The Cornell Dubilier Electronics site covers 26 acres in South Plainfield, New Jersey, where a capacitor manufacturing facility operated from 1936 to 1962. Poor waste handling released polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and chlorinated solvents, including trichloroethene and tetrachloroethene, into soil, groundwater, and nearby Bound Brook. The site was added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1998, which flags sites needing federal cleanup attention. Overall construction is not yet complete, and the site remains on the NPL.
EPA identified 41 contaminants of concern across multiple areas. On-site soils held PCBs, pesticides such as aldrin and DDT, and compounds like benzo(a)pyrene. Groundwater contains PCBs, vinyl chloride, arsenic, and dioxin. Off-site residential soils showed PCBs including Aroclor 1254 and 1260. Bound Brook sediment, soil, and groundwater carry PCBs and chlorinated solvents. Fish from Bound Brook and New Market Pond should not be eaten due to these contamination levels, and EPA has posted warning signs for anglers and recreational users.
EPA divided cleanup into four operable units targeting residential areas, on-site soils and buildings, groundwater, and Bound Brook. Off-site residential cleanup ran from 1999 to 2015, removing PCBs from homes and nearby properties. On-site soil and building work, which included demolition, thermal desorption, and capping, wrapped up between 2006 and 2014. A groundwater extraction and treatment system started operating in early 2020 to keep contamination from reaching the brook. Groundwater migration is now under control, with long-term monitoring and institutional controls restricting private drinking water wells in the affected area. Groundwater remediation transitioned to operation and maintenance in September 2023.
The Bound Brook operable unit is the most active front. Remedial design finished in 2023, and cleanup of the brook's sediment and floodplain soil is split into six reaches. The first reach was completed in late 2023, and work on reaches 2, 3, and 4 began in late 2024. Starting in spring 2026, EPA will continue excavating floodplain soil, dredging New Market Pond, and diverting surface water. This phase is expected to run through 2028. A five-year review was completed in December 2021, with the next review estimated for late 2026 to early 2027.
Community members can get involved and stay informed in several ways. EPA issued an updated community involvement plan in February 2026, available online and at the South Plainfield Public Library, located at 2484 Plainfield Ave. On May 19, EPA is hosting an Open House from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the South Plainfield Senior Citizen Center, 90 Maple Ave. Residents can also contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.
