EPA Superfund site
MAYWOOD CHEMICAL CO.
Exposure status: insufficient data
Data limitations: Proximity to a Superfund site boundary does not mean your property is contaminated. EPA site boundaries show the area designated for cleanup, not the full extent of contamination. Groundwater plumes can extend beyond site boundaries. This tool shows publicly available EPA federal data. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by EPA, and is not a substitute for a professional environmental assessment.
About this site's exposure pathways
As of May 2026, the Maywood Chemical Company Superfund site is considered “Insufficient Data to make a Human Exposure evaluation” (HEID). This status does not necessarily mean that unacceptable exposures are occurring. EPA is overseeing a potentially responsible party (PRP) Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) to define the nature and extent of groundwater contamination associated with historic facility operations and to evaluate risks. Groundwater is believed not to be used for drinking water in the immediate area because a public water supply is available; however, current information is not sufficient to determine whether actual or reasonably anticipated human exposures are occurring above acceptable risk-based levels across all pathways and areas. Known groundwater contaminants include benzene, toluene, lithium, and other constituents that will be addressed in a future groundwater remedy decision. In parallel, EPA is overseeing implementation of a 2014 Record of Decision (ROD) for chemically contaminated soil.
Planned activities to collect sufficient information include completing the groundwater RI/FS and the Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) that evaluates potential exposure pathways such as use of private wells and other interactions with groundwater, as applicable. Separately, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is cleaning up radiologically contaminated soil and building debris under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). EPA is also overseeing USACE activities to address groundwater impacts associated with the federal government-owned 11‑acre Maywood Interim Storage Site (MISS).
EPA currently anticipates there will be sufficient data to make a Human Exposure determination by December 2026 because the groundwater RI/FS and HHRA will be completed and the groundwater Record of Decision (ROD) will be signed by that time.
If you live or work near the site, you can reduce your exposure by using municipal water where available or testing private wells before use, avoiding disturbance of soils during any digging, and following posted warnings or advisories. For more information, contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator Maya Greally via the site webpage or at (212) 637-3588 or [email protected]. EPA will continue to meet with residents and stakeholders, issue public notices and fact sheets, keep the site profile on EPA’s website up to date, and staff a public information office near the site in downtown Maywood, N.J.