Landfill & Resource Recovery, Inc. (L&RR)

Overview

The Landfill and Resource Recovery, Inc. site is a 28-acre former disposal facility in North Smithfield, Rhode Island. It accepted roughly one million gallons of hazardous waste between 1974 and 1985, contaminating air, groundwater, and surface water. EPA added it to the National Priorities List in September 1983. The site is managed in two separate cleanup areas, called operable units, to address different contamination problems.

The first area, the source area, was capped in 1995 with a synthetic cover, slope stabilization, fencing, and an enclosed flare system to destroy landfill gases. That flare was restarted in 2009 and runs intermittently. Contaminants in this area include benzene, trichloroethene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, arsenic, and lead, found in landfill gas and surface water. Groundwater and air monitoring, along with system maintenance, have continued since 1998.

The second area covers groundwater contamination. EPA began investigating a plume containing 1,4-dioxane and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including PFOA and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, in 2016. A cleanup plan issued in 2021 calls for in-situ treatment, meaning reactive materials injected underground to treat contaminants in place. If that approach falls short, a backup pump-and-treat system would pull groundwater up for above-ground treatment. The estimated cost is $11.7 million. Remedial design is expected to wrap up between late 2027 and early 2028, with construction scheduled to start in 2026.

Human exposure is currently considered under control, meaning no unacceptable pathways exist for people to contact contamination. Nearby drinking water wells are tested regularly. Groundwater migration is not yet stabilized, so contaminated groundwater continues to spread beyond its original area. Institutional controls, including land use and excavation restrictions, prevent residential development and activities that could disturb cleanup systems or expose people to remaining contamination. These controls stay in place as long as contamination or cleanup components remain on site. EPA completed its sixth Five-Year Review in September 2024.

Community members with questions can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator. Site records are available at EPA's regional office at 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts, or at North Smithfield Town Hall at 83 Greene Street by appointment.