Nascolite Corporation made acrylic sheets at a 17.6-acre site in Millville and Vineland, New Jersey from 1953 to 1980. A molten lead furnace and leaking underground storage tanks left hazardous waste in the soil and groundwater. State inspections in the early 1980s turned up volatile organic compounds (VOCs), abandoned drums, buried tanks, and asbestos in buildings. The EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1984.
EPA identified 36 contaminants of concern across two main areas. In groundwater, these include benzene, vinyl chloride, trichloroethene, lead, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, and several other VOCs and phthalates. In soil, contaminants include benzene, lead, cadmium, barium, toluene, tetrachloroethene, naphthalene, and various phthalates. Cleanup was organized into two operable units (OUs): OU1 for groundwater and OU2 for soils.
Cleanup actions started in 1987 and 1988 with the removal of over 100 drums of hazardous waste, fencing of contaminated areas, removal of asbestos insulation, and extension of water service to nearby residents. A groundwater treatment system ran from August 1996 until 2016, when it was suspended to evaluate natural contaminant reduction. Contaminated structures were demolished between 1996 and 2000. About 42,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil were excavated and sent off site for treatment or disposal, with soil restoration finished in 2003. Physical construction across the entire site was completed in September 2003.
Today, human exposure is under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified across the site. Contaminated groundwater migration is stabilized and there is no unacceptable discharge to surface water. The site reached "sitewide ready for anticipated use" status in May 2021, meaning all cleanup goals for current and future land uses have been met and all required land-use restrictions are in place. The site remains on the NPL and has not yet been deleted. Operation and maintenance is estimated to continue through mid-2027. EPA completed a five-year review in December 2023 as part of ongoing oversight.
Community members with questions can contact the EPA staff assigned to the site. Site documents are available at the EPA Superfund Records Center at 290 Broadway, 18th floor, in New York City, or at the Millville Public Library at 210 Buck Street in Millville, New Jersey.
