Western Sand & Gravel

Overview

Western Sand and Gravel is a 25-acre Superfund site on the boundary of Burrillville and North Smithfield, Rhode Island. A sand and gravel quarry ran there from 1953 to 1975. From 1975 to 1979, operators dumped liquid chemical and septic waste into 12 open, unlined lagoons and pits on a hillside that slopes toward Tarkiln Brook, which drains into the Slaterville Reservoir. The state shut down the operation after residents complained of odors. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in September 1983.

More than 100 chemical substances have been identified across groundwater, surface water, soil, sediment, leachate, and liquid waste at the site. These include volatile organic compounds such as trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, benzene, and vinyl chloride, along with metals including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead. Phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and phenols were also found. Starting in 2018, emerging contaminants including 1,4-Dioxane and PFAS were detected in groundwater, and some downgradient wells exceed EPA's maximum contaminant limit for PFOA.

Cleanup has moved through several phases across three operable units covering water supply, capping, and offsite groundwater. The state pumped out lagoons and removed about 60,000 gallons of waste in the early 1980s. An engineered cap was placed over 2 acres of contaminated soil and sludge in 1988. Fifty-six affected parcels received a permanent alternate water supply, cutting off the main exposure pathway. Groundwater remediation continues through monitored natural attenuation, with cleanup targets expected to be reached by 2028. Physical construction across the entire site was completed in December 1992. A private business purchased about 19 acres of the site in 2001 and built a truck-body assembly facility there, employing 14 people as of December 2024. Institutional controls restrict residential use and prohibit private well installation to protect the remedy.

EPA completed its seventh five-year review in September 2023, confirming the remedy remains protective of human health and the environment. All four key cleanup milestones have been reached: human exposure is under control, groundwater migration is stabilized, physical construction is complete, and the site is ready for its anticipated use. In March 2025, EPA released a fact sheet addressing community questions about whether nearby properties could affect how well the cleanup works.

Residents can stay informed by contacting EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. Site records are available at Burrillville Town Hall at 105 Harrisville Main Street or at the EPA Region 1 office at 5 Post Office Square in Boston, Massachusetts.