EPA RCRA ID: PAD004322913
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Facility Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Enforcement and Compliance
- Related Information
- Contacts for this Facility
Cleanup Status
Note: The EPA is the lead agency for managing cleanups at this facility.
In 1998, Mine Safety Appliances (MSA) initiated the Groundwater Control Project (GWC) under PADEP to investigate and remediate groundwater contamination in response to a release of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA) to groundwater. The GWC expanded to investigate an array of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and encompassed a Facility-wide groundwater monitoring and remediation program to address subsequent releases to groundwater and to include groundwater monitoring for the closures of several former waste management units. The GWC initially included surface water sampling along the Breakneck Creek to evaluate the potential impact of groundwater contamination to surface water. Historic surface water data indicated that Facility-related groundwater contamination did not impact Breakneck Creek. Subsequently, surface water sampling was terminated.
There are 64 groundwater sampling locations throughout the Facility that are used to monitor and evaluate groundwater conditions. These locations consist of 38 shallow wells, 13 deep bedrock wells, and 13 other locations such as springs, standpipes, and outfalls. Twelve site wells are designated as point-of-compliance (POC) attainment monitoring locations. Of the 51 wells, five are designated recovery wells to remediate groundwater contamination. The recovery wells have maintained hydraulic control and limited groundwater contamination migration within the property boundaries. The recovered contaminated groundwater is pretreated with activated carbon prior to discharging it to the Evans City Water & Sewer Authority (ECWSA). The remaining wells and locations are available for water level measurements and supplemental monitoring.
In 2018, EPA issued a Final Decision and Response to Comments (FDRTC) that requires the Facility to comply with the Post Remedial Care Plan (PRCP) under PADEP. The PRCP requires that the GWC continues to be operated until the levels of constituents of concern (COCs) meet EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), or PADEP Statewide Health Standards (SHSs), and to maintain hydraulic control to prevent groundwater contamination migration. In addition, the Facility will comply with the environmental covenant that limits land use to non-residential and restricts groundwater use.
On October 9, 2024, EPA completed a long-term stewardship (LTS) assessment of the Ascensus Specialties Callery LLC (Facility) in Evans City, PA. EPA determined that Ascensus is in compliance with EPA’s FDRTC. EPA concludes that the implemented engineering and institutional controls are effective in meeting the objectives of protection of human health and the environment. Ascensus will continue to implement the GWC in accordance with the Post Remedial Care Plan (PRCP) and comply with the environmental covenant that limits land use to non-residential and restricts groundwater use at the Facility.
Cleanup Activities Pertaining to the Entire Facility
| Action | Status | Date of Action |
|---|---|---|
| Human Exposure Under Control Human Exposure Under Control(CA725) | ||
| Groundwater Migration Under ControlGroundwater Migration Under Control (CA750) | ||
| Remedy DecisionRemedy Decision (CA400) | ||
| Remedy ConstructionRemedy Construction (CA550) | ||
| Ready for Anticipated Use Ready for Anticipated Use (CA800) | ||
| Performance Standards AttainedPerformance Standards Attained (CA900) | ||
| Corrective Action Process TerminatedCorrective Action Process Terminated (CA999) |
For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Cleanup Activities Pertaining to a Portion of the Facility
| Action | Area Name | Date of Action |
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For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Facility Description
Link to a larger, interactive view of the map.
The former MSA facility, which is currently owned and operated by Ascensus Specialties Callery LLC (Ascensus), is located on Mars-Evans City Road, approximately two miles southeast of Evans City, Butler County, Pennsylvania. The Facility occupies an irregularly shaped 100-acre parcel of property. Manufacturing, research product storage, and waste management activities are conducted within the Manufacturing Plant, which is composed of approximately 50 buildings covering approximately 30-acres in the central portion of the Facility. Land use surrounding the Facility is mainly rural residential, agricultural and light industrial.
The original manufacturing plant was constructed in the early 1900s. Mine Safety Appliances Co. (MSA) acquired the Site in the late 1930s. The number and footprint of the Site's mostly small, single-purpose buildings and their batch operations changed throughout MSA's ownership. MSA operated a variety of manufacturing and research operations for several of its divisions that included Safety Products, Filter Products, Callery Chemical Company, MSA Research, and Advanced Systems Division (collectively referred to as MSA). Specialty chemicals, rubber, respiratory protection devices, and oxygen generating devices using potassium superoxide were produced at the Facility.
Historical hazardous wastes generated by the Facility include caustic wastewater, spent materials from equipment clean-out and laboratory activities, and methanol scrubber solutions. Residual wastes include paper and cardboard, wood, and rubber wastes. The Facility maintains and operates a 90-day accumulation area in B89, as well as several permit-by-rule treatment units. It also utilizes an on-site wastewater treatment plant to manage its industrial and sanitary wastewaters.
Contaminants at this Facility
Hazardous wastes generated by the Facility include caustic wastewater, spent materials from equipment clean-out and laboratory activities, and methanol scrubber solutions.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
Institutional Controls include land and groundwater use restrictions and engineering controls include groundwater monitoring.
Institutional and Engineering Controls help ensure human exposure and groundwater migration are under control at a cleanup facility. Where control types have been reported by states and EPA in EPA’s RCRAInfo, they are shown below. Not all control types are needed at all facilities, and some facilities do not require any controls. Where there are blanks, the control types may not be needed, may not be in place, or may not be reported in RCRAInfo.
Are Controls in Place at this Facility?
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Control(s) Type |
Control(s) in Place? |
Areas Subject to Control(s) |
Documents available on-line: |
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Institutional ControlsNon-engineering controls used to restrict land use or land access in order to protect people and the environment from exposure to hazardous substances remaining in the site/or facility. (CA 772) |
Informational DevicesInformational Devices (ID) |
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Governmental Controls (GC) |
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Enforcement and Permit Tools (EP) |
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| Proprietary ControlsProprietary Controls (PR) | ||||
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Engineering ControlsEngineering measures designed to minimize the potential for human exposure to contamination by either limiting direct contact with contaminated areas or controlling migration of contaminants. (CA 770) |
Groundwater ControlGroundwater Control (GW) |
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Non-Groundwater |
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For definitions of the terms used, hover over or click on the term.
Enforcement and Compliance at this Facility
EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) provides detailed historical information about enforcement and compliance activities at each RCRA Corrective Action Site in their Enforcement and Compliance Historical Online (ECHO) system.
RCRA Enforcement and Compliance Reports from ECHO
Related Information
For more information about this facility, see these other EPA links:
- RCRA information in EPA’s Envirofacts database
- Information about this facility submitted to EPA under different environmental programs as reported in EPA’s Facility Registry Services
- Alternative Names for this facility as reported by EPA programs in EPA’s Facility Registry Services
- Cleanups in My Community provides an interactive map to see EPA cleanups in context with additional data, and lists for downloading data
- Search RCRA Corrective Action Sites provides a search feature for Corrective Action Sites
Documents, Photos and Graphics
Contacts for this Facility
EPA Region implements and enforces the RCRA Corrective Action program for and federally recognized tribes.
For further information on this corrective action site, use the Contact Information for Corrective Action Hazardous Waste Clean Ups listings that are accessible through Corrective Action Programs around the Nation.