The Centredale Manor Restoration Project is a 9-acre Superfund site in North Providence, Rhode Island, placed on the EPA's National Priorities List (NPL) in February 2000. Chemical manufacturing and drum reconditioning operations ran on the property from the early 1940s to the early 1970s, releasing waste directly into the ground and the Woonasquatucket River. The contamination spread through soil, groundwater, surface water, sediment, and downstream ponds along roughly 1.5 miles of the river.
More than 100 contaminants have been identified at the site. The most widespread is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a highly toxic dioxin found in soil, groundwater, and sediment across multiple areas. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are also a major concern. Other contaminants include volatile organic compounds such as trichloroethene and benzene, heavy metals including arsenic and lead, pesticides such as chlordane and dieldrin, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Exposure to dioxins can cause cancer, reproductive and developmental harm, immune system damage, and hormonal disruption. PCBs bioaccumulate in fish and have been linked to cancer, liver damage, and neurotoxicity. EPA has determined that human exposure is not currently under control at the site, though contaminated groundwater is stabilized with no unacceptable discharge to surface water.
Subsidiaries of Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. reached a settlement in July 2018 requiring them to perform the cleanup at an estimated cost of about $100 million. The cleanup plan, selected in September 2012, calls for capping the source area, excavating contaminated sediment and floodplain soil for off-site disposal, placing soil cover in the Oxbow area to preserve habitat, and establishing long-term monitoring and institutional controls. The site is divided into four operable units (OUs). OU 01, the source area, completed remedial action in September 2022 and moved into operation and maintenance. OU 02, covering Allendale Pond, has been in active remedial action since September 2020. OU 03 and OU 04 address the Oxbow, Lyman Mill Stream, and Lyman Mill Pond areas. A five-year review was completed in October 2024. Physical construction is not yet complete.
Residents of North Providence, Johnston, and Providence should avoid eating fish, turtles, eels, or plants from the river, and should not wade, swim, or dig into riverbanks. Warning signs are posted along the river. EPA has developed a Community Involvement Plan to guide public participation. The Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council received a Technical Assistance Grant to help residents understand technical documents and cleanup decisions. Residents can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator, Charlotte Gray, or reach the Watershed Council's Alicia Lehrer for assistance.
