2. How many employees does the facility employ?
The facility employs approximately 105 people. The facility
has a plant manager, 25 members of the management staff, 40
hourly operations personnel and 25 hourly maintenance personnel
and 9 administrative personnel. Please see the facility's
organizational chart.
3. Provide financial statement and amount of security,
review of closure and post closure estimates.
Company is privately owned and operated. The parent
company's annual reports are available for review.
The facility maintains a $1.455 million bond for closure
of the facility.
4. List of acceptable wastes, permitted volumes and
final disposal of ash.
The facility is permitted to accept non-hazardous waste
streams. These waste streams include residential
(municipal), commercial, and industrial wastes.
Industrial waste streams are called residual
waste in Pennsylvania. In the facility's solid
waste permit, residual waste streams are broken
down into 2 types, Form R wastes and Form S wastes.
In order to accept Form R wastes, the facility must
submit the applications to PADEP and wait 15 business
days for PADEP comment or denial prior to accepting the
waste stream.
Under the facility's solid waste permit,
the facility is approved by the PADEP to accept
4350 tons/day, Monday ? Saturday, 6 A.M. ? 8 P.M.
The facility's ash has been sent to Rolling Hills
Landfill, Modern Landfill and Gloucester County
Landfill. Rolling Hills Landfill is owned by
Delaware County and is located in Berks County
in Boyertown, PA. The facility is currently
under agreement with the Delaware County Solid
Waste Authority to continue sending its ash to
Rolling Hills Landfill.
5. Provide the following insurance information,
comprehensive general liability, workers compensation,
environmental impairment and indemnity liability.
All insurance information is available on this website.
6. Is there on-site security and in-house inspections (self audit)?
The facility is fenced with a chain-link fence and the
Harwick Street gate is the only gate that is open and
utilized by the facility. Security is located on-site
5:30 A.M. ? 6 P.M., Monday ? Saturday. The gate is
locked at night and on Sundays.
The facility performs throwdowns on
incoming waste vehicles on a daily basis to
help ensure that it is receiving acceptable,
non-hazardous waste streams.
Site History
1. What was the site used for prior to current operations?
The site where the facility is located was used as an industrial site
since the 1890s. A portion of the property was occupied by
South Chester Tube Company until the 1960s. South Chester
Tube manufactured pipes and tubes. Since the late
1960s, portions of the site were leased to industrial
occupants who conducted warehousing operations,
soil and masonry recycling operations, metal
coating operations, solid waste transfer operations,
and operating trucking companies.
2. How old is the current operation?
Westinghouse began operating the facility in 1991.
American Ref-Fuel bought the facility and assumed
operation in April 1997.
3. Has the site operations changed significantly
or has the site been modified since waste treatment
(incineration) began on site?
No. Fundamentally, operations have not been
altered significantly. However, some improvements
have been added to enhance operation of the facility,
reduce the potential for impacting the community
and improve facility safety. Since beginning operation
of the facility, American Ref-Fuel has upgraded the
lime slaker equipment, strengthened the ash conveyor
system, installed a wastewater system to reduce
wastewater discharge to the local POTW, constructed
new offices and a new warehouse, shut open roof
hatches, closed off expanded metal soffits, installed
a truck tarping station in the ash house, repaired
and replaced all doors and installed fire cannons on
the tipping floor.
4. What treatment or storage methods were
used in the past which are not currently active?
Facility treatment and storage methods have not changed.
5. How long is the final product (ash) stored on site?
Within less than 1 week, all ash is transported
to Rolling Hills Landfill, Modern Landfill and
Gloucester County Landfill.
6. List all reported spills or State or Federal violations in the last three years.
None
7. Are there any consent decrees or litigation pending?
On a quarterly basis, the facility is assessed a fine for CEMS
exceedances and availability issues. When the fine is paid,
the facility is required to sign a consent decree.
Site Setting
1. Identify neighbors who might potentially be
affected by site operations or an accidental spill or
release to the environment.
An old PECO coal-fired power station is located on the
northern side of the plant. The PECO power station
is only put into service as a last resort. To the
south, the facility is bordered by DELCORA, a publicly
owned wastewater plant, and Abbonizio, a construction/demolition
recycler. To the west, there are several warehouses
used for storage and a vehicle repair shop. The nearest
residences are located on Thurlow Street, outside the facility's gate.
2. Are there any sensitive populations or areas within
three miles of the site, i.e., school, hospitals, wetlands,
parks, wildlife management areas, recreation or drinking
water sources?
Yes. Schools and parks are located within 3 miles of the facility.
3. Identify the closest residential populations, i.e., distance.
Less than 1/2 mile.
4. What is the drinking water source in the area?
The Chester Water Authority supplies city water from wells
located about 15-20 miles west of the city in Chester County.
5. Are any wells used to supply drinking water in the area?
No.
6. Identify the depth to groundwater.
The facility is bordered to the east/southeast by the Delaware
River. The depth to groundwater at the facility is
approximately 6 feet.
7. Does the facility emit any significant air emissions
which might potentially affect workers and/or the local population?
No.
Regulatory Compliance
1. Are all permits current?
Yes
2. Are any up for renewal in the following year?
Yes. The facility's Stormwater Permit is up for renewal
in July 12, 2001 and the Storage Tank Registration on
February 4, 2001.
3. Have any permits expired or been revoked?
No.
4 Is the facility complying with all requirements of the permit?
Yes
5. Has the facility been issued any notices of violation?
If yes, what are the nature of the violations and what steps
have been taken to address the issues?
See attached Compliance History.
6. Is the Facility a party in any lawsuits?
Is the Facility currently under a consent decree or order?
If yes, is the Facility complying with the requirements
of the decree order?
Yes, the facility is involved in a lawsuit with Delaware
County regarding what landfills the Facility is legally
obligated to take its ash to.
The consent decrees that are issued with quarterly
CEMS violations only require the Facility to pay
the assessed fine.
7. Is the ash generated at the facility considered hazardous?
No. The Facility submits quarterly analytical data to PADEP for the
ash it generates. The data has consistently demonstrated
that the ash is not hazardous.
8. Is the following training given to employees?
(a) Hazardous (RCRA) and/or non-hazardous waste handling procedures.
Yes
(b) OSHA Hazard Communications and Right to Know, if applicable.
Yes
(c) OSHA 1910.120 (Emergency Response Training), if applicable.
Yes
9. Does the facility have a contingency plan or emergency response plan?
Yes. In accordance with federal regulations, the facility
has a SPCC plan. In accordance with PADEP requirements,
the facility also has a PPC plan.
10. When was the plan last revised?
In 1997. In addition, the plan is under constant revision.
Waste Handling & Containment
1. Is any waste that is delivered to the facility for processing
contained in drums on-site? If yes, is the containment area
diked, in good condition, impervious and orderly?
No.
2. Is waste that is delivered to the facility
for processing contained in tanks on-site? If yes,
are tanks in good condition and what are their approximate age?
No.
3. What is the permeability of the diking and
containment structures utilized on-site?
The facility has concrete containment for its diesel
tank. The facility utilizes a low permeability
plastic material in its containment for its sulfuric
acid, caustic and sodium hypochlorite tanks.
4. How is runoff from containment or operations managed?
There are roofs over the facility's outdoor tanks and secondary
containment. When liquids are collected in secondary
containment, facility personnel pump the liquid out
after visually observing the color of the collected
stormwater and ensuring the tank in the containment
does not leak.
The facility implements stormwater best management practices.
The facility sweep its entrance road, the area around the
tipping floor entrance and exit and area around the ash
house entrance and exit.
5. Is the facility regulated under a NPDES permit?
Yes. The facility has been issued a general NPDES permit
for stormwater by PADEP. The permit requires the facility
to conduct an annual inspection to ensure that bet management
practices are implemented.
6. How is waste handled in order to prevent
releases, safety hazards or contact with incompatible
material, i.e., containment, segregation, etc.?
The facility is paved and waste is tipped and handled
indoors so that wastes managed at the facility do not
pose a threat to groundwater. With regard to stormwater
issues, the facility receives a high percentage of
municipal waste and does not handle many free liquid
type wastes which would tend to create a release.
When the facility handles residual waste, it reviews
MSDSs to ensure that it has the proper safety equipment
including fire equipment, spill containment equipment
and personal protective equipment. The facility also
look at the MSDSs to determine if a prospective waste
stream would be incompatible with any of the wastes that
the facility manages or anticipates receiving.
Services
1. What method of treatment, storage or disposal are
offered by the facility, i.e., storage method, treatment
and disposal methods on site?
Incineration including assured destruction.
2. What types of waste is the facility permitted to accept?
Non-hazardous waste including municipal, commercial and residual wastes.
3. Are there any limits to the quantity?
Yes. 5,250 tons/day of non-hazardous wastes.
4. How is each specific waste type handled or treated on site?
Incoming solid waste vehicles check in and are weighed at the
Facility's scalehouse. The facility directs incoming solid
waste vehicles to its tipping floor. At the tipping floor,
the lead operator directs vehicles to unload in specific areas
when the tipping floor staff is prepared to receive vehicles
on the tipping floor. Loaders are used to stockpile waste.
Stockpiled waste is loaded onto the incline conveyors for
the facility's 6 combustor/boiler units in manageable quantities.
Tipping floor personnel are in constant communication with the
control room operators to ensure that the proper amount of wastes
are being fed into the units. Control room operators are able
to view activity at the scalehouse, on the tipping floor, on
the incline conveyors, in the feed hoppers and inside the
combustor units themselves.
The facility's business department and tipping floor
staff receive training on residual waste. When the
business department has a potential residual waste
stream, the waste stream is profiled in a PADEP Form
U or Form S application. The facility's plant, Operations
Manager, Environmental Engineer and Safety Supervisor screen
a potential residual waste stream. If a residual waste stream
is acceptable from an environmental, operational and safety
perspective, the Business Department works out a schedule
with the Operations Department, which includes the Fuels
Handling Supervisor. When residual waste is delivered, the
scalehouse notifies the Lead Operator who arranges for the
load to be unloaded in a specific area. Depending on the
load, the residual waste may be stockpiled at the end of
the tipping floor and fed into the units in a manner that
allows the facility to properly mix the waste with other
wastes to ensure good combustion without any adverse air
pollution impacts.
5. Does the facility broker any waste off site? If yes, which waste and where?
No.
6. Is the facility backed by a parent company?
If yes, what is the name of that company?
This facility is owned and operated by American Ref-Fuel Company.
Investors in American Ref-Fuel are Duke Energy North America of Houston,
Texas; and United American Energy Corp. of Woodcliff Lake New Jersey.
Residuals Management
1. What residues are generated from on-site processes,
i.e., ash, empty drums, spent carbon, bio-sludge, filters,
etc.?
Ash residue and ferrous metals.
2. What methods are used for disposal of
residues generated at the Facility or site?
Ash is hauled to Rolling Hills Landfill, Modern Landfill
and Glocuester County Landfill. Ferrous is hauled to a
ferrous broker/recycler
