EPA Superfund site
VEGA BAJA SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
Human exposure is NOT currently under control
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 Vega Baja Solid Waste Disposal Superfund site is considered “Current Human Exposure Not Under Control” (HENC). Residents, especially children, are known or reasonably anticipated to be exposed to lead in soil on residential properties through direct contact, incidental ingestion, and indoor dust tracked in from yards. Past disposal and open burning of commercial, industrial, and domestic waste created widespread fill containing lead and other debris; more than 1.1 million cubic yards of waste were disposed of and/or burned at the facility.
Between January and July 2015, EPA excavated approximately 9,587 cubic yards of lead‑impacted soil and trash mound materials from 24 residential properties as part of remedial action construction.
Currently, the planned activities to address this pathway include:
- Conducting lead sampling of residential properties; evaluating results against updated cleanup numbers; and excavating, backfilling, and restoring properties that exceed those levels.
- Performing confirmation sampling and implementing institutional controls, as appropriate, to ensure long‑term protectiveness.
If you may be affected, you can reduce your exposure by keeping children and pets off bare soil; covering bare areas with clean mulch or sod; removing shoes at the door; wet‑mopping and damp‑dusting indoors; washing hands after outdoor play or yard work; and washing home‑grown produce.
EPA ensures community participation throughout the remedial process by meeting with residents and affected stakeholders, issuing public notices, and updating fact sheets. A site profile has been established on the EPA website to keep the community informed of recent progress at the site. For assistance, contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator Lilliana Aleman-Roman via the site webpage or at (787) 977-5816 or [email protected].
EPA currently anticipates that human exposure will be under control by September 2034 because the residential lead sampling program will be complete, all properties above updated cleanup levels will be remediated and restored, institutional and engineering controls (if needed) will be in place and effective, and confirmation sampling will demonstrate that risk‑based cleanup goals have been achieved, as reflected in the Superfund Enterprise Management System (SEMS).