New PFAS Contamination Discovered Near Montgomery Co. Landfill

DOUGLASS TOWNSHIP, PA — Cancerous per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known at PFAS, have been found at a level exceeding the federal safety standard in the soil and the drinking water in the area around a contaminated landfill in Montgomery County, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection confirmed.

The discovery was announced by state officials at a recent meeting updating the public on the Boyertown Sanitary Landfill, which covers some 30 acres in the vicinity of 45 Diehl Drive in Douglass Township.

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.

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 continuing testing at private wells, and 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.

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.

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.

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.

If you are a local resident and are concerned about your water or your heat, contact the Montgomery County Office of Public Health at 610-278-5117.