Background

The site of the former Norwood Landfill is located in a suburban residential neighborhood in lower Norwood, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The site is bordered by the Norwood Borough Park to the northeast; wooded areas and Muckinipattis Creek to the east; and wooded areas and Darby Creek to the south. In September 2016, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) informed EPA that community members near the site were concerned with possible contamination and health impacts from the historic unregulated waste disposal practices in the area.

EPA began a site investigation in February 2017 through the Superfund Program (see figure below) after residents reported that there may be contaminated dirt underneath the homes in a portion of the Norwood residences. In 2020, EPA is continuing the site investigation to identify a more geographically representative dataset to better understand next steps in the Superfund process. 

Top of Page

This timeline show the Superfund Remedial Process. It begins by assessing, or investigating, the site for possible contaminants, then once it is listed on the National Priorities List (Superfund), the site is further studied to see which remedy is most feasible in the Characterization stage. In the Selection of Remedy, a plan is decided on and the process moves on into the Cleanup stage. When the cleanup is completed, the process is in the Post-Construction stage where there is regular maintenance of the remedy and thorough reviews conducted by EPA every five years. 

At every stage, community involvement and planning are integrated into the process to ensure that the end result is aligned with community values and input.