Mid-Atlantic Superfund

EPA Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic)

Delaware
Kent County
2 1/2 miles south of Dover, adjacent to the St. Jones River

EPA ID# DED980704951

1st Congressional District

Last Update: June 2008
No future updates

Other Names

None

Current Site Status

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in conjunction with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) determined that the site contamination no longer posed a threat to human health or the environment, and EPA deleted the site from the National Priorities List on March 14, 2003. In January 2005 Kent County, Delaware purchased several parcels of land, including those containing the Wildcat Landfill Superfund Site, for re-use as a County conservation area and greenway, museum, and archaeological research site.

Site Description

The Wildcat Landfill Site located in Kent County, Delaware (1st Congressional District) is a 44-acre landfill, situated next to the St. Jones River, approximately 2.5 miles south of the city of Dover. The privately owned and operated landfill accepted municipal and industrial waste until it was closed under a State order for numerous violations of a State permit. Operators dumped wastes into wetlands and frequently left them uncovered. Open and empty metal drums, tires, solid latex, and municipal trash were scattered over the surface of the landfill. Groundwater is contaminated with heavy metals, organics, and low levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Sampling of drinking water wells in 2001 showed no site-related contamination. There has been a clear overall downward trend in contaminant levels in onsite monitoring wells, but the levels of some compounds in some wells (notably benzene in MW-4) remain high enough to merit continued monitoring. The State maintains a health advisory on fish caught from the St. Jones River due to PCBs and dioxin. A growing number of residences and businesses are located near the site, however the reliance on drinking water wells has decreased with the advent of water utility supply mains in the area.

Site Responsibility

Cleanup of this site is the responsibility of Federal and State governments and parties potentially responsible for site contamination.

NPL Listing History

This site was proposed to the National Priorities List of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites requiring long term remedial action on December 30, 1982. The site was formally added to the list September 8, 1983. The site was deleted from the list on March 14, 2003.

Threats and Contaminants

Shallow groundwater beneath the site is contaminated with heavy metals, organics, and low levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Sampling of drinking water wells in 2001 showed no site-related contamination. There has been a clear overall downward trend in contaminat levels in onsite monitoring wells, but the levels of some compounds in some wells (notably benzene in MW-4) remain high enough to merit continued monitoring.

Contaminant descriptions and associated risk factors are available at: (ATSDR web site).

 

Cleanup Progress

Remedy Construction Completed

A final Record of Decision for cleanup of the site was reached between EPA and the State in June 1988. The cleanup decision includes the following actions: restricting development of the site and preventing installation of drinking water wells on or near the site; grading, covering, and seeding on-site areas where direct contact risks of contact with contaminants have been identified; removing and disposing of drums; replacing two private domestic wells adjacent to the site with wells drilled deeper into the aquifer; establishment by the State of groundwater management zones on and around the landfill; groundwater monitoring; and draining and filling in an existing pond and building a new shallow pond. In July 1989, the State established the groundwater management zones. In August 1989, EPA and the potentially responsible parties (Nabisco Brands, Inc., Playtex FP, Inc., Playtex Apparel, Inc., E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., Rapid-American Corporation, Reichhold Chemicals, Inc., General Metalcraft, Inc., and Texaco, Inc.) entered into a Consent Decree to conduct the design and construction of the remedy. All construction activities were completed in 1992. As part of the construction of the remedy, approximately 200 drums were encountered in the landfill and disposed of offsite. Draining of the pond consisted of removing and treating of approximately 16,000 gallons of contaminated surface water.

EPA deleted the site from the National Priorities List on March 14, 2003.

In January 2005 Kent County, Delaware purchased several parcels of land, including those containing the Wildcat Landfill Superfund Site, for re-use as a County conservation area and greenway, museum, and archaeological research site.

EPA performs a Five-Year Review at all sites where there are hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants on-site above levels that allow for unlimited use and unrestricted exposure. The Five-Year Review requirement is independent of and unaffected by the deletion process. The third Five-Year Review for the Site was completed in June 2007 and concluded that the remedy was fully protective.

Contacts

Site Contacts

Administrative Record Locations