From the late 1950s to 1970, Chemical Leaman Tank Lines dumped rinse water and residues from tank trailer cleaning into three unlined lagoons on this 4.5-acre property in West Caln Township, Pennsylvania. That practice contaminated both soil and groundwater. The EPA added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List in July 1987, and cleanup work has been underway in various forms since the late 1980s.
The site contains a wide range of contaminants. Groundwater holds chlorinated solvents including trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, and several dichloroethane and dichloroethene compounds, along with benzene, phenol, chloroform, and metals such as barium, beryllium, and manganese. Soil contains many of the same chlorinated compounds plus polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, arsenic, chromium, zinc, and other metals. Cleanup is organized into separate operable units targeting waterline extension, soil remediation, and groundwater treatment.
Cleanup actions have unfolded in stages. Early removal work in 1971 involved sampling the lagoons, filling the pits, and replanting vegetation. In 1987, the lagoon area was fenced and carbon filters were placed on affected residential wells. A public water line was built between 1998 and 1999. Soil excavation and treatment ran from 2003 to 2014. A groundwater treatment system started operating in 2008 and is still running. The most recent phase, final groundwater treatment, began in October 2024 and is estimated to finish between June and August 2026. Full construction across the site is expected to wrap up between August and October 2026.
The 2022 Five-Year Review found that the remedy protects human health and the environment in both the short and long term. Human exposure pathways are under control, and contaminated groundwater migration is stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. Physical construction is not yet complete, and the site has not been deleted from the National Priorities List. Institutional controls such as zoning restrictions limit land use and reduce exposure to remaining contamination. The next five-year review is scheduled for December 2027 through February 2028.
Community members can get involved through the EPA's Community Involvement Program. A public meeting was held on July 8, 2024, at the West Caln Township building to discuss the cleanup plan for groundwater, and presentation slides from that meeting are available online. For questions, residents can contact Community Involvement Coordinator Nancy Cruz or Remedial Project Manager Timothy Gallagher. Physical records are available at the Coatesville Area Public Library in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and at the EPA Region 3 office in Philadelphia, both by appointment.
