Company Responsible For 'Milky White' Toxic Spill In Chester Co. ID'd

WEST GOSHEN, PA — The toxic industrial spill into West Chester's Goose Creek has been traced to Atmos Technologies, an environmental services firm that helps control odors and dusts coming off landfills, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection confirmed Tuesday.

The spill, which was first detected on Saturday, Feb. 28 at around 12:45 p.m., occurred when chlorinated water from a tank at Atmos was released to a containment area.

In the containment area, it mixed with a manufactured product called Long Duration Foam AC-645, and then leaked out of an outfall pipe, environmental officials said.

From the pipe near 216 Garfield Avenue, the substance flowed directly into nearby Goose Creek, killing fish and turning stretches of water in to a "milky white" substance.

It remains unclear what caused the leak. Investigators are still working to determine exactly how much of the substance was released.

DEP crews worked with West Chester officials to plug the leak within hours of its discovery Saturday afternoon, DEP said Tuesday.

"No further fish kill has been reported downstream," a spokesperson for DEP told Patch.

Some foam accumulation remained on debris on Monday.

Long Duration Foam AC-645 is used to provide a thick, viscous barrier to suppress odors and dust from landfills and other "volatile organic compounds," according to a product data sheet published in 2016 by the EPA. While biodegradable on land, it is environmentally damaging when released directly into waterways or sewers.

Officials urged residents and pets to continue to stay out of the water as the investigation continues.

DEP is overseeing the cleanup, which Atmos is conducting.