EPA Five-Year Reviews

Brief History of RRDD1 and the Barkhamsted-New Hartford Superfund Site

The Regional Refuse Disposal District No. 1 (RRDD1) landfill in Barkhamsted and New Hartford became the subject of federal environmental oversight following the discovery of groundwater contamination associated with historic landfill operations.

RRDD1 was established in 1970, and the landfill began operating in April 1974. The site accepted municipal solid waste and other materials until the late 1980s, with landfill disposal ultimately ending in 1993. Environmental concerns were identified as early as 1981, when investigations detected volatile organic compounds and other contaminants in groundwater. (EPA NERL)

The Barkhamsted-New Hartford Landfill, rather than RRDD1 itself as an organization, was subsequently designated a federal Superfund site. EPA proposed the site for inclusion on the National Priorities List (NPL) in June 1988, and it was formally placed on the NPL in October 1989. (EPA NERL)

As part of the cleanup, a non-time-critical removal action resulted in construction of a landfill cap and associated leachate controls. The cap and related systems were substantially completed in the late 1990s. EPA issued its Record of Decision in September 2001, selecting a remedy that included the engineered landfill cap, institutional controls, and monitored natural attenuation (MNA) of contaminated groundwater. (Cumulis)

A 2003 Consent Decree established responsibilities for the potentially responsible parties, including implementation of the remedial action, long-term environmental monitoring, quality-control requirements, institutional controls, and EPA oversight. Long-term groundwater, surface-water and sediment monitoring began in 2003. (SEMS Public Access)

EPA Five-Year Review Process

Because contamination remains at the site and the remedy relies on long-term controls and monitoring, EPA is required to conduct a Five-Year Review under the Superfund program. The purpose is to determine whether the cleanup remedy continues to protect human health and the environment and is operating as intended. EPA explains that these reviews examine the performance of the completed cleanup and identify any additional actions or monitoring that may be necessary. (US EPA)

EPA’s reviews of the Barkhamsted-New Hartford site have occurred approximately every five years:

EPA’s site records confirm this review sequence. (Cumulis)

The 2023 Fifth Five-Year Review concluded that the remedy remained protective of human health and the environment. EPA found that the landfill cap continued to prevent direct contact with the waste, long-term monitoring remained in place, and institutional controls continued to restrict inappropriate uses of the property. EPA also identified follow-up monitoring needs, including attention to emerging contaminants such as PFAS. (Cumulis)

Today, the approximately 98-acre Superfund property has multiple uses: roughly 13 acres contain the capped former landfill, another portion is operated by RRDD1 as the regional transfer station and recycling center, and another portion supports a solar facility. EPA continues to classify the site as an active Superfund site with institutional controls and ongoing monitoring; it has not yet been deleted from the National Priorities List. (US EPA)

In short: the Superfund designation arose from contamination associated with the former landfill—not from the current operation of RRDD1 as a transfer station. The Superfund remedy transformed the former disposal area into a capped and controlled site, while allowing the remainder of the property to continue serving the region. The Five-Year Review process provides EPA with a recurring mechanism to verify that the remedy continues to work and that the site remains protective.