The Former Exide Technologies Laureldale site operated as a lead-acid battery manufacturing and recycling facility from the mid-1930s until May 2020, when the company shut down after filing for bankruptcy. It sits in Laureldale, Berks County, Pennsylvania. Lead smelting continued at the plant until 2013, after which the facility shifted to recycling non-hazardous battery components. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) on March 7, 2024, making it eligible for federal Superfund cleanup funding.
Lead is the primary contaminant of concern. It built up in surface soils around the facility through years of smelting operations and spread into nearby stream sediments through stormwater runoff. Other metals and non-metals tied to battery recycling, including arsenic, cadmium, and selenium, may also be present. Lead-contaminated soil remains up to two feet below the surface at levels that may pose a health risk, even after earlier surface soil remediation. EPA does not yet have enough data to determine whether groundwater contamination is stable and controlled.
EPA's Removal Program has been active at the site since March 2021. That work included cleaning baghouses, ductwork, and contaminated process equipment. EPA also took over operation of the on-site wastewater and stormwater treatment systems to ensure water released from the site meets appropriate standards. Sitewide removal work is estimated to finish between September and November 2026. A prospective purchaser of the facility is expected to address lead contamination on the property under Pennsylvania's voluntary cleanup program. EPA is now conducting a Remedial Investigation to determine the full extent of contamination. A combined remedial investigation and feasibility study for soil was scheduled to begin between September and November 2024, with a Record of Decision expected between January and March 2028.
EPA began free residential soil sampling in May 2025 for residents within one mile of the former facility. Residents can sign up by submitting a Consent to Enter form by email, postal mail, or in person at a drop box at 601B Water St, Temple, PA 19560. EPA has held quarterly community information sessions virtually and in person. EPA's Region 3 office is also evaluating updated national guidance on residential lead exposure, issued in October 2025, and will share recommendations with the community.
A Community Advisory Group was being established to give residents a direct voice in cleanup decisions. Residents can reach Community Involvement Coordinator Katie Page at 215-814-2409 or page.katherine@epa.gov, or Remedial Project Manager Tom Smith at 215-814-5718 or smith.thomas@epa.gov.
