Superfund Sites in Reuse in Puerto Rico

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BARCELONETA LANDFILL

The 20-acre Barceloneta Landfill Superfund site is in Florida Afuera, Puerto Rico. The former landfill is inactive. About 300 tons of hazardous wastes are in three unlined sinkholes at the landfill. EPA included the Site on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. From 1988 to 1995, EPA oversaw studies of site conditions. Sampling found heavy metals and volatile organic compounds in groundwater. Local groundwater supplies are used for drinking water and irrigation. The site’s potentially responsible parties agreed to complete investigations and perform cleanup activities, overseen by EPA, included digging up and removal of waste, groundwater monitoring, landfill capping, and institutional controls. After cleanup, EPA took the site off the NPL in 2011. Post-construction operation and maintenance activities began in June 2002, and they include a 30-year groundwater monitoring program. The first five-year review (FYR) was completed in August 2005, and subsequent FYRs have been completed, with the latest completed in May 2020.
Last updated September 2024

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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CABO ROJO GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION

The Cabo Rojo Ground Water Contamination Superfund site is in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. It consists of three source areas with two contaminated groundwater plumes. The source areas are a former dry cleaner, an active print shop and a mostly vacant industrial park with a long history of industrial and commercial operations. Sampling found groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2011. Further sampling found more VOCs in soil, groundwater and soil vapor. The 2019 cleanup plan includes soil vapor extraction (SVE) and dual-phase extraction (DPE) to clean up soil and underlying groundwater, monitored natural attenuation of groundwater, institutional controls and monitoring. A print shop business is active on-site and EPA is working with the owner to minimize disruption of the business during remediation.
Last updated September 2024

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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CIDRA GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION

The Cidra Groundwater Contamination Superfund site is in Cidra, Puerto Rico. It includes four closed public drinking water supply wells and a groundwater plume contaminated with chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It also includes an industrial facility owned by Ramallo Brothers Printing, Inc. and a former dry-cleaning facility. The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) owns the four closed drinking water supply wells. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2004. Remedial action activities are ongoing. Cleanup actions include groundwater treatment and monitoring, soil treatment using vapor extraction, soil excavation, disposal and containment, and capping of unpaved areas and the operation of a Soil vapor extraction with enhance thermal treatment at the Ramallo lot. Remedial action activities for groundwater are being conducted under Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding. Current site uses include restaurants, hardware stores, a park and a post office. Other public services on-site include a school, churches and a police department.
Last updated September 2024

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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FIBERS PUBLIC SUPPLY WELLS

The 540-acre Fibers Public Supply Wells Superfund site is in Guayama, Puerto Rico. A synthetic fibers manufacturing plant (the Baxter facility), a sugar cane field and five public water supply wells owned by the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority were on-site. Fiber manufacturing resulted in soil contamination with asbestos-containing materials and groundwater contamination with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. Cleanup actions included groundwater pumping and treatment and removal and off-site disposal of contaminated soils. The site’s potentially responsible parties finished taking asbestos-containing materials and contaminated soils off-site for disposal by 1994. In total, they took 7,950 tons of asbestos-containing material to an authorized landfill. Groundwater treatment is ongoing. Two pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities are active on-site. A proposal to build a 100 MW photovoltaic park on-site is under review by the PR government and is expected to start its construction in 2024.
Last updated September 2024

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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GE WIRING DEVICES

The 5-acre GE Wiring Devices Superfund site is in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico. The General Electric Company (GE) made mercury light switches at a wiring devices plant on site from 1957 to 1969. A half ton of mercury, 4,000 cubic yards of defective switch parts, and plastic scraps were discarded in a half-acre waste area. The discarded material contaminated the site. In 1982, GE added a storm-drain system and a retaining wall to stop mercury from migrating to the nearby residential area. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup included treatment of contaminated water and soil, separation of mercury from soils through leaching, and placement of cleaned material in disposal areas on-site. In 1993, a study found that groundwater was not affected by the waste pile. Cleanup finished in 2000 and EPA took the site off the NPL. The Centro de Juana Díaz campus of Dewey University is now on-site.
Last updated September 2024

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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HORMIGAS GROUND WATER PLUME

The Hormigas Ground Water Plume Superfund site is located between the municipalities of Caguas and Aguas Buenas in east-central Puerto Rico. It includes an area with two former public water supply wells, known as the Hormigas and Eufracia wells. In 2006, groundwater sampling by the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) from the Hormigas public water system found tetrachloroethene (PCE) in the Eufracia public supply well. The Puerto Rico Department of Health ordered the well’s closure. PRASA also later closed the Hormigas public supply well. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2011. Sampling found no site-related contaminants above EPA screening criteria. The original groundwater contamination is no longer present. EPA issued a “no action” cleanup decision in 2016. EPA took the area off the NPL in 2020. Current site uses include a nature reserve and a playground.
Last updated September 2024

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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JANSSEN INC.

The 25-acre Janssen Inc. site is in Mamey Ward, Gurabo, Puerto Rico. Janssen Inc. opened a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility on-site in 1982. Wastes generated during plant operation contaminated groundwater and soil. In 1989, sampling found high chloroform levels in two production wells on-site. Further sampling found that contaminants of concern also included tetrahydrofuran and 1,4-dichlorobenzene. EPA did not add the site to the National Priorities List but enforced the cleanup through an administrative order with Janssen, Inc. Cleanup activities included pumping and treating groundwater using steam stripping and running a soil vapor extraction system to remove volatile organic compounds from soil. After cleanup, soils are compatible with unrestricted use. Institutional controls restrict groundwater use. Cleanup activities were completed, and a Remedial Action report approved. Janssen Inc.’s pharmaceutical facility remains active on-site. It includes a former chemical plant building that is now an administrative building, manufacturing areas and pharmaceutical buildings. It also includes an aboveground tank farm, a process wastewater treatment facility, utilities, an administration building, an electrical substation, a cooling tower and a quality assurance/quality control building.
Last updated September 2024

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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MAUNABO AREA GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION

The Maunabo Area Ground Water Contamination Superfund site is in Maunabo, Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO) purchased the property for industrial use in 1964. Industrial activities led to the creation of a groundwater plume contaminated with several chlorinated solvents. The Maunabo Urbano public water system that serves the area consists of four supply wells at the site. Sampling first detected chlorinated volatile organic compounds, including tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE) and cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-1,2-DCE), at one of the supply wells in 2002. The well was closed. The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) began treating groundwater from this well using activated carbon filtration tanks to remove the contaminants from the water. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2006. Investigations found three contaminated groundwater plumes. Cleanup activities conducted included the operation of an air sparging system. Remedial action activities will also include the implementation of MNA and long-term monitoring for two plumes. Current site uses include homes, restaurants, stores, a state police office and parks.
Last updated September 2024

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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RCA DEL CARIBE

The 20-acre RCA Del Caribe Superfund site is in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico. From 1971 to 1987, a facility made masks for television screens on-site. Wastes from facility operations contaminated four lagoons with selenium, chromium and iron. Two lagoons developed sinkholes, resulting in groundwater contamination. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1982. Based on the results of an investigation and risk assessment, EPA found that the area did not pose a threat to human health or the environment. EPA took the site off the NPL in 2005. The Universidad Ana G. Méndez – Recinto de Barceloneta campus is now on-site.
Last updated September 2024

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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SAN GERMAN GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION

The San German Ground Water Contamination Superfund site is in San German, Puerto Rico. The site boundary includes the Gaunajibo River, surrounding agricultural land, homes and Retiro Industrial Park. From 2001 to 2005, the Puerto Rico Department of Health (PRDOH) collected groundwater samples from area wells. The samples contained tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE). PRDOH ordered the closure of remaining wells. In 2006, EPA investigations identified two industrial lots in the Retiro Industrial Park as the source of contamination. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2008. In December 2015, EPA chose a cleanup plan for contaminated soil on-site. Cleanup will prevent soil contamination from affecting area groundwater. Investigations and cleanup to address groundwater contamination are ongoing. Retiro Industrial Park remains active on-site.
Last updated September 2024

As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 39 people and generated an estimated $465,370 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.

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SCORPIO RECYCLING, INC.

The 6.5-acre Scorpio Recycling, Inc. Superfund site is in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. Metal recycling operations, including battery crushing and scrap steel storage, started on-site in 1972. In 2010, the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board ordered the end of operations. Disposal practices released contaminants into soil and groundwater on the industrial part of the site and a conservation area. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1999. From 2002 to 2004, EPA led removal actions that dug up and removed battery cases, debris, contaminated soil and a sinkhole from the southwest part of the site. Contaminated soil was stabilized before off-site disposal. Contamination was found on a portion of the adjacent Rosa del Monte property. After investigations for Operable Unit (OU) 1, EPA found that groundwater does not pose a risk to public health or the environment. As such, a No Action Record of Decision was issued for groundwater in September 2006. EPA selected the OU2 soil remedy in 2013. The remedy includes a gravel cover at the former industrial area, a soil cover in the conservation area and institutional controls. EPA completed the remedial design for the soil remedy in 2017. On February 28, 2024, EPA announced that Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds would be used to implement the selected remedy at the Scorpio Recycling, Inc. Superfund site. In the Record of Decision (ROD) EPA estimated that completion of the work will cost $3.1 million. The work is expected to be fully completed by 2028.
Last updated September 2024

As of December 2023, EPA had data on one on-site business. This business employed 12 people and generated an estimated $780,000 in annual sales revenue. For additional information click here.

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THE BATTERY RECYCLING COMPANY

The Battery Recycling Company Superfund site is in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. From the mid-1960s to 1979, the Puerto Rico Chemical Company produced organic chemicals at the facility. In 1994, the Battery Recycling Company started operations on-site. They collected and recycled lead-acid batteries at the existing facility. From 2004 to 2014, the Battery Recycling Company conducted battery reclamation and secondary lead smelting operations on-site. Smelting created large quantities of waste, including slag and dust contaminated with lead. In 2011, EPA entered into a settlement agreement with the facility under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, for the release of hazardous substances. Under the Settlement Agreement, EPA assessed homes and vehicles of former company employees for contamination from lead dust from the facility. EPA removed contamination from 149 residential properties, 145 vehicles and a cattle pasture adjacent to the facility. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2017. In 2023, EPA proposed a cleanup plan for soil and groundwater contamination that includes excavating and treating soil, demolishing buildings, containing treated soil on-site, implementing institutional controls and long-term monitoring. Most of the site is currently owned by Luis Figueroa and Awilda Carrasquillo. First Bank of Puerto Rico holds priority lien to the property. EPA holds a secondary lien to the property. The site potential reuses may include renewable energy systems, an ornamental plant nursery with raised tables, storage units and electrical car charging stations.
Last updated September 2024

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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VEGA ALTA PUBLIC SUPPLY WELLS

The 50-acre Vega Alta Public Wells Superfund site is in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico. It includes the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO) Industrial Park. PRIDCO has sold and leased properties and buildings to industries for manufacturing operations. The site also includes six inactive and 15 active wells used for the public water supply. The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) operates and maintains the public water supply in the area. The U.S. Geological Survey sampled site wells and surrounding areas in 1983 and found volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including trichloroethene (TCE). EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984. Cleanup activities included closing affected wells, putting in groundwater treatment systems for several wells and putting in a soil vapor extraction system to treat contaminated soil. Affected homes were connected to a new water distribution system. Treated groundwater discharges into Honda Creek. The existing on-Site businesses consist of manufacturing/distribution, a post office, a police station, and a fire station. The building that housed a grocery store is currently being renovated and based on communication with its contractor, is anticipated that it may house a coffee shop, restaurants, and various businesses. The Source Area Well System (for groundwater cleanup) is in the building formerly used by General Electric; we understand that manufacturing and distribution operations are conducted there.
Last updated September 2024

As of December 2023, EPA did not have economic data related to on-site businesses, or economic data were not applicable due to site use. For additional information click here.

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VEGA BAJA SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL

The 72-acre Vega Baja Solid Waste Disposal Superfund site is in the Rio Abajo Ward of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. From about 1948 to 1979, the municipality of Vega Baja ran an unlined solid waste disposal and open burning facility on-site. It received commercial, industrial and domestic waste. Improper disposal practices contaminated soil and groundwater with heavy metals and pesticides. During the late 1970s, residents complained, and the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board investigated the area. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1999. Immediate, cleanup actions removed highly contaminated soils from residential properties and removed unstable landfill material. Long-term cleanup actions performed at the Site, included removal and capping of contaminated soils, backfilling and revegetation of excavated areas and institutional controls. The site remains in continued residential use.
Last updated September 2024

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Last updated on October 11, 2024