Harbison-Walker Refractories Company, 600 Bigler Road, Clearfield, Pennsylvania
Table of Contents || Return to Map || Return to State Listing

EPA
Region		 Location of facility Type of facility Amount
of ore
received
(in tons)		 Did
EPA
visit
the
site?		 Were
samples
taken?		 Results of
evaluation
3 600 Bigler Road, Clearfield, Pennsylvania Former exfoliation facility/Refractory Unknown Yes-November 1, 2000 No Although an EPA database compiled from W.R. Grace shipping invoices contained no records indicating Libby ore was shipped to this site, an October 1953 information circular published by the Bureau of Mines (in the U.S. Department of Interior) indicated that this facility was a vermiculite exfoliation plant. At the time of EPA's visit, the property was being redeveloped and buildings that remained on the site were being demolished. This facility had been a refractory, which typically manufactures heat-resistant materials or “bricks” used in structures that are subject to high temperatures. A representative of Harbison-Walker said vermiculite ore was not used as a raw material in its manufacturing process at this site but expanded vermiculite, typically packaged in bags, may have been used as an "insulator" to keep the product hot during the manufacturing process. EPA did not observe any vermiculite ore in the facility's raw material storage area or anywhere on the site. No vermiculite waste rock was observed on the site. However, asbestos pipe insulation was visible in several of the vacant buildings being demolished. Absent any visible evidence of vermiculite, EPA decided any asbestos detected in samples would likely be attributable to the asbestos pipe insulation, so it decided not to sample. On the basis of this information, EPA decided no further action was necessary.

GAO-09-6R