Unimatic Manufacturing Corporation

Overview

The Unimatic Manufacturing Corporation site sits in Fairfield, New Jersey. It operated as an aluminum die casting facility from 1955 to 2001. PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) contamination spread across the site when the company sprayed PCB-containing lubricant oil on machinery, coating building surfaces and reaching wastewater, groundwater, and soil. Investigators also found high levels of pesticides in the soil. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2014, which formally designated it as a priority for federal cleanup.

Twenty-one contaminants of concern were identified at the site across soil, groundwater, and sediment. These include PCBs, pesticides such as aldrin, chlordane, dieldrin, heptachlor, and lindane, and DDT along with its breakdown products DDD and DDE. EPA determined all of these substances pose unacceptable risks to human health or the environment and targeted them for cleanup.

Cleanup was organized into two operable units (OUs). OU1 addressed PCBs in the building and surrounding soil. EPA demolished the facility, excavated more than 52,000 tons of contaminated soil, and finished that phase in September 2024. OU2 addressed contaminated groundwater and sediment downstream of the property. EPA removed 1,615 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment, restored the area by replanting 1,341 trees and shrubs, and completed that phase in early 2026. A note on timing: one source states overall construction finished in April 2026 and another states May 2026. Both agree that all physical construction is now complete. EPA is conducting five-year reviews and long-term groundwater monitoring going forward, because PCBs remain at levels that do not allow unlimited use and unrestricted exposure. Public drinking water wells within half a mile of the site currently meet all federal and state standards. Human exposure and groundwater migration are both assessed as under control.

The site is not yet designated as sitewide ready for anticipated use, meaning some cleanup goals or land-use restrictions are still being finalized. Redevelopment of portions of the site may still be possible. The next five-year review is expected between January and March 2028. Community members can review site records at the EPA Region 2 Records Center in New York City or at the Fairfield Municipal Building. An April 2026 community update and fact sheet from EPA provides additional details on cleanup and monitoring.