Raleigh Street Dump

Overview

Raleigh Street Dump is a former waste disposal facility in Tampa, Florida, where battery waste and other materials were dumped from 1977 to 1991. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in April 2009 after finding contaminated soil, groundwater, and sediment. The site remains on the NPL today, with long-term monitoring continuing under EPA oversight.

EPA identified 23 contaminants of concern at the site. Metals found there include lead, arsenic, cadmium, copper, zinc, antimony, barium, manganese, thallium, vanadium, and iron. Organic compounds include chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and benzo(a)pyrene equivalents. Contamination affects the upper groundwater aquifer, surface soil, and sediment in on-site wetland areas. Testing confirmed that contaminated groundwater has not spread beyond the site boundaries.

Physical cleanup began in October 2012 and finished by August 2014. Workers excavated contaminated soils, disposed of them off-site, added clean fill, and restored wetlands. Groundwater is being handled through monitored natural attenuation, meaning contaminants are expected to break down on their own over time while being tracked through regular sampling. The potentially responsible party (PRP) carries out groundwater sampling and submits monitoring reports to EPA and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Institutional controls, in the form of restrictive covenants, limit all site parcels to industrial use and prohibit residential development.

EPA completed five-year reviews in 2017 and again in December 2022. Both reviews found the cleanup approach is working as expected. The 2022 review confirmed that human exposure is under control, groundwater migration is stabilized, and the site is ready for its anticipated use. Tampa Fiberglass currently operates a fiberglass production facility on the southern portion of the property. The aquifer beneath the site is too saline and tidally influenced for drinking water use, and the on-site business uses groundwater only for non-drinking purposes. Fencing restricts public access to areas of contaminated soil and sediment. The next five-year review is scheduled between December 2027 and February 2028.

Community members can stay involved through EPA's outreach activities, which include public notices, public meetings, and interviews about site progress. Site records are available for public review at the 78th Street Community Library in Tampa. Questions can be directed to EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager using the contact information below.