News Releases from Region 01

EPA Adds a Franklin, Mass. Hazardous Waste Site to Superfunds National Priorities List

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will add a Franklin, Mass. hazardous waste site to the National Priorities List (NPL) of Superfund sites. 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 converts them into productive local resources by eliminating or reducing health risks and environmental contamination associated with hazardous waste sites.

Beginning in the late 1800s, the BJAT LLC site, was used for industrial operations including the manufacturing of rubber and plastic products. The property has not been active since 1985, however, over the years, manufacturing activity has left areas of process waste and debris on the property. The soil, sediment and ground water are now contaminated with lead, mercury and zinc as well as semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). The commonwealth of Massachusetts referred the site to the EPA because the contaminated ground water plume is affecting nearby wetlands, and contamination on the property poses a hazard to people that may come in contact with soil and debris.

"EPA continues to protect public health and the environment in communities with an industrial past that has left contamination behind," said EPA Regional Administrator Curt Spalding. "Now that the BJAT LLC Site is listed on the NPL, we will begin a comprehensive study and cleanup work in Franklin to help ensure that we are protecting health and the environment in this community."

"Superfund designation will promote cleanup of this site," said Commissioner Martin Suuberg of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. "The required cleanup is potentially extensive and complex, so the Superfund will provide the resources needed for achieving a full and comprehensive cleanup. We look forward to working with the EPA."

As with all NPL sites, EPA first works to identify companies or people responsible for the contamination at a site, and requires them to conduct or pay for the cleanup. For the newly listed sites without viable potentially responsible parties, EPA will investigate the full extent of the contamination before starting substantial cleanup at the site.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), the law establishing the Superfund program, gives EPA the authority to clean up releases of hazardous substances and directs EPA to update the NPL at least annually to protect human health and the environment with the goal of returning these sites to communities for productive use. The NPL contains the nation's most serious uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites. The list serves as the basis for prioritizing both enforcement actions and long-term EPA Superfund cleanup funding; only sites on the NPL are eligible for such funding.

Federal Register notices and supporting documents for the final and proposed sites:  www.epa.gov/superfund/current-npl-updates-new-proposed-npl-sites-and-new-npl-sites

Information about how a site is listed on the NPL:
www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-national-priorities-list-npl

Superfund sites in local communities:
www.epa.gov/superfund

BJAT Superfund Site
www.epa.gov/superfund/bjat