-term protective of human health and the environment. The next five-year review is scheduled for 2029. The site has not yet been deleted from the NPL.
Community members can get involved through EPA's Superfund Community Involvement Program, which supports dialogue and collaboration with residents during cleanups. The Administrative Record is available for public review at the Rice Avenue Community Public Library in Girard, Pennsylvania, or at the EPA Region 3 office in Philadelphia. For questions, contact Lisa Trakis, Community Involvement Coordinator, or Ken Champagne, Remedial Project Manager.
