Bartram’s Garden shut down a portion of its paved trail in Southwest Philly nearly a year ago due to the presence of hazardous chemicals, and a cleanup plan has finally been proposed. The state’s Department of Environmental Protection is slated to make a decision on the proposal in the coming weeks, but not everyone is satisfied with its terms.
In April 2024, state and city agencies were notified of greenish runoff coming from a property at 1646 South 51st St., which is adjacent to the Bartram’s Mile Trail. The soil in the area was tested and hexavalent chromium, a carcinogen, was found.
For over 100 years, the site has housed various industrial companies — from lumber storage to cardboard container manufacturing to a fuel oil terminal. In December 2021, real estate company Alliance 51st Street LLC purchased the property, which at the time was covered in a random fill mixture that was used to raise the land — a likely source of the chromium…