From 1956 to 1980, a waste chemical reclamation facility operated on a 6-acre property in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Workers handled solvents, waste oils, acids, alkalies, and polychlorinated biphenyls, known as PCBs. Four unlined lagoons were used to dispose of hazardous materials. That activity contaminated soil, sediment, and groundwater. The site was added to the federal National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983, making it eligible for Superfund cleanup funding and oversight.
Contaminants at the site include volatile organic compounds such as trichloroethene, benzene, toluene, and xylene. Chlorinated compounds including 1,1,1-trichloroethane and carbon tetrachloride are present, along with PCBs. Metals such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and manganese have been detected. Contamination appears in groundwater, soil, sediment, and sludge. Fish from Copicut River and Cornell Pond contain elevated PCB levels, and people who eat those fish may be at risk.
Cleanup was organized into three operable units. The lagoon source control work ran from December 1983 through September 1987. Site-wide source control followed from May 1993 through April 1996. Migration management began in July 1996 and continued through June 1999, with long-term response actions continuing after that. In total, more than 52,000 cubic yards of contaminated soils and sediments were removed or treated. The site is covered with an 18-inch crushed stone cap, and a groundwater extraction and treatment system is operating. Workers also cleaned up and restored 1 acre of wetlands and converted 4 acres into a native meadow habitat. A solar array now powers site operations, reducing energy use and chemical waste.
EPA's seventh five-year review, completed in September 2023, confirmed that cleanup remains protective of human health and the environment. Human exposure is currently under control, and groundwater migration is stabilized. PCB levels in fish tissue at Cornell Pond have dropped significantly over time. Physical construction is complete across the entire site, and it has achieved ready-for-anticipated-reuse status. Institutional controls restrict soil disturbance, groundwater extraction, and incompatible land uses such as residential development. Groundwater monitoring and treatment continue, and the next five-year review is estimated between September and November 2028.
Community members can get involved by attending an open house at the groundwater treatment facility planned for October 2026, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm (exact date to be determined). Site records are available at the Southworth Public Library in Dartmouth or at the EPA Region 1 records center in Boston. For questions, contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.
