Picillo Farm

Overview

Picillo Farm is an 8-acre Superfund site in Coventry, Rhode Island. It was discovered in 1977 after an explosion and fire exposed illegal dumping of more than 10,000 drums of hazardous waste and large volumes of liquid chemicals buried in unlined trenches. The site was added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983. Cleanup has been organized into two operable units, one covering the farm property itself and one covering areas off the farm.

Contaminants found in soil, groundwater, surface water, leachate, and air include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, benzene, and chloroform. Chlorinated compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), heavy metals including lead, cadmium, and chromium, and pesticides such as aldrin, dieldrin, and chlordane are also present. Some contaminants, including antimony and beryllium, appear only in offsite groundwater.

Early work between 1980 and 1982 removed bulk wastes and buried drums from five trenches. Contaminated soils were sent to an off-site landfill, and the site was fenced with surface drainage controls added. The main on-site remedial action began in May 1988, and off-site work ran from February 1998 through early 2006. A groundwater extraction and treatment system came online by 2000, and soil vapor extraction ran until fall 2006. Construction was completed across the entire site in September 2003. In 2016, EPA completed a site optimization review to identify closure pathways.

Human exposure is currently under control, meaning EPA has determined there are no unacceptable exposure pathways at this time. Groundwater migration is also under control, with contamination stabilized and no unacceptable discharge to surface water. The site has achieved sitewide ready for anticipated use status, meaning all cleanup goals for current and expected future land uses have been met. Institutional controls, including zoning restrictions, remain in place to prevent residential and other incompatible uses as long as contamination or cleanup components stay on the property. EPA completed its seventh five-year review in July 2023, and the next review is estimated for July through September 2028.

Community members can find site documents at the EPA website (www.epa.gov/superfund/picillo) or at the Coventry Public Library at 1672 Flat River Road. Records are also available at the EPA Region 1 records center in Boston. For questions, residents can contact the Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager, or the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.