South Brunswick Landfill

Overview

The South Brunswick Landfill, also known as Browning Ferris Industries, sits on 68 acres in South Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey. The landfill accepted municipal refuse, pesticides, chemical wastes, and hazardous wastes for over 20 years before closing in 1978. EPA added it to the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983. The NPL is the federal government's list of the most serious uncontrolled hazardous waste sites in the country.

Groundwater and surface water were contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are chemicals that evaporate easily and can be harmful when inhaled or ingested. EPA identified seven specific contaminants of concern in groundwater: barium, benzene, chloroform, dichloromethane (also called methylene chloride), diethyl phthalate, iron, and manganese.

Cleanup was organized into two operable units. The main work included building a slurry wall around the landfill perimeter, placing a clay cap over the landfill surface, installing a leachate collection and treatment system, and adding a gas ventilation system. Most of this work was done between 1983 and 1985. When a 1993 investigation found contamination migrating off-site, the leachate collection system was upgraded. A groundwater interception trench was also built between August 2005 and February 2006 to capture and treat contaminated groundwater that had moved beyond the slurry wall. Physical construction of the cleanup is now complete across the entire site.

Human exposure is under control, meaning assessments show no unacceptable exposure pathways currently exist. Groundwater migration is also under control, with contaminated groundwater stabilized and no unacceptable discharge to surface water. The site has achieved "sitewide ready for anticipated use" status, meaning all cleanup goals for current and reasonably anticipated future land uses have been met and required land-use controls are in place. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in February 1998. Semi-annual sampling of on-site wells and piezometers continues, along with regular inspections of the landfill cap, ventilation vents, and other engineering controls. The most recent five-year review was completed in March 2022, with the next one estimated between March and May 2027.

The site has been redeveloped as a 13-megawatt solar array covering about 44 acres with more than 36,000 solar panels, generating enough energy to power roughly 1,400 homes each year. Community members with questions can contact the EPA staff assigned to the site, or review site documents in person at the EPA Superfund Records Center at 290 Broadway, 18th floor, New York, New York.