Heleva Landfill sits on 93 acres in North Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. The site includes a 26-acre capped landfill built over iron ore mining pits dug in the late 1800s. The landfill accepted mixed refuse and industrial wastes, including solvents, from 1967 to 1981. EPA added it to the National Priorities List in September 1983 after contamination was detected in groundwater.
EPA identified 33 contaminants of concern at the site, found in groundwater, surface water, and landfill gas. These include volatile organic compounds such as trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, benzene, toluene, and vinyl chloride, along with chlorinated solvents like 1,1,1-trichloroethane, dichloroethane, and dichloroethene. Other contaminants include methylene chloride, chloroform, acetone, and methyl ethyl ketone. EPA determined these substances pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment based on the amounts present and potential health effects from contact with them.
Cleanup was organized into five operable units covering a waterline, a landfill cap, groundwater pump-and-treat systems, and soils. EPA selected the initial remedy in March 1985 and finalized it in September 1991. Physical construction was completed by March 1999. Key actions included installing a new landfill cap, a passive gas venting system, and a groundwater pump-and-treat facility. EPA also extended the public water supply to 38 affected residences. A responsible party has operated the groundwater pump-and-treat system under EPA oversight since April 2000. Contaminant concentrations in groundwater have decreased significantly since the system started in October 1999. A 2011 to 2012 vapor intrusion investigation found low-level vapor intrusion in some residences, though indoor air risks remain within EPA's safety range. Institutional controls, including zoning restrictions and groundwater well drilling prohibitions, are in place to protect remedial components and prevent incompatible land uses.
Human exposure is under control and groundwater migration is stabilized. The site achieved sitewide readiness for anticipated reuse in March 2020. EPA's 2022 Five-Year Review confirmed the remedy continues to protect human health and the environment. The next five-year review is scheduled for 2027. The site has not yet been deleted from the National Priorities List.
Community members can review site records at the North Whitehall Township Building at 3256 Levans Road in Coplay, Pennsylvania, or at EPA Region 3 at 1600 John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Philadelphia. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 215-814-2396. Questions about the site can be directed to EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.
