Pierson's Creek

Overview

Pierson's Creek runs 1.5 miles through Newark's industrial area before emptying into Newark Bay. Most of it flows underground through a culvert beneath rail lines, a highway, and an airport parking lot. Mercury contamination from industrial operations dating back to the late 1800s has built up in the creek's sediment, soil, and wetlands. The Troy Chemical Corporation, which made mercury compounds at a nearby facility from 1957 to 1987, discharged mercury-contaminated wastewater into the creek and caused additional soil contamination through spills and improper handling. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has issued fish advisories because of this contamination.

EPA added the site to the National Priorities List on September 22, 2014. The site is split into three operable units: sitewide remedial activities, the creek area, and the Troy Chemical Property. Cleanup work has included removal actions starting in 2011 and again from 2021 to 2023. EPA completed removal of contaminated soil from the Globe Metals property and is overseeing removal of dredged material at another location, with 9,088 tons removed as of November 2025. That work is expected to finish in 2026.

EPA proposed a cleanup plan for the creek area and held an extended public comment period from January 15, 2026 to March 19, 2026. The plan calls for excavating all contaminated sediment in the most heavily contaminated upper portion of the creek. In other areas, EPA would remove the top two feet of sediment and place a protective cap over what remains. For contaminated soil along the creek, EPA would remove the top two feet, use in-situ stabilization to secure deeper contamination in place, and remove soil contaminated with non-aqueous phase liquids before adding clean fill. Institutional controls would restrict future use of the creek. The EPA will consider comments submitted during the comment period before making a final decision.

A separate cleanup plan for the Troy Chemical Property is still being developed through an ongoing remedial investigation and feasibility study, with that study estimated to finish between September and November 2027.

Human exposure and groundwater migration are both marked as having insufficient data, meaning it is not yet confirmed whether exposure pathways are controlled or whether contaminated groundwater movement is stabilized. Physical construction of cleanup work has not yet begun.

Fact sheets in English, Portuguese, and Spanish are available on EPA's online site profile (www.epa.gov/superfund/piersons-creek). For community questions, contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator. Site documents are available for public review online and at the EPA Superfund Records Center, 290 Broadway, 18th floor, New York, NY.