Residents voiced concerns regarding the SPS Technologies fire’s lasting environmental impact during a community forum held at the Jenkintown Library on Monday, March 10, NBC10 reported.
According to their coverage, the meeting was attended by elected officials and representatives from several agencies but SPS Technologies representatives were not present.
Brian Moore, Director of Emergency Response for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, reportedly said during the meeting “that there has not been any reports of hazardous chemicals outside the factory since the fire”, adding that “water testing is ongoing in area streams, but no harmful chemicals have been found there either.”
Residents want SPS to pay for neighborhood-wide soil testing, FOX29 reported.
“You say the soil is fine. The debris that is still littered around our neighborhood, is it or is it not OK” said one resident.
“How are they managing the debris pick up that’s now blowing back on my yard and blowing around town when our kids run around and play and pick stuff up?” asked another resident.
Zach Burd, a corporate lawyer who lives on the 300 block of Runnymede Avenue (and who was outspoken regarding SEPTA’s clearcutting in 2022), said his yard was hit with ash and debris during the SPS fire.
“I guess I worry about what I breathed during that time,” he told NBC10.
In related news, SPS announced it has changed its environmental clean-up company to a company called TRC Environmental Corporation.
“Immediately after the fire broke out, SPS employed emergency contractors to engage in environmental sampling and monitoring in and around the SPS facility,” SPS wrote. “Now that emergency response activities are concluding, SPS is transitioning air monitoring from Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health (CTEH) to TRC Environmental Corporation (TRC).”
From their update on March 7:
NBC10’s video coverage is below:
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Screengrab: NBC10