Price Landfill is a 26-acre former chemical disposal site in Pleasantville and Egg Harbor Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey. It operated from 1971 to 1976, during which time an estimated 9 million gallons of industrial chemical wastes, sludges, and oils were disposed of there. The site was added to EPA's National Priorities List in 1983 and remains on that list today because construction of the full cleanup is not yet complete.
Groundwater is the main affected medium. EPA has identified 11 contaminants of concern. In the groundwater and capped area of the site, these include benzene, a known human carcinogen, along with chloroform, trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, vinyl chloride, trans-1,2-dichloroethene, 1,1-dichloroethene, acetone, cadmium, lead, and chlorobenzene. Petroleum has also been detected in the groundwater in the water supply area. Contamination was first discovered in 1980 when private drinking water wells near the site were found to be impacted.
EPA responded quickly in 1980 by delivering tank truck water to 37 affected residences and then connecting them to city water. Over time, a more comprehensive cleanup took shape. A groundwater extraction and treatment facility was built and became operational in early 2013. It now processes 10 to 12 million gallons of contaminated groundwater each month using air stripping. Treated water is discharged to the Atlantic County Utilities Authority treatment facility. The landfill received an impermeable cap in 2014 and 2015 to prevent direct contact with waste and to stop rainfall from pushing more contaminants into the ground. Both the treatment facility and the landfill are enclosed by fencing with locked gates. As of September 2024, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection took over day-to-day operation and maintenance of the groundwater treatment system and has managed the landfill cap since 2016. EPA retains responsibility for addressing off-site groundwater contamination.
An environmental investigation is currently underway to evaluate off-site contamination that may be affecting nearby wetlands and Absecon Creek. Once that investigation is complete and a remedy is selected, EPA will hold public meetings to discuss findings and next steps. The former landfill property has also been redeveloped: a roughly 21-acre solar array began operating in 2020 after EPA and NJDEP reviewed and approved the project. Zoning restrictions are in place to prevent uses such as residential development.
EPA performance measures indicate that human exposure is under control and groundwater migration is under control at the site. Ongoing monitoring from on-site and off-site wells continues to track cleanup progress and confirm that contamination stays within its current boundaries. Community members with questions can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. NJDEP's Operation and Maintenance Site Manager can also be contacted.
