The Peter Cooper Corporation site covers 106 acres in Dayton, New York. It served as a waste disposal area for a nearby animal glue and adhesives plant in Gowanda. Between 1955 and late 1972, the site received about 48,200 tons of manufacturing waste from chrome-tanned hides. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in February 2000.
Contaminants are found in groundwater, soil, and solid waste. Metals include chromium, arsenic, zinc, antimony, cadmium, iron, manganese, thallium, and a specific form of chromium known as chromium(VI). Organic contaminants include trichloroethene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate. In total, EPA identified 17 contaminants of concern at the site.
EPA selected a cleanup plan in December 2006. The plan called for consolidating waste piles and covering them with a low-permeability cap across about 4 acres. It also included institutional controls to limit land and groundwater use, plus ongoing groundwater monitoring. Work began in July 2008 and construction finished in November 2008. A consent decree finalized in February 2008 governed the cleanup design and action phases. EPA deleted the site from the National Priorities List in September 2010. The most recent five-year review was completed in March 2023, confirming the remedy remains protective of human health and the environment. The next review is estimated between March and May 2028.
Human exposure is currently under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified. Groundwater migration is stabilized, and contaminated groundwater is not discharging to surface water at unacceptable levels. All cleanup goals for current and anticipated future land uses have been met. Operation and maintenance activities began in June 2009 and are ongoing.
Community members can review site documents at EPA's Superfund Records Center at 290 Broadway in New York, New York, or at the Town of Dayton Town Building at 9100 State Route 62 in Dayton, New York. The Third Five-Year Review Report is available for this site. For questions, contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.
