Clothier Disposal

Overview

Clothier Disposal is a 15-acre privately-owned site in the Town of Granby, Oswego County, New York. It was used to dump demolition debris, household waste, junk vehicles, and hazardous chemical waste. In 1973, the county health department found roughly 2,200 drums of chemical waste on the property. The EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. The NPL is the federal government's roster of the most contaminated sites that need long-term cleanup attention.

EPA identified 31 contaminants of concern at the site. These include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, toluene, and xylene. Heavy metals found at the site include cadmium, chromium, manganese, selenium, silver, and thallium. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and phthalate compounds are also present. Many of these substances appear in both soil and groundwater.

Cleanup happened in two stages. Between 1986 and 1988, crews removed 1,858 drums under an administrative order, then cleared the remaining drums and contaminated surface soil. A formal remedy, approved in December 1988, called for placing one foot of clean soil over contaminated areas, regrading and replanting the site, installing erosion controls near Ox Creek, and putting institutional controls in place to prevent residential use or soil disturbance. Construction was finished by early 1993. Groundwater was monitored for VOCs every five years starting in 2002. After 2014 testing showed tetrachloroethylene levels below state standards, monitoring wells were abandoned in 2017. The site was deleted from the NPL in 1996 and reached sitewide ready for anticipated use status in December 2011.

EPA assessments confirm that human exposure to contamination is under control and no unacceptable pathways for people to contact contamination exist. Groundwater migration is also under control, with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. All cleanup goals for current and anticipated future land uses have been met, and required land-use restrictions are in place. Five-year reviews confirm the cleanup remains protective of human health and the environment. The most recent review was completed in November 2022, and the next is scheduled for November 2027. One business currently operates on the site.

Community members can review site documents at the Fulton Public Library at 160 South First Street in Fulton, New York, or at the EPA Region 2 Superfund Records Center at 290 Broadway, 18th floor, in New York City.