On October 1, 2024 The US Environmental Protection Agency removed the Lipari Landfill from the Superfund National Priorities List at a ceremony held at Betty Park, Pitman, New Jersey. During the event Lisa F. Garcia, the regional administrator of EPA, and Donald Norcross, the US Representative, were joined by numerous state and local leaders to announce the successful cleanup and redevelopment of the Lipari Landfill site. 

During her speech Lisa F. Garcia said “ The transformation of the Lipari Landfill site showcases the immensely positive impact the Superfund program can have in communities” she further added “ For decades, the Lipari Landfill has been a household name in South Jersey, looming over the community of Pitman. Today, this once contaminated area is now a thriving community asset, setting a benchmark for other projects nationwide.” 

The Lipari Landfill was notorious for being one of the most contaminated sites in the US. The site saw extensive cleanup efforts for almost four decades from 1958 to 1971. It was the general dumping site for a wide variety of waste materials including household waste, industrial waste including electronics and chemical waste. As a result the nearby water bodies and marshland were exposed to a wealth of pollutants and intoxicants which put both the public health and wildlife at risk. The contamination of the nearby natural aquifers peaked to a point where the Alcyon lake had to be closed off for recreational purposes. 

To clean up the Lipari Landfill site it was assigned to the Superfund. A program with funds directed towards cleaning some of the extremely contaminated sites across the nation. The fact that the Lipari Landfill is no longer on the National Priorities List for the Superfund is proof that the cleanup efforts have indeed been successful. 

Showing triumph at the success of the cleanup project US Representative Donald Norcross said “ Today marks an important day for all of New Jersey as we celebrate removing the Lipari Landfill Superfund site from the EPA's National Priorities List,” he went on to say “After decades of hard work to clean up this contaminated site, we can now say that we've delivered on our commitment to protect the health and safety of families in our community. It's a monumental achievement and testament to what can be done when we make Superfund clean-ups a priority.”

The plan of action EPA adopted to clean up the Lipari Landfill site was to install a system which limited contaminants from seeping into the nearby soil and water, purified groundwater, and removed harmful pollutants from the soil. The plan has worked successfully and resulted in the reclamation of most sites that were rendered as waste land previously. These sites have now been developed into useful community assets now that the threat of the contaminated site is alleviated. 

One of the most notable outcomes of this cleanup project is the reopening of lake Alcyon. The reopening has led to the opening of parks supporting a plethora of recreational activities like soccer, gold, and basketball. In addition to providing leisure activities for the community, these parks also generate a considerable amount of revenue annually. 

Cleanup of the Lipari Landfill site is a strong example of how consistent efforts and proper funds allocation can ultimately yield in reclamation and redevelopment of once wasted land. Recycle Technologies applaud the efforts of the local governments involved in this project and congratulate all stakeholders that participated. We strive to initiate such efforts in the future and also emphasize on the need to raise funds for such projects.