PSC Resources is a 3-acre former waste oil refinery and solvent recovery plant in Palmer, Massachusetts, listed on the National Priorities List (NPL) since September 1983. In the 1970s, the facility processed drained oils and solvents collected from across Massachusetts, then sold the results as lubricating oil, road spray, and fuel mixes. When the owner abandoned the plant in 1978, millions of gallons of waste remained in tanks and lagoons. Leaking tanks, damaged containment dikes, and saturated soils spread contamination into surface waters, wetlands, groundwater, and soils.
EPA has identified 24 hazardous substances at the site. They include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, benzene, toluene, xylene, and vinyl chloride. Heavy metals including arsenic, lead, and zinc are also present. Other contaminants include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), phthalate compounds, and several chlorinated solvents. These substances have been found in groundwater, soil, sediment, sludge, liquid waste, and building structures across the site.
Cleanup began in the early 1980s. Over one million gallons of hazardous waste were removed from tanks between 1979 and 1984. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection removed and cleaned the tanks in 1986. EPA fenced the site in 1986 and reinforced that fence in 1991. Demolition and decontamination of structures finished by late 1995. The long-term remedy, selected in a 1992 Record of Decision and adjusted by a 1996 Explanation of Significant Differences, involved stabilizing and capping contaminated soils, demolishing structures, and restoring wetlands. Construction was completed on August 28, 1998, and ongoing operations and maintenance began in 1999 and are estimated to continue through May 2028.
Current monitoring shows most contaminants are now below cleanup standards. Groundwater is monitored every five years, sediment monitoring has been suspended after performance standards were met, and all 10 restored wetland areas have met their required performance criteria. Human exposure is currently under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways and no unacceptable discharge of contaminated groundwater to surface water. Zoning restrictions and other institutional controls remain in place to prevent uses such as residential development that would be incompatible with the remedy. The site has not yet been deleted from the NPL. The sixth five-year review was completed in July 2025.
Community members with questions can contact the EPA staff assigned to the site. Public records related to site cleanup are available at EPA Region 1's Records and Information Center in Boston and at the Palmer Public Library in Palmer, Massachusetts.
