News Releases from Region 01
EPA Completes Reviews of 12 Superfund Site Cleanups in Massachusetts During 2019
BOSTON – EPA has completed comprehensive reviews of site cleanups at 12 National Priorities List Sites (Superfund Sites) in Massachusetts, including two federal facilities, by performing required Five-Year Reviews of each site. The Superfund program, a federal program established by Congress in 1980, investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country and endeavors to facilitate activities to return them to productive use.
"EPA performs Five-Year Review evaluations at Superfund Sites to ensure that our implemented site remedies continue to protect public health and the environment," said EPA New England Regional Administrator Dennis Deziel.
"The Five-Year Review represents a commitment by EPA and the Commonwealth to the long-term safety and well-being of the communities around these Superfund sites," said Commissioner Martin Suuberg of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). "MassDEP supports EPA's on-going efforts to periodically review the cleanups and their willingness to update the implemented remedies, if necessary."
The Superfund Sites in Mass. where EPA has completed Five-Year Reviews in 2019 are below. The links will direct users to each Superfund Site page, where you can find the Five-Year Review report in the "Site Documents and Data" section.
Completed Five-Year Reviews during FY19 of private facilities in Massachusetts
- Baird & McGuire, Holbrook, Mass. www.epa.gov/superfund/baird
- Hatheway and Patterson, Mansfield, Mass. www.epa.gov/superfund/hatheway
- Hocomonco Pond, Westborough, Mass. www.epa.gov/superfund/hocomonco
- Industriplex, Woburn, Mass. www.epa.gov/superfund/industriplex
- Nyanza Chemical Waste Dump, Ashland, Mass. www.epa.gov/superfund/nyanza
- Rose Disposal Pit, Lanesboro, Mass. www.epa.gov/superfund/ftrose
- Silresim Chemical Corp, Lowell, Mass. www.epa.gov/superfund/silresim
- Sutton Brook Disposal Area, Tewksbury, Mass. www.epa.gov/superfund/suttonbrook
- W.R. Grace & Co, Inc, Acton, Mass. www.epa.gov/superfund/graceacton
- Wells G&H, Woburn, Mass. www.epa.gov/superfund/wellsgh
Completed Five-Year Reviews during FY19 of federal facilities in Massachusetts
- South Weymouth Naval Air Station, Weymouth, Mass. www.epa.gov/superfund/sweymouth
- Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant, Bedford, Mass. www.epa.gov/superfund/nwirp
Background
Throughout the Superfund process of designing and constructing a cleanup remedy for a hazardous waste site, EPA's first goal is to make sure the remedy will be protective of public health and the environment. At many sites, EPA continues to ensure protectiveness by requiring reviews of completed cleanups every five years. It is important for EPA to regularly check on these sites to ensure the remedy is working properly. Five-year review evaluations identify potential issues and, if called for, recommend action(s) necessary to address them.
EPA is actively involved in Superfund studies and cleanups at 39 sites across Mass. There are many phases of the Superfund cleanup process including considering future use and redevelopment at sites and conducting post cleanup monitoring of sites. EPA must ensure the remedy is protective of public health and the environment and any redevelopment will uphold the protectiveness of the remedy into the future.
More information on EPA topics pertaining to Massachusetts: https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/ma