Sutton Brook Disposal Area

⚠ Superfund · Ready for anticipated reuse

Three short-term cleanups by EPA in 2000 excavated and removed contaminated soils and deteriorated drums, protecting human health and the environment in the short term.

Location

CityTewksbury
CountyMiddlesex County
StateMassachusetts
Coordinates42.59822, -71.18319

Contaminants of concern

Contaminated media

Cleanup timeline

  1. Initial Assessment Completed — 10/01/1979
  2. Proposed to the National Priorities List — 07/27/2000
  3. Finalized on the National Priorities List — 06/14/2001
  4. Remedial Investigation Started — 02/11/2004
  5. Final Remedy Selected — 09/27/2007
  6. Remedial Action Started — 06/19/2013
  7. Construction Completed — 07/20/2016
  8. Deleted from National Priorities List — Not Yet Achieved
  9. Most Recent Five-Year Review — 05/21/2024
  10. Achieved Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Reuse — 03/31/2022

EPA references

Other Superfund sites in Middlesex County

EPA-regulated facilities nearby

Understanding this Superfund site

Sutton Brook Disposal Area is a federal Superfund site in Massachusetts. The Superfund program, created by Congress in 1980, addresses sites where hazardous substances have been released or threaten release into the environment. EPA scores potential sites using the Hazard Ranking System; those that score high enough are placed on the National Priorities List.

Current status: Ready for anticipated reuse. EPA considers this site ready for anticipated reuse, meaning cleanup has progressed enough for certain land uses. This does not necessarily mean all contamination has been removed — institutional controls like deed restrictions may limit how the land can be used.

EPA has identified 10 contaminants of concern at this site, including 1,1,2-trichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethane, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene. Contamination has been detected in groundwater, sediment, soil, surface water.

If you live near this site and have health concerns, your state health department can provide site-specific guidance. EPA maintains a community involvement program for most NPL sites, and site documents — including the Record of Decision, five-year reviews, and public health assessments — are typically available through EPA's Superfund site profile.