The former Microfab, Inc. facility at 106 Haverhill Road in Amesbury, Massachusetts operated as a metal parts and printed circuit board manufacturer from 1950 to 1987. Electroplating and metal finishing left behind contamination that now sits in a mixed commercial, industrial, and residential area bordered by undeveloped woods and wetlands. EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List in August 2017, and cleanup planning is now underway.
Contaminants found in soil, groundwater, sediment, and surface water include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride. Metal contaminants include arsenic, chromium, hexavalent chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, and silver, along with polyaromatic hydrocarbons and cyanide. A plume of VOC-contaminated groundwater extends from the former factory southward and southwest into wooded and wetland areas. Contamination entered the environment through untreated wastewater discharged to a nearby stream and wetlands, soil spills and improper waste disposal, and underground disposal through dry wells and leach fields.
Between 1988 and 2012, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection ran a groundwater extraction and treatment system that removed metals and used air stripping and activated carbon treatment. That system was shut down after the groundwater plume shifted. From April through July 2019, EPA conducted a removal action to clear residual hazardous chemicals, including liquid acids and lead plating solids, from tanks and vats inside the former factory buildings. Those two buildings remain in poor condition and are fenced off with warning signs.
EPA began field investigations in January 2019. A combined remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS) started in July 2018 and is estimated to finish between March and May 2027. Human health and ecological risk assessments are being finalized, and a remedial investigation report is being drafted. The status of human exposure control and groundwater migration are both listed as having insufficient data, meaning uncertainty about exposure pathways and plume stability prevents firm conclusions at this stage. A Record of Decision selecting a final cleanup remedy is expected around the same timeframe as the RI/FS completion, with remedial design estimated to begin between October and December 2027.
Community members can follow the process through EPA's Community Involvement Plan, which is being finalized and reflects concerns raised during community interviews. Once the RI/FS is complete, EPA will release a Proposed Plan for public review and comment before issuing a final Record of Decision. People with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. Site records are also available at the EPA Region 1 Records and Information Center at 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100, Boston, MA, reachable at 617-918-1440.
