March 2022: Construction will restart on Monday, March 14, 2022. EPA has received increased funding from the recent Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which will accelerate cleanup efforts with completion expected by the end of 2023. Immediate work to be conducted this spring includes completing the Redi-Rock retaining wall, continuing the construction of the evapotranspiration soil cover on the remaining part of the landfill facing the Eastwick Neighborhood, stormwater management improvements and additional streambank stabilization features. Air and Dust monitoring, as well as dust suppression, will continue during construction activities.
November 2021: Construction of the log crib wall along the western side of the landfill, which forms the eastern bank of Darby Creek, is complete. Additional streambank stabilization work is planned for spring 2022.Current work for the past 2 months has focused on the construction of a haul road along the creek bank and installing a concrete block retaining wall. This wall sits outside the floodplain and will assist in lowering the steepness of the upper slopes of the landfill. The wall is approximately 1600 feet long and the entire foundation will be completed before the end of 2021. The remainder of the wall will be completed in Spring 2022.
Construction will be paused for the winter break from approximately December 17, 2021 to April 15, 2022. Planned work for 2022 construction season is landfill cap construction and completing installation of stormwater management features on the landfill. Most streambank work will be restarted in 2023.
September 2021: Due to the remnants from Hurricane Ida, the weather station at the Clearview Landfill measured 2.25″ of rain on 9/1/21. No evidence of flooding in the nearby residential area were noted, however a full survey was not completed. Stormwater management features on the landfill appear to have functioned properly throughout the storm.
June 2021: Remediation on all residential properties with identified contamination has been completed. An inspection of the remediated yards was conducted by representatives from EPA and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) on June 16, 2021. Minor issues on 2 properties were noted during the inspection. Repairs were made by Saturday, June 19, 2021. The large log wall that stabilizes the steepest portions of the streambank has been completed. This structure is approximately 700 feet long and will prevent erosion from the creek.
April 2021: Residential Yard cleanups continue. 5 yards have been remediated so far and approximately 6-7 yards remain and these should be complete by June 2021. Tree planting is ongoing. Around 6,000 trees are going to be planted on the current open area of the landfill cover facing the Eastwick Neighborhood. Construction of more of the landfill cover will begin in late Spring 2021 and continue through the end of the 2021 construction season.
March 2021: Residential Yard cleanups are underway. Two yards have thus far been remediated in March 2021. Eight residential yards remain and these should be complete by June 2021. EPA is currently completing the unfinished section of landfill cover in Area B (facing Eastwick Neighborhood) with the placement of topsoil and drainage pipes. Planting of trees for this section of landfill cover is planned for the first 2 weeks of April. Construction of the landfill cover in Area B will continue throughout 2021.
February 2021: Construction activities have resumed at the Clearview Landfill. These activities will focus on snow clearing, site preparation, construction of streambank stabilization features and tree planting. Landfill cap construction will begin with the return or warmer spring weather. Approximately 10 residential properties still need to be cleaned up. These will be addressed starting in Spring 2021, pending homeowner approval and appropriate COVID-19 precautions. EPA will be conducting groundwater sampling in February 2021 to evaluate effectiveness of potential treatment technologies that are be tested. The Feasibility Study to develop cleanup options for Clearview Landfill groundwater contaminants is ongoing.
November 2020: The health risk evaluation report for the floodwaters due to Tropical Storm Isaias is finalized and available here. There were little to no site-related contaminants present in the flood water. There are no potential health risks from Superfund site contaminants from exposure to the floodwaters. Remediation of residential yards with contaminated soil is ongoing. Since October, 3 more residential yards have been remediated. By the end of 2020, 6 more yards should be completed. Construction will wrap up for the year on December 18, 2020.
October 2020: All repairs have been made to the 12 residential yards previously remediated by EPA that were damaged by Tropical Storm Isaias. Remediation of residential yards with contaminated soil is beginning. These are yards that have historic contamination present related to the landfill and were identified prior to Tropical Storm Isaias. Only yards that can be accessed without entering residential structures will be remediated at this time. The preliminary results from the health risk evaluation related to the Tropical Storm Isaias floodwaters show that there were little to no site-related contaminants in the flood water. The full evaluation will be completed in October and made available on our website.
Normal construction activity for the cleanup of the landfill is ongoing. The large stormwater basin at the southern end of the Site is complete. Landfill cover construction and excavation/fine grading of the southern City Park are ongoing. Planting of trees on the landfill cover and in the City Park is scheduled for the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
September 2020: On August 4th, Tropical Storm Isaias came through the Philadelphia region causing extensive flooding, particularly in communities along the Schuylkill River. In Eastwick, Darby Creek flooded causing damage to business and residential properties. The EPA has been working to repair the flood damage. To date, 11 residential properties have had flood damage repair completed on their yards. EPA is currently evaluating the floodwater results to determine if there were any potential short- or long-term health risks. Preliminary results show that there were little to no site-related contaminants in the flood water.
May 2020: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cleanups on residential properties have been halted and currently there is no set date for continuing these cleanups. Construction work at the Clearview Landfill is tentatively scheduled to restart again on June 1, 2020. EPA is working closely with its contractors on a number of new protocols and safety measures. All work will abide by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
December 2019: The EPA completed the first phase of construction and planting in the northern City Park and hillside of the landfill. They planted 5,000 trees and shrubs into clean soil placed on top of the waste and contamination.
April 2019: The EPA updated the Community Advisory Group on the findings from the Folcroft Landfill Remedial Investigation Report. The completion of this report is a major milestone in the Superfund process for the Folcroft Landfill. The report includes details on the spread of groundwater contaminants, including trichloroethene (TCE) and 1,4-dioxane, both of which are outside the landfill boundary and above Federal or Pennsylvania drinking water standards.
The next step in the Superfund process is a risk evaluation for the Folcroft Landfill that is expected to be completed by the end of 2019. A Feasibility Study, conducted by the Responsible Parties with the EPA and PADEP, has begun and will continue into 2020.
Folcroft_Remedial_Investigation_2019April 2018: The EPA updated the Community Advisory Group about the status of the ongoing residential yard clean up of homes contaminated from flooding near the Clearview Landfill. 92 properties have been addressed since 2016. Residential yard cleanups are expected to be completed by Fall 2018. Clearview Landfill remedial investigation lead by the EPA and in coordination with the DEP is looking at contaminants of concern in groundwater. A draft report is expected Summer 2018.
Folcroft Landfill is being investigated by responsible parties with EPA/ DEP oversight. A feasibility study is in its initial stages. Folcroft/ Lower Darby Creek Area Aquatic Risk Assessment status is being conducted by the EPA in coordination with DEP and US Fish and Wildlife Service. Human and ecological risks from contaminants in sediment, fish, and turtles are being evaluated. A finalized report is expected by Fall/Winter 2018.
2255978October 2017: Updated Community Health and Safety Plan for Remedial Action Activities. The ELDCA Community Advisory Group provided input regarding the community concerns and safety procedures related to the cleanup activities at the Landfill. The overall goals for the cleanup are to control the source of contamination (Landfill waste and soil) to prevent people and wildlife from contacting with Site waste and contaminants, reduce the amount of contamination reaching groundwater and surface water, and prevent movement of contaminated soils and waste into nearby creeks and residential areas.
Oct2017_communityhealthandsafetyPlan
9/21/2017: Lower Darby Creek Area Superfund Site Community Update. EPA continues residential yard cleanup of PAHs, Lead, and PCBs. EPA shares its Superfund cleanup process and next steps.
LDCA Superfund Site Community Update_ 9-21-2017
8/17/2017: EPA Region III has received funding to proceed with the Superfund clean up. The funding will allow for 80 homes to have their yards cleaned up. Clean up work is expected to begin after the labor day weekend.
6/2017: In May, the EPA restarted the cleanup of seven residential yards with PAH contamination in Eastwick. It included the removal of up to two feet of soil. This is the same cleanup that began in August 2016 and was suspended during the winter. Besides the seven yards, others with lower PAH levels will be addressed later. The EPA has posted a photo gallery of the residential yard cleanups. Click the following link and scroll down to view the gallery: Click here!
05 2017 Final Fact Sheet_Yard Cleanups
FINALFORPRINT_LDCA_RemovalAction-Factsheet__ 8-24-16_v5-11x17-NoLDCA
11/16/2016: The removal action for 2016 has been completed- meaning that all yards that met contamination triggers established in the removal action have been cleaned up. A total of 27 yards were cleaned during this project. The EPA will be responsible for maintaining the newly installed Sod through Thanksgiving.
11/09/2016: The EPA is addressing contaminated yards on the 8200 Block of Buist Ave. There will not be any yard remediation beginning Thanksgiving. All clean up activities will resume following the Winter holidays. The EPA will be contacting homeowners of yards that did not meet contamination levels, and updating them about the possibility to address their yards during the landfill clean up.