New 'Forever Chemicals' Found In Community Near Montco Landfill: What To Know

DOUGLASS TOWNSHIP, PA — An abundance of cancerous PFAS or "forever chemicals" have been found at unsafe levels the community surrounding a landfill in Montgomery County, sparking renewed concern over the toxic substances that have been linked to numerous health problems.

The revelation came last week during an update from the the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Here's what to know about the discovery.

The Landfill

Boyertown Sanitary Landfill, which covers some 30 acres in the vicinity of 45 Diehl Drive in Douglass Township, has not been active since 1987. But it's been steadily leaking toxic substances for years, and smaller amounts of PFAS, per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, had been found back in 2019.

The latest update from the state's testing and monitoring systems shows a significantly increased presence of the "forever chemicals" in the soil, ground, and surface water surrounding the site, including Minister Creek. The water has leeched into dozens of private wells to the north, south, and east of the landfill, including local homes and community structures, at levels far exceeding the federal standard of 4 parts per trillion.

In addition to PFAS, the state has also discovered numerous other contaminants at the site, including trichloroethene, chlorinated solvents, pesticides, metals, and 1,4 dioxane.

What is being done?

For the short term, officials have set up a "point of entry" treatment system at impacted homes and facilities, which treats all water through carbon and sediment filters. The state is also continuing testing at private wells.

It's currently being evaluated by the EPA for inclusion as a Superfund site, which could marshal federal resources to further assist in remediation and cleanup.

"Due to the health effects (PFAS) can have on people, EPA is taking steps to assess their presence in the community near Boyertown Landfill," the agency said in February.

How did this happen?

PFAS were first discovered at the Boyertown site during sampling in 2019, and then again in follow up testing in 2019 and 2023. Tighter state and federal standards have been passed in years since as policymakers have a growing understanding of the dangers posed, leading to increased remediation efforts from the state in the area. The newest testing results announced last week show significant increases in the levels of contamination.

The landfill, which opened in the 1960s, ceased operations in 1987 after decades of accruing municipal waste, construction and demolition debris, municipal sewage sludge, treatment plant solids, and other industrial wastes.

It's under the responsibility of Boyertown Sanitary Disposal Company, which has been cited by the state on numerous occasions for not completing mandatory maintenance of the landfill.

What to know about PFAS

PFAS are not new. They've been around since the 1940s to make products resistant to water and heat such as cookware, carpets, furniture fabrics, and more. They're perhaps most well known among health and environmental activists for their inclusion in firefighting foams, which has leaked into groundwater in many areas, including at Naval Air Station Willow Grove in Montgomery County.

Advocates and organizers have been pointing to the consequences of PFAS for some time, particularly where they believe clusters of illness have emerged, like at Willow Grove. U.S. manufacturers have phased out PFAS and PFOS, once an attractive choice for packaging and other products. A few uses remain, but due to a lack of regulation at their introduction, they're now ubiquitous in the environment.