Shaw Avenue Dump

Overview

Shaw Avenue Dump is an 8-acre former landfill in southeastern Charles City, Iowa, roughly 500 feet east of the Cedar River. It operated as a landfill from before 1949 through 1964. Between 1949 and 1953, Salsbury Laboratories, a veterinary pharmaceuticals manufacturer, deposited an estimated 14,000 to 28,000 cubic feet of arsenic-contaminated waste and about 10,000 tons of contaminated sludges at the site. The EPA placed the site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in July 1987.

Contamination at the site includes more than 80 substances. The primary concerns are arsenic and 1,1,2-trichloroethane. Other contaminants include heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, and nickel, as well as volatile organic compounds like benzene, toluene, and vinyl chloride, chlorinated solvents, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticide residues, phthalates, and cyanide. These substances are found in soil, groundwater, and solid waste. Groundwater is also monitored for vinyl chloride, 1,1-dichloroethene, and 1,2-dichloroethane.

Cleanup work began after the EPA issued a Record of Decision in 1991. A change in approach in 1992 shifted the remedy to excavation, and about 2,220 cubic yards of contaminated soil and chemical fill were removed and disposed of off-site. Physical construction was finished by March 2001. A second Record of Decision in September 2000 determined no further action was needed for groundwater, though monitoring has continued. The EPA conducted a partial deletion of the site from the NPL in August 2019. Charles City owns the property and currently uses it to stockpile mulch for residents. Institutional controls filed with the Floyd County Recorder in February 2001 prohibit well construction for drinking water, bathing, swimming, or crop irrigation, and restrict other construction or intrusive activities without written EPA approval.

The EPA completed the Fifth Five-Year Review in May 2025. It found that the protectiveness of the remedy is deferred due to data gaps and issues with institutional controls. The next five-year review is scheduled for May 2030. Current EPA performance measures indicate that human exposure is under control and groundwater migration is under control.

Community members can contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator toll-free at 1-800-223-0425 for help understanding the site. The EPA's Technical Assistance Services for Communities program offers free, independent support from scientists and engineers who can explain technical information and facilitate community meetings. An updated Community Involvement Plan was completed in February 2020 and is available through the EPA's site documents page. The full Fifth Five-Year Review report is also available in the site documents section on the EPA website.