The Lang Property sits on 40 acres in Pemberton Township, Burlington County, New Jersey. In the 1970s, two acres of the property were used as an illegal dumping ground. Between 1,200 and 1,500 drums of unidentified chemical waste were found there in June 1975. Before the drums were removed in 1976, their contents spilled onto the ground or went into on-site lagoons. Groundwater contamination was confirmed through sampling from 1977 to 1979, and the EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983.
The site has 43 confirmed contaminants in both groundwater and soil. These include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as 1,1,1-trichloroethane, dichloromethane (also called methylene chloride), toluene, and xylene. Pesticides and their breakdown products, including dieldrin, DDT, DDE, and DDD, are also present. Other contaminants include chlorobenzene, naphthalene, pyrene, phenol, acetone, and phthalate compounds.
EPA selected a cleanup plan in 1986 covering two operable units (OUs). The main actions for OU 01 included excavating contaminated soil and debris for off-site disposal, installing a security fence, and extracting and treating contaminated groundwater using air stripping, carbon adsorption, and extraction wells. About 13,200 tons of contaminated soil and debris were removed in 1988, and the excavated area was backfilled, graded, and seeded. Groundwater treatment ran from September 1995 through December 2006, treating roughly 307 million gallons. Construction across the site was completed in September 1995.
The site is now in the operation and maintenance phase, managed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). That phase began in December 2006 and is estimated to run through December 2026 or February 2027. EPA assessments confirm that human exposure is under control and contaminated groundwater migration has been stabilized, with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. The site has also been deemed sitewide ready for anticipated use, meaning all cleanup goals for current and future land uses have been met and required land-use controls are in place. EPA conducted its most recent five-year review in March 2026. The site has not yet been deleted from the NPL.
Community members who want to review site documents can visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Records Center at 290 Broadway, 18th floor, in New York City, or the Pemberton Community Library at 16 Broadway in Browns Mills, New Jersey. For direct questions, contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager.
