Public meeting tonight on decades-old Boyertown Landfill contamination

DOUGLASS TWP., Pa. — Families in Douglass Township are hoping for answers tonight as state and federal officials meet with the public about contamination linked to the old Boyertown Landfill, a site that closed nearly 40 years ago but is still causing problems today.

People living nearby have been testing their private wells, and many say they’re finding PFAS and other “forever chemicals” in their water.

Township Board Chair Joshua Stouch says the landfill has been the focus of multiple investigations over the years because of contaminants found both on the property and in the surrounding area.

A major issue, he says, is the landfill’s leachate system, the mechanism designed to keep chemicals from spreading into groundwater. Stouch says it hasn’t been properly maintained for years. Because the landfill sits on private property, the township has no authority to fix or enforce maintenance.

In the meantime, DEP and the EPA have been installing filters, delivering bottled water, and testing impacted homes. EPA crews are also conducting a full site inspection to determine the extent of the contamination and whether the area qualifies for federal Superfund assistance.

Stouch estimates three to four dozen parcels are currently affected, likely under 100 to 150 residents, but says that number could grow as the chemical plume shifts underground.

State Senator Tracy Pennycuick released a statement to 69 News ahead of the meeting, saying the public briefing is “long overdue” and must be followed by action.

“We must make sure all the homes near and around the landfill are checked for contaminants and that the drinking water is safe for residents,” she wrote.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Gilbertsville Fire and Rescue Company.