Metro Container Corp.

State TrusteeState of Pennsylvania
Federal TrusteeDepartment of Commerce
AO Bureau

Also Known As

None

Incident Type

Chemical

State

Pennsylvania

Case Status

Assessment

Location

Trainer, Delaware County

Authority

Contaminants of Concern Include

Affected DOI Resources Include

Anadromous Fish, Migratory Birds, Threatened and Endangered Species

Case Description

The Metro Container Site is located in an industrialized area about 20 miles southwest of Philadelphia in Trainer, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The main portion of the Site is comprised of a two adjacent properties totaling 10.4 acres (the "Metro Property"). Surrounding the Metro Property are a petroleum refinery, auto salvage operation, metal scrap operation, and rail yard. The Metro Property is located adjacent to Stoney Creek, a small stream historically known as Middle Run or Stony Run. Stoney Creek is a tidally influenced tributary of the Delaware River, which is located approximately 1,000 feet south of the Metro Property. Various companies have occupied the site since the late 19th century. Industrial activities including machine oil and paraffin wax refining, carbon disulfide manufacturing, and steel drum reconditioning occurred on the Metro Property. Industrial activities at the site have resulted in pollution of the soil and groundwater with contaminants including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), inorganic elements, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Buried containment structures and piping systems used by past owner/operators contain sludges and non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL), which in many areas remain connected to Stoney Creek allowing contaminants to transport from the property into the mudflat area. Remedial Investigation is ongoing for the Metro Property, Stoney Creek, and the mudflat at the creek's confluence with the Delaware River. The Trustees approved the MOA in November 2022 establishing the Trustee Council. The Trustees completed the PAS in November 2022. The PRP group received the NOI, Invitation & Final PAS in September 2022. During 2025 the Draft Assessment Plan was made available to the public and the plan was finalized in April of 2026.

Metro Container Corporation Superfund Site, Credit: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Metro Container mudflat area along the Delaware River, Credit: USFWS


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Map View

Case Contact

Pennsylvania Ecological Services Field Office

State College, PA | (814) 234-4090 | http://www.fws.gov/northeast/pafo/

Case Trustees

AO Bureau
Federal TrusteeDepartment of Commerce
State TrusteeState of Pennsylvania

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