The Li Tungsten Corp. site in Glen Cove, New York is a former tungsten ore processing facility that operated from the 1940s through 1985. It includes the main plant property, a nearby waste disposal area called Captain's Cove, and portions of Glen Cove Creek. The site was added to the EPA's National Priorities List (NPL) in October 1992. The NPL is the federal list of hazardous waste sites that qualify for long-term cleanup funding.
Soil and sediment at the site contain heavy metals, radioactive materials, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), mercury, arsenic, and lead. Arsenic and lead in soil are the two contaminants EPA formally identified as posing unacceptable risk to human health or the environment. Contamination affected multiple areas, including the main facility parcels, Captain's Cove, and Glen Cove Creek.
EPA took several steps to clean up the site. Two early removal actions in 1989 to 1990 and 1996 to 1998 addressed the most urgent hazardous and radioactive materials. Longer-term work began in 1993 with excavation of contaminated soil and ore residuals. At Captain's Cove, workers removed 120,000 tons of contaminated material by Fall 2005. During 2016 remedial actions, crews excavated tens of thousands of tons of arsenic, lead, PCB, and metals-contaminated soil from several parcels. Radioactive materials found in Glen Cove Creek were cleaned up by July 2002, with radioactive slag removal finished by Spring 2008. The site is organized into four operable units covering the entire property, Captain's Cove radiation, building demolition, and creek radiation. Each unit had its own cleanup decisions, with the most recent amendments issued in 2016.
Physical construction of the cleanup is complete. Human exposure is under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified. Contaminated groundwater migration is stabilized, and there is no unacceptable discharge to surface water. EPA continues groundwater monitoring to track recovery of the Upper Glacial Aquifer. Institutional controls and a cover system of clean soil restrict future land use and protect against contact with remaining contamination. The site achieved Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Use status in September 2020. As of December 2024, seven businesses operate on the property, employing 15 people and generating about $1.5 million in annual sales. The site remains on the NPL. The most recent five-year review was completed on September 30, 2025.
Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator. Site documents are available for public review at the Glen Cove Public Library at 4 Glen Cove Avenue or at EPA's Superfund Records Center at 290 Broadway, 18th floor, in New York City.
