Ringwood Mines/Landfill

Overview

Ringwood Mines/Landfill sits on about 500 acres in Ringwood Borough, New Jersey. Iron mining there dates to the 1700s, and Ford Motor Company added paint sludge, solvents, and car parts starting in the 1960s. The site was placed on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983, removed in 1994 after initial cleanup, then relisted in 2006 when additional contamination was found. Today it is an active Superfund site divided into four operable units (OUs), each targeting a specific area or problem.

Contaminants in soil include heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury, along with organic chemicals like benzene, trichloroethene, vinyl chloride, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Soil also contains phthalates, pesticides including dieldrin, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzo(a)pyrene. Groundwater and leachate contain lead, arsenic, cadmium, benzene, and 1,4-dioxane. Ongoing sampling shows that contamination is not reaching the Wanaque Reservoir, which supplies drinking water to the area.

Ford Motor Company removed more than 53,500 tons of paint sludge and contaminated soil between 2004 and 2014 under EPA oversight. Lead-contaminated soil was also removed from 23 residential properties between 2011 and 2014. Ford fenced remaining landfill areas and is constructing soil caps over three mined pits and disposal areas. In March 2026, the Department of Justice reached a $3.4 million settlement with Ford and the Borough of Ringwood. The public could comment on that settlement until May 26, 2026. The EPA issued a cleanup plan for groundwater in September 2020, covering treatment methods such as carbon adsorption, chemical oxidation, and aerobic bioremediation.

Human exposure is currently under control. All known lead-contaminated residential soil has been addressed, remaining disposal areas are fenced, and site groundwater is not used for drinking water. Construction on OU 2 (Peter's Mine) began in March 2019, with a first phase expected to finish in June 2025 and a second phase estimated for completion between June and August 2028. A sitewide removal action is estimated for completion between September and November 2026. The site has not yet met all cleanup goals for unrestricted future use.

Community members can engage through the Community Advisory Group (CAG), which formed in 2006 and holds regular meetings. The EPA published a Community Involvement Plan in June 2017 to support participation. For CAG involvement, residents can contact Patricia Seppi, the site Community Involvement Coordinator. Drew Curtis serves as Community Involvement Coordinator for general questions, and Joe Gowers is the Remedial Project Manager. Site documents and administrative records are available at Ringwood Library and the EPA Region 2 Office in New York.