The Peterson/Puritan, Inc. site covers about 500 acres along the Blackstone River in Cumberland and Lincoln, Rhode Island. Past industrial operations included aerosol packaging, chemical manufacturing, and waste disposal. A 1974 railroad tank car accident released roughly 6,000 to 6,200 gallons of chemical solvent on site. Rhode Island health officials found chlorinated solvents in drinking water wells in 1979. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in September 1983. A partial deletion from that list occurred in May 2005, but the site has not been fully deleted.
EPA has identified more than 130 contaminants of concern in soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment. These include chlorinated volatile organic compounds such as trichloroethene, tetrachloroethylene, benzene, and vinyl chloride. Heavy metals found on site include arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel, and mercury. Pesticides such as DDT, chlordane, aldrin, and dieldrin are also present, along with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, phthalates, petroleum hydrocarbons, and dioxins. Human exposure is currently under control, and contaminated groundwater is stabilized in its original area with no unacceptable discharge to surface water.
The site is divided into two operable units. Operable Unit 1, the Primary Source Area, began remedial action in July 1995 and completed initial cleanup by March 1998. Work there included excavation of contaminated leach fields, capping of the tank farm, and installation of groundwater extraction wells. Responsible parties continue to pump and treat contaminated groundwater and monitor it annually. Operable Unit 2 covers the J. M. Mills Landfill, the Nunes Transfer Station, and an unnamed island in the Blackstone River. A Record of Decision was finalized in September 2015. Remedial design was completed in September 2023, and remedial action is estimated to begin between September and November 2026, with completion estimated between December 2027 and February 2028. The cleanup approach includes capping, consolidation of waste, landfill gas collection, dredging, and wetlands restoration. The most recent five-year review was completed in September 2022.
Despite ongoing cleanup, the site supports active reuse. As of December 2024, 33 businesses on site employ 815 people and generate about $64.9 million in annual sales. A solar installation on warehouse buildings produces roughly 650,000 kilowatts of electricity per year. Completed community projects include a condominium complex, a dog pound, a riverside park, and a bike path along the Blackstone River. Institutional controls, including zoning restrictions that block residential development, remain in place.
Community members can stay involved in several ways. EPA is developing a Community Involvement Plan and is conducting community interviews. The Blackstone River Watershed Council and Friends of the Blackstone received a Technical Assistance Grant, and an independent technical advisor helps residents understand EPA documents. EPA released an updated factsheet on April 7, 2025. Public records are available at the Cumberland Public Library, the Lincoln Public Library, and the EPA Region 1 office in Boston.
