dover air force base

RTE 113

The 3,700-acre Dover AFB site in Dover, Delaware, is the base of operation for the 436th Airlift Wing. The base contains 23 areas on site that were used for disposing of industrial waste. An estimated 23,000 cubic feet of waste were disposed of from 1951 to 1970. The base's operations generated numerous wastes, some in drums, including paints, solvents, waste fuels, and oil. These wastes were disposed of in various on-base locations including 12 landfills and three fire training areas. Access to the site is restricted. There are approximately 1,000 people living on base, and 39,000 people living within a three-mile radius of the site. The distance from the base to the nearest residence is a half mile, and the site is located in a commercial and residential area that is densely populated. The base groundwater well system serves about 10,000 people and is routinely monitored by the Air Force. No contaminants have ever been reported in this system. Shallow on-site groundwater is contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from former waste disposal practices and site operations. A variety of VOCs have been detected in both on- and off-site groundwater including trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and carbon tetrachloride. VOCs also have been detected in the sediments. VOCs and heavy metals including mercury, chromium, and cadmium have been detected in on-site stream waters.

Hazardous Ranking Score

36 / 100

A score of 28.5 or higher qualifies a site for the Superfund National Priority List.

Regional Contact

Region 3
Within the region: (800) 438-2474
Outside the region: (215) 814-5000

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Timeline

Discovery
Site Inspection
Preliminary Assessment
Final Listing On NPL
Removal

Contaminants & Health Effects

      Carcinogen
      Endocrine Disrupter
      Neurotoxic
      Sensitiser
      Reproductive Toxin
      Persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic
      VOC
      Mutagen

        Census

        White
        African American
        Asian
        American Indian and Alaska Native
        Native Hawaiian
        Other

        402

        People living
        within a 1 mile radius

        $57,806

        Average Income

        34

        Occupied homes

        Potentially Responsible Parties

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