Laurel Park, Inc.

Overview

Laurel Park, Inc. is a 20-acre former landfill in Naugatuck Borough, Connecticut, that has operated since the late 1940s. The EPA added it to the Superfund National Priorities List in September 1983 after years of problems including chemical spills, burning waste, and leachate flowing into nearby surface water. Several industries disposed of solvents, oils, chemical sludge, and other hazardous materials at the site, contaminating soil, groundwater, and leachate.

The EPA identified 16 contaminants of concern at the site. These include metals such as arsenic, chromium, lead, and nickel, along with organic chemicals including benzene, tetrachloroethene, toluene, and chloroform. All of these substances were detected in groundwater, soil, and leachate. Drinking or accidentally ingesting contaminated groundwater, surface water, soils, or leachate could pose health threats, though current controls have eliminated unacceptable exposure pathways.

Cleanup was divided into two operable units. The first covered a sewer line, with a Record of Decision issued June 30, 1988. Work there was complete by September 1990. The second unit addressed the rest of the site and has been under long-term response action oversight since September 2006. The full remedy included a synthetic cap over waste areas, a leachate collection system, groundwater extraction wells, a dedicated sewer line to carry leachate to a treatment facility, and a new water supply line to affected homes. The leachate collection system was upgraded in 1998 and continues to operate. Construction across the entire site was completed in September 1998. The potentially responsible parties now maintain the remedy under EPA and state supervision.

As of May 2024, the site has achieved sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status, meaning all cleanup goals for current and expected future land uses have been met with no unacceptable risks. Human exposure and groundwater migration are both under control. Institutional controls remain in place to restrict uses such as residential development, and those restrictions will continue as long as contamination or cleanup components remain on the property. The most recent five-year review was completed in August 2023, with the next scheduled between August and October 2028.

Community members can view site records at the Howard Wittemore Library in Naugatuck or at the EPA Region 1 records center in Boston. For direct questions, the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator and Remedial Project Manager are available by phone and email.