Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated in Allentown, Pennsylvania
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
The Air Products and Chemicals Inc. facility received a Final Decision for No Further Action (NFA) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on September 23, 1992. The decision to issue an NFA at the Facility was due to: (1) results of an integrity assessment required in the Corrective Action Permit suggested that there was no need for further sampling and (2) the analytical results of soil samples taken during a Verification Investigation showed that the levels of contamination present were far below EPA criteria for remedial action. Therefore, there is no threat to human health or the environment.
The Environmental Indicators (EIs) were completed on May 13, 2008, to satisfy agency obligations for public awareness because the EI forms were developed after the Final Decision. The two EIs are called "Current Human Exposures Under Control" and "Migration of Contaminated Groundwater Under Control." The EIs completed reflect the decision of No Further Action and have status codes of "Yes, Under Control" for both.
EPA conducted a Long Term Stewardship (LTS) assessment of the facility in September 2022. The assessment confirmed that the September 1992 NFA decision remains protective of human health and the environment today.
Site Description
Interactive map of Air Products & Chemicals Incorporated, Allentown, PA
View larger mapThe approximately 235-acre facility located at 7201 Hamilton Boulevard in Allentown (near Trexlertown) Upper Macungie Township, Lehigh County, PA served as Air Products & Chemicals, Inc.’s corporate headquarters for decades until a brand new complex was recently constructed less than a mile to the east in Allentown, PA. While still owned by the company, Air Products is in the process of shutting down its operations at the facility. A 41-acre parcel of the facility property was sold in 2019 and is currently owned and operated by Evonik Corp, a specialty chemical manufacturer. Air Products is close to a deal with Prologis, a real estate investment trust, for the remaining 194 acres of the facility. Prologis plans to demolish the on-site buildings and to replace them with warehouse space. Some operations at the facility will continue until the sale to Prologis is finalized.
The facility consisted of administrative buildings and research and development (R & D) facilities. Air Products has operated at that location as a large quantity generator or hazardous waste since its permit was terminated by PADEP in 2011 when several tanks used primarily for pH neutralization prior to discharge to the sanitary sewer were clean closed. Historically, most of the hazardous waste generated at this facility was related to small scale R & D activities. All hazardous waste generated is stored in drums or lab packed and regularly shipped off-site to a permitted treatment and disposal facility. One container storage area was clean closed with PADEP approval as part of the sale of property to Evonik Corp. The remaining hazardous waste storage area will be clean closed as part of the sale to Prologis.
Contaminants at this Facility
EPA has determined that there is no contamination at the Facility that presents an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
Institutional Controls and Engineering Controls were not required at the site.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
The facility is under continued use.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action activities at this facility have been conducted under the direction of EPA Region 3.