Voortman Farm

Overview

Voortman Farm is a 43-acre site in Upper Saucon Township, Pennsylvania. Around 10,000 battery casings were dumped into a large sinkhole on the property, measuring 48 feet wide and 100 feet deep. That dumping contaminated both soil and groundwater with heavy metals. The EPA added the site to its National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983, flagging it as a priority for cleanup.

Six contaminants of concern have been found in groundwater at the site: cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc. These metals came from the battery casings and posed unacceptable risks to human health and the environment. EPA identified them by tracing exposure pathways, measuring contamination levels, and evaluating health effects from contact with the substances.

Cleanup work began with a remedial investigation in July 1984. In 1986, a fire broke out in the sinkhole and was extinguished as part of emergency response efforts. That same year, workers removed 230 cubic yards of waste and contaminated soil. Follow-up sampling of residential tap water, soil, and surface water in 1987 and 1988 confirmed those removals were effective. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania then sampled monitoring wells for five years and found no contamination. The EPA issued its Record of Decision in June 1988, selecting continued monitoring with no further active cleanup as the long-term remedy. Construction of the remedy was completed by March 1989, and the site was deleted from the NPL in May 1989.

Today, human exposure at the site is under control. EPA has determined there are no unacceptable exposure pathways across the entire site. Groundwater migration is also under control, with contaminated groundwater stabilized and no unacceptable discharge to surface water. All cleanup goals for current and anticipated future land uses have been met. By June 2006, the site achieved sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status, and no additional monitoring is currently required.

Community members with questions can contact EPA staff directly. The EPA also maintains 139 remedial documents in its administrative records for the site. These are available online or in person at the U.S. EPA Region III Public Reading Room, 1650 Arch Street, 6th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Appointments can be scheduled by calling (215) 814-3157.