The Maywood Chemical Co. site covers more than 90 properties in Maywood, Lodi, and Rochelle Park in Bergen County, New Jersey. It has been on the National Priorities List since September 1983. From 1916 to 1955, Maywood Chemical Works processed radioactive thorium ore and generated chemical wastes. The company spread contaminated materials as fill and mulch across nearby properties and along local brooks. The Stepan Company, which bought the original plant in 1959, is a potentially responsible party and handles chemical contamination under EPA oversight. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages radioactive contamination through the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program, known as FUSRAP.
Contaminants at the site span several categories. Soil contains radioactive materials including radium-226, thorium-232, and uranium-238, along with volatile organic compounds such as benzene, trichloroethene, toluene, and xylene. Heavy metals including arsenic, lead, chromium, and mercury are present in soil. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, cyanide, and other chemicals round out the list. Groundwater contains arsenic, benzene, and lithium. Radon-222 has been detected in buildings on part of the site.
Cleanup is organized into four operable units. About 800,000 cubic yards of contaminated material have been removed so far. Remedial action at the Stepan Company area ran from March 2022 through September 2024, with additional work estimated to continue through late 2027. In Spring 2024, Stepan and GHD Services finished removing chemically contaminated soil from residential properties. Commercial property cleanup was expected to begin in Fall 2024. Radioactive soil removal continues, though some contaminated soil remains beneath active commercial buildings. Groundwater cleanup at federal facilities began in April 2017 and is estimated to run through late 2027. A final remedy for Stepan Company groundwater has not yet been selected and is estimated between December 2026 and February 2027.
EPA has insufficient data to determine whether human exposure to contamination is currently under control, and it also lacks enough information to determine whether groundwater migration is stabilized. No potable wells exist in potentially contaminated groundwater areas, and nearby residents get their drinking water from a public supply not influenced by site contaminants. Residents have been advised not to disturb soil until cleanup is complete and to postpone any subsurface construction activities. The most recent five-year review was completed in March 2024 and confirmed that completed cleanup work protects human health and the environment.
Community members can get involved through EPA's Community Involvement Program. EPA held a virtual public information session in September 2024 to discuss commercial property cleanup. Site records are available at the Superfund Records Center at EPA's New York office at 290 Broadway, 18th floor, and at the Maywood Public Library at 459 Maywood Avenue, Maywood, New Jersey.
