
The Lackawanna Citizens’ Overwatch Project (LCOP) is a community-based transparency and public accountability initiative serving Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.
LCOP was formed in response to community concerns regarding historical industrial operations, environmental oversight, and public health patterns in the region.
Our work focuses on obtaining and reviewing public records through lawful channels, including Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) and federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
We are committed to evidence-based inquiry, responsible communication, and peaceful advocacy. All information shared by LCOP is based on documented records, agency reports, or verifiable sources.
LCOP does not provide medical or legal advice and does not assert liability absent official findings. We seek clarity through documentation and dialogue.
Promote transparency. Encourage accountability. Ensure public access to documented information.
We are dedicated to enhancing community awareness and public health dialogue through evidence-based research and lawful advocacy.
Through education, documentation review, and civic engagement, we aim to empower residents to ask informed questions and pursue clarity regarding environmental and regulatory concerns.
Specialty Records/ WEA Manufacturing/ Cinram/ Technicolor
210 N Valley Ave, Olyphant, PA 18447 (1946 - 1979)
1400 E Lackawanna Ave, Olyphant, PA 18447 (1979 - 2018)
Our Current Primary Initiative:
LCOP is reviewing and documenting reported cancer cases among former employees of the Olyphant PA facility.
Our goal is to gather verifiable information, review public records, and seek clarification from appropriate agencies regarding environmental conditions and regulatory oversight.
How You Can Help:
If you have any information that could assist our investigation, please come forward, especially if you know anything about:
Your experience, knowledge, and information could be vital to uncovering the truth.
Click Here to Share Your Experience & Information
Reported Findings (Preliminary Documentation):
Based on information collected from families, public records, and available documentation:
These figures reflect documented reports collected to date and continue to be reviewed as additional records become available.
Ultimate End Goal:
We want this officially recognized by the Commonwealth and declared a disaster so that people can get medical or burial assistance from the government in some measure.
We also want a memorial statue placed near the site, so that nobody forgets what happened there.
MUST READ - This lists all AIR and CHEMICAL pollutants used, OSHA and DEP violations, plus so much more!
This is the PowerPoint presented at the Town Hall meeting in March 2025.
This timeline, highlighting only a fraction of known incidents, strongly suggests a pattern of systemic neglect toward chemical safety and employee health protections.
This also outlines only a sample of the harmful chemicals mishandled at the WEA facility, along with some of their known health effects on those exposed.
If there’s a park in your neighborhood or community that you think could use some extra care and attention, send us an email and let us know. Whether it’s litter clean-up, planting flowers, or general maintenance, we’re always looking for new places to make a difference. Tell us the name of the park and why you think it should be our next project.
We’re here to help bring positive change, one park at a time!
At the heart of our community efforts is a simple belief, that no one in our area should go without the basics they need.
We donated several cases of food multiple times throughout the month of November 2025, which were distributed to various local organizations and families in need. Our contributions were recognized by the Dunmore Borough, along with a heartfelt thank you from the council president, which means so much to us!
We share these photos not for recognition, but to inspire others to join in helping our neighbors. Even small acts of generosity can make a big difference when we work together.
We are a small, two-person nonprofit organization, funding our efforts out of our own pockets. Whether it's investigating corruption or organizing community clean-ups, your support is vital in helping us reach our goals and carry out our mission.
Our organization has been issued an Employer Identification Number (EIN) by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and is recognized as a tax-exempt entity. As a result, your generous donation is tax-deductible.
Please reach us at LCOPActionNetwork@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer
The Lackawanna Citizens Overwatch Project is responsible for ensuring public safety and enforcing local laws.
To report a crime, please call 911. If it is a non-emergency, call (570) 866-0900.
You did not have to directly handle chemicals to be affected. The toxins were in the air all around us. They buried drums of cancer-causing waste in our backyard! Many people nearby may have been exposed through environmental contamination.
A large number of toxic chemical drums were unearthed at the Fern Hill Warehouse location (which is across the street from the facility). This was owned by WEA as a chemical storage warehouse. However, the public was never notified, and evidence suggests that state and federal authorities were never fully notified of the scope of contamination (meaning the EPA was never informed).
It doesn't matter if: You only worked there for a year - or if you didn’t work with the chemicals directly - or if you smoke and assume that’s why you’re sick. Let a lawyer decide if you qualify. Just reach out. If you haven’t already, please contact Joe Toz at WEAClaims.com.
There is growing evidence that workers at the plant were exposed to hazardous chemicals now known to be linked to cancer. Many of these chemicals, including TCE, benzene, and nickel compounds, are classified as carcinogenic by agencies like the CDC, EPA, and World Health Organization.
These are consistent with known outcomes from exposure to substances like trichloroethylene (TCE), benzene, nickel compounds, and methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK).
A cancer cluster occurs when a larger-than-expected number of people in a specific area or group develop the same or similar types of cancer. We believe the number of former employees diagnosed with cancer far exceeds what is considered "normal", and that their exposure to industrial hazardous chemicals is the cause.
While the government has not yet formally declared a cancer cluster, over 200 former employees have been diagnosed with cancer, and more than 100 additional deaths are under investigation. Workers have reported being instructed to dispose of chemicals improperly and were often denied basic protective gear.
We are currently working with toxicologists, lawyers, and public health officials to gather medical records, exposure histories, and site documentation. Our goal is to force a full federal investigation and achieve recognition of the harm caused.
We love our community, so feel free to call, text, or email us.
Lackawanna County, PA
