Old City of York Landfill

Overview

The Old City of York Landfill sits on 178 acres in Seven Valleys, York County, Pennsylvania. It operated as a landfill from 1961 to 1975, accepting municipal, commercial, and industrial waste. EPA added it to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983 after investigators found the landfill was contaminating groundwater and nearby residential wells with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are chemical components of solvents.

EPA identified 13 contaminants of concern at the site. VOCs found in groundwater include trichloroethene (TCE), tetrachloroethene (PCE), vinyl chloride, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, and 1,2-dichloroethane. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were also detected in groundwater. Metals including arsenic, cadmium, and zinc were found in sediment and sludge. Aroclor 1260, a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) compound, turned up in both soil and sediment. The chemical 2-butanone was detected in sludge.

EPA finalized a cleanup plan in 1991 and modified it in 1996 and 2000. Cleanup work included restoring 16 acres of eroded soil cover, installing a landfill gas venting system, removing contaminated sediment from on-site leachate vaults, and running a groundwater pump-and-treat system. Groundwater treatment ended in 2000. The site now operates under monitored natural attenuation, meaning EPA tracks contamination over time without active treatment. A perimeter fence was installed, and institutional controls restrict groundwater use and prevent land uses like residential development. Physical construction of the cleanup was completed in September 1996.

Human exposure is under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified. Groundwater migration is also under control, meaning contaminated groundwater is stabilized and there is no unacceptable discharge to surface water. The site achieved sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status in June 2008. The most recent five-year review, completed in February 2026, found the cleanup protective of human health and the environment in the short term. EPA recommends additional sampling for PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in groundwater, surface water, stream sediment, leachate seep sediment, and leachate seep water to confirm long-term protection. The next five-year review is scheduled for February 2031. The site has not yet been deleted from the NPL.

Community members can get involved through EPA's Community Involvement Program, which supports dialogue and collaboration about the cleanup. Public records can be reviewed at the Springfield Area Village Library in Jacobus, Pennsylvania, or at the EPA Region III office in Philadelphia by appointment.