Pawtucket Landfill Remediation
The remediation involves a comprehensive landfill capping project to cover the entire footprint of the historic ash landfill on the Grotto Ave property. With beneficial reuse of BUD material, this project will include the landfill cap, closure, and the demolition of the incinerator.
This website was developed to provide the community with project information and resources.
Site History
The site has a long history as a municipal ash landfill, which ceased operations in the 1980s. Decades of buried ash have left a legacy of soil contamination, leading to the site’s designation as a State Hazardous Waste Site. Although a Remedial Action Work Plan (RAWP) was developed in 2009 to address these issues, a lack of funding prevented its implementation.
In addition to the landfill, the site houses an inactive incinerator facility, which includes a long-abandoned building and stack. The structure contains significant amounts of asbestos and has become an eyesore in the surrounding neighborhood.
More recently, the site also functioned as a transfer station, but commercial operations ceased in July 2023—marking the first step in the landfill closure and remediation process.
Project Goals
The project aims to fully cap the historic landfill, covering its entire footprint to prevent further environmental impact. A key component of the plan is the abatement and demolition of the former incinerator facility, removing hazardous materials and eliminating a long-standing neighborhood eyesore. Additionally, the project will include the demolition of the former transfer station building and a thorough clean-up of any remaining remnants from its operations, ensuring a safer and revitalized site for the future.
