Sola Optical USA, Inc. ran an optical lens manufacturing facility on a 35-acre property in Petaluma, California from 1978 to 2001. EPA added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List in February 1990 after an initial assessment in 1987. The site was deleted from the list in October 2013 after cleanup goals were met.
Groundwater at the site became contaminated with volatile organic compounds and solvents. The confirmed contaminants of concern are 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethane, and 1,1-dichloroethene, all found in groundwater across the site. EPA determined these chemicals posed unacceptable risks to human health or the environment based on the amounts present and potential exposure effects.
Cleanup began with a pump-and-treat system that operated from 1988 to 1997, using extraction wells and carbon adsorption to pull contaminated water from the ground. When that system stopped being effective, EPA updated the remedy in 2007 to use monitored natural attenuation. This approach lets natural in-place processes break down contaminants over time while the site is tracked with monitoring wells. Institutional controls, including zoning restrictions that block residential development, were also added to keep land use consistent with cleanup levels achieved.
EPA confirmed in 2012 that groundwater met cleanup standards, and the site achieved sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status that same year. Human exposure is currently under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways remaining. Groundwater migration is stabilized, and monitoring continues to confirm contaminated groundwater stays within the original area. The site now supports commercial reuse. As of December 2024, five on-site businesses employed 164 people and generated roughly $38.9 million in annual sales. Tenants include Petaluma Poultry's administrative office and Reynolds Packaging. Long-term protectiveness still requires implementation of well permitting restrictions and evaluation of restrictive covenant controls.
Community members with questions can contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager.
