The Pennsboro Glass Site includes the facility buildings and grounds of the former Pennsboro Glass Company. The majority of the Site is occupied by a moderately sized glass manufacturing facility (approximately 2/3 of Site property). The majority of the original facility is still intact, though the buildings are in disrepair. The largest building is the main factory building, which houses several kilns/ovens, treatment and finished product storage areas. Also on the property are two adjacent warehouse buildings, located to the north of the main building. There is an unnamed tributary that runs beneath the facility, fed by waters from the hillside to the north. On the east side of the former facility is the current Champion Marble Company manufacturing building. The south side of the Site is a large gully area that was formerly the location of the Premier Glass Company, the last portions of which reportedly burnt down in the mid-1990s.
The Pennsboro Glass Company abandoned the facility in 1998. The site was purchased and used for storage (marble company storage) and asset liquidation, but was not maintained in regards to hazardous constituent safety and security. In 2005 the WVDEP requested assistance from the EPA in cleaning up and addressing the hazardous chemicals and constituents remaining at the Site. EPA unsuccessfully attempted to gain access to the site from the current property owner. Therefore, an access warrant for sampling was sought after and granted to EPA in 2007 to perform sampling at the site. EPA and its contractor (START) conducted a sampling event at the site in November of 2007. Several hazardous constituents (arsenic, cadmium, lead, selenium) were identified in validated laboratory data from samples collected inside the building during the event. Based on the data results the OSC again petitioned the court for a subsequent access warrant in order to activate a cleanup. This warrant was awarded in late July of 2008.
Currently a removal action continues at the site. Initial response to the site involved securing the site perimeter and entry points. Silt fencing was installed downstream of any potential site influence as a precaution. At this time ERRS contractors are working to containerize waste and chemical materials for waste disposal. The majority of the hazardous constituents are located in the storage building towards the north end of the Site.
