BOSTON — Aug. 19, 2015 — Evaluation will continue at the Landfill & Resource Recovery Superfund Site after the responsible parties for the site agreed to perform and finance a study of contaminated groundwater, according to a press release.
The study will produce cleanup options for the contamination, noted the release.
Samples of groundwater showed declining concentrations of contaminants until 2014, stated the release. However, contaminant levels were found to exceed acceptable levels for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) further down-gradient from the landfill in 2014.
A new contaminant, 1,4-Dioxane, was detected in groundwater and surface water near the landfill, reported the release. Residential drinking water wells were free of the contaminant, but they will continue to be monitored.
"The parties responsible for polluting must take responsibility for finding out how far the contamination goes and the best way to clean it," said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) New England office, in the release. "Over the years, EPA has worked to address contamination at this site, and this agreement will help ensure the cleaning up of pollution caused by the landfill."
The landfill, which covers 28 acres, was named to the National Priorities List of Superfund sites in 1982, shared the release. It received domestic, commercial and industrial wastes while in operation.
You can find the entire release here.