Brick Township Landfill operated as a municipal waste facility for more than 30 years before closing in 1979. Located in Brick Township, New Jersey, it accepted sewage, septage, bulk liquids, and other wastes. Chemical wastes were reportedly disposed there in 1971, though that was never fully documented. The site was added to EPA's National Priorities List in 1983 after leachate contaminated local groundwater, with contaminants spreading to the southeast.
EPA identified 89 contaminants of concern across groundwater, soil, solid waste, and leachate. Heavy metals include arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium, and mercury. Volatile organic compounds include benzene, vinyl chloride, chloroform, and toluene. The site also contains phthalates, pesticides such as chlordane and heptachlor epoxide, and other substances like naphthalene, phenol, and ammonia.
Brick Township is the responsible party for cleanup. EPA required the township to install a water-resistant landfill cap and run a long-term groundwater monitoring program. The cap was completed in December 2013, about 150 aboveground drums were removed, and the property is now fenced. EPA found that human exposure is under control and groundwater contamination is stabilized in its original area. Drinking water for 58,000 people living within three miles of the site is not contaminated. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Brick Township have placed restrictions on contaminated wells.
The site reached "Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Use" status in September 2016, meaning all cleanup goals for current and expected future land uses have been met and no unacceptable risks to public health or the environment exist based on current information. EPA completed a second five-year review in January 2022, with the next review estimated between January and March 2027. Brick Township continues to operate and maintain the cap and monitor groundwater. The site has not yet been deleted from the National Priorities List. In 2011, Brick Township leased the property to Standard Alternative, LLC, which installed more than 24,000 solar panels that generate roughly 7,400 megawatt-hours of electricity per year.
Community members can view site documents at the EPA Region 2 Record Center at 290 Broadway, 18th Floor, New York, New York, or at the Brick Branch of the Ocean County Library at 301 Chambers Bridge Road, Brick, New Jersey. For questions, contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager.
