Chain Bike Corp
Allentown, Pennsylvania
The Road to Reuse
~~~
Constructed in 1969, this 41-acre
site in Allentown, Pennsylvania
was occupied by Ross Bicycles,
Inc. (formerly named Chain Bike
Corporation), a manufacturer of
bicycles and metal ammunition
boxes from 1970 until approximately
1988. The manufacturing processes
during this period included metal
electroplating, electrostatic spray
painting, metal stamping, finishing,
assembly and warehousing. The
facility included various aboveground
and underground storage tanks, an
on-site wastewater treatment plant
that processed the wastes generated
from electroplating baths, drum
storage pads and a drum storage
building for hazardous and non-
hazardous materials.
The facility was inactive after
1988, but was purchased by
Conewago Equities, LP for use as
a warehouse in 1998. In 1992, the
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) initiated immediate
cleanup operations under the
Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act (CERCLA) on the 41 -
acre site. This cleanup focused on
eliminating any immediate threat to
Approximate total acres
and current use
Approximate Acres in Reuse: 41
Current Use: Manufacturing,
offices, shipping
human health and the environment,
and consisted mostly of removing
hazardous wastes from the main
process building and the drum
storage building at the site.
Since 1992, there have been several
site assessments performed to
investigate soils and hydrogeologic
conditions at the facility. As a result
of these investigations, several
removal actions have taken place.
Soils contaminated with heavy
metals above acceptable levels were
excavated from several areas at
the facility and transported off-
site for disposal. After submitting
the November 2002 Final Report
for soils, the facility achieved the
non-residential Statewide Health
Standard for soils under PADEP's
Land Recycling and Environmental
Remediation Standards Act (Act
2). This report was approved by
both PADEP and EPA by January
2003, meaning that soils at the
facility require no further action.
The comprehensive groundwater
investigation under Act 2 continues
at the site and 2008 sampling results
are being analyzed and considered
for possible remediation steps.
While groundwater monitoring will
continue for some time, both human
health and the environment are
under no threat from contamination
and the 41 acre property has been
returned to productive use. First
Industrial Realty Trust bought the
site from Conewago in 2007. The
facility presently hosts seven tenants:
a beverage company, tire company
(shipping newly manufactured
tires, with six employees),
fragrance manufacturer (producing
scented lotions and soaps with
23 employees), two packaging
companies, sprinkler couplings
manufacturer (employing 60 people
to assemble sprinkler pipe fittings),
and uniform sales company. The
redevelopment of the former Chain
Bike property has resulted in more
than 100 new jobs for the Lehigh
Valley.
For More Information
EPA Region 3 Contact: Griff Miller,
(215) 814-3407, miller.griff@epa.gov
I] www.epa.nov/rea3wcmd/correctiveaction.htm

-------