EPA to host open house for update on the Olin Chemical Superfund Site
BOSTON (Jan. 8, 2026) – On January 21, 2026, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold an open house to update residents on the agency's investigation and cleanup activities at the Olin Chemical Superfund Site in Wilmington, Massachusetts. Community members are invited to stop by to interact directly with representatives from EPA, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and the redeveloper of the 51 Eames Street property, and ask questions about the site.
What: Olin Chemical Superfund Site Open House
When: January 21st 6:00-8:00
Where: Wilmington High School Library
159 Church Street
Wilmington, MA 01887
The open house will cover the following topics:
- Community Involvement
- Superfund Process
- Groundwater Contamination
- Cleanup Plans
- Redevelopment
Site Background
The site includes the Olin property and the surrounding areas that have been impacted by contaminant releases from manufacturing and waste disposal activities formerly conducted at the Olin property.
Chemical manufacturing by a series of owners and operators began at the Olin property in 1953 and continued until the facility closed in 1986. Olin Corporation purchased the property in 1980. The facility was used to produce blowing agents, stabilizers, antioxidants, and other specialty chemicals for the rubber and plastics industries. Prior to the early 1970s, chemicals were discharged into several unlined pits and ponds in the central portion of the property. Later on, lined lagoons were used, however leaks in the liners resulted in additional releases of fluids. As the liquid materials moved downward through the soil, they reached the groundwater table.
Ultimately, contaminated groundwater migrated nearly a mile to the west and northwest of the Olin property and resulted in the Town of Wilmington placing its municipal drinking water supply wells in the Maple Meadow Brook aquifer off-line due to contamination from the site.
The cleanup plan for the site was selected by EPA in 2021 in a Record of Decision (ROD) (pdf) and includes interim actions to remove ongoing sources of contamination in groundwater and final cleanup actions for addressing contaminated soil, sediments, and surface water at the site. In parallel to the cleanup, studies are ongoing under a separate 2007 EPA settlement agreement to improve the characterization of the bedrock and further define the extent of groundwater contamination. These studies will be used to evaluate long-term groundwater cleanup options, leading to the selection in the future of a final cleanup plan for groundwater. In the near term, these aquifer studies will help identify the best places to locate groundwater extraction wells for the cleanup.
Visit: www.epa.gov/superfund/olin for more information about the site.