The state is proposing a cleanup of contaminated soil and groundwater at the Berkley Products Co. plant on the edge of Akron, five years after a federal Superfund cleanup was completed at a waste site owned by the same company in West Cocalico Township.

The state Department of Environmental Protection says that in 2006 it had to intercept dangerous vapors coming from the Akron site that passed under 11 nearby homes.

The agency also says contamination reached a tributary to the Conestoga River.

At a public meeting and hearing at 7 p.m. on Jan. 25 at Akron Elementary School, 125 S. 11th St., Akron, DEP will outline its plan to clean up the site at a cost of about $2 million.

Berkley Products, founded in 1947, is located along Route 272 in West Earl Township and is surrounded on three sides by Akron Borough. Its address is 405 S. Seventh St.

The company manufactures industrial coatings and finishes.

Its website says, "Here at Berkley Products we are conscious of the environment. We want to be part of the solution, not the problem. By manufacturing, shipping and storing our products in ways which are compliant with the highest DEP and EPA standards, we ensure a safe and clean environment for generations to come."

DEP said that from 1980 to 1990 Berkley was authorized to be a hazardous waste treatment and storage facility.

During that time, Berkley blended waste for cement kiln fuel and consolidated waste for shipment to various disposal facilities, according to DEP.

During most of Berkley's existence, solvents were used as drying agents in the coatings and for cleaning the manufacturing equipment, the agency said.

From 2003 to 2005, DEP and the federal Environmental Protection Agency conducted tests of groundwater, surface water, soil gas and indoor air at and near the plant.

The investigations determined that groundwater was passing beneath adjacent residences and discharging above ground.

DEP said it detected 29 volatile organic compounds in the groundwater at high levels. Among the contaminants were solvents commonly used in paint manufacturing and metal degreasing.

All, it was determined, came from the Berkley Products site, DEP said in a news release.

In 2006, DEP said it installed systems in 11 residences that successfully intercepted vapors that were entering the homes via contaminated groundwater.

Nine of the homes are located on the east side of South Ninth Street and two homes are on the west side of South Ninth Street, one on the north side of the plant and one on the south side.

The underground contamination is located largely under the plant property, but also extends southeastward toward the affected residential properties on South Ninth Street, DEP said.

The agency said after the 2006 vapor action, it then conducted further tests to contaminated soil and groundwater to determine if additional steps were necessary "to protect human health and the environment."

More measures were necessary, DEP concluded.

The agency now proposes to remove about 160 cubic yards of contaminated soil from the Berkley site and to treat contaminated groundwater.

"The Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act authorizes DEP to take action and create a plan to address issues at this site and return it to a sound environmental state," said Rachel Diamond, director of DEP's southcentral regional office.

The cleanup plans will be outlined at the public meeting and hearing.

DEP spokeswoman Lisa Kasianowitz said that it was determined in 2005 that Berkley Products would not be able to pay for the cleanup.

Instead, she said, letters have been sent to approximately 2,000 "potentially responsible parties" who took waste to Berkley. They could be responsible under state law for the cost of investigations and the cleanup. Negotiations are continuing, she said.

Kasianowitz said contact with Berkley has been minimal but the company has been cooperative throughout the investigation.

Messages left by a reporter to three officials at the Berkley plant on Wednesday were not returned.

Akron Mayor John McBeth was surprised Wednesday to learn of the cleanup when contacted by a reporter.

"I don't know where the communication has been on this because it is a concern," he said.

Patrick Barrett, West Earl Township manager, said DEP had alerted the township of its efforts periodically through the years.

This is not the first time Berkley has been involved in an environmental cleanup. From 1996 through 2006, a West Cocalico Township dump site once owned by Berkley was part of a federal Superfund cleanup.

The site was a ravine that originally served as a community dump dating to 1930. In 1965, a subsidiary of Berkley, the Lipton Paint & Varnish Co., purchased the site. An estimated 40,000 gallons of waste paint, solvents and pigment sludge were either buried or burned there, EPA said.

acrable@lnpnews.com