Pristine, Inc. is a 3-acre former liquid waste disposal facility in Reading, Ohio. It operated from 1974 to 1981, following earlier use as a sulfuric acid manufacturing site. Ohio EPA shut it down in 1981 after repeated permit violations. The site was added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983, making it a federal Superfund site eligible for cleanup funding and oversight.
Soil and groundwater at the site are contaminated with a wide range of hazardous substances. These include chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethene and tetrachloroethene, pesticides including aldrin, dieldrin, and DDT compounds, heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and mercury, and organic compounds including benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The site also contains 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a highly toxic dioxin found in soil. Risks come from ingesting, inhaling, or touching contaminated soil, waste, or groundwater.
Cleanup was organized into six operable units covering demolition, incineration, soil vapor extraction, and groundwater treatment. A 1987 Record of Decision set the initial cleanup plan, and a 1990 modification updated it. Key activities included demolition work from August 1991 to January 1992, incineration of contaminated materials from January 1993 to May 1994, soil vapor extraction from May 1994 to November 1995, and groundwater pump-and-treat operations starting in March 1997. Physical construction of the cleanup was completed on September 30, 1998. The site achieved "Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Use" status on August 11, 2010, meaning cleanup goals for current and expected future land uses have been met and land-use controls are in place.
Human exposure is currently under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified. However, data on groundwater migration is insufficient to confirm whether contaminated groundwater has stabilized, so monitoring continues. Cleanup work is being conducted by potentially responsible parties under EPA and state supervision. The site has not yet been deleted from the NPL. EPA completed its sixth five-year review in July 2021 and expects to complete the seventh in July 2026. Operation and maintenance of the groundwater system remains ongoing.
Community members can get involved by submitting comments about site conditions during the current five-year review process. The review is expected to wrap up in July 2026. Site documents are available at the Reading Branch Library at 8740 Reading Road in Reading, Ohio. For questions or to share feedback, contact EPA's Remedial Project Manager Beth Reiner or Community Involvement Coordinator Adrian Palomeque.
