Background
The Miami Drum Services Superfund Site, located at 6601 NW 72nd Avenue in northwest
Miami‑Dade County, Florida, occupies approximately 1.2 acres within an 82‑acre parcel owned
by the Miami‑Dade County Transit Authority, just two miles north of Miami International Airport in
Hialeah (U.S. EPA, n.d.-a). From 1966 until 1981, the facility operated a drum cleaning and
recycling business, processing thousands of steel drums with caustic solutions and storing
containers that held corrosives, solvents, and phenols. These chemicals were frequently
discharged onto site soils, without proper containment (Florida Department of Health, 1992).
Located in a flat, industrial area roughly five feet above sea level, the site sits atop the
Biscayne Aquifer. This primary aquifer lies 1–3 feet below ground and serves more than a
million residents in northern Miami‑Dade County via well fields in Medley, Miami Springs,
Hialeah, and Preston (Florida Department of Health, 1992; U.S. EPA, n.d.-a). Environmental
regulators discovered in 1981 that volatile organic compounds, metals, pesticides, and phenols
had contaminated both soil and groundwater. These contaminants were found to leach directly
into the aquifer, endangering public drinking water (Florida Department of Health, 1992).
Miami‑Dade County shut down operations in late 1981, ceased pumping from the Medley well
field, and blended water from cleaner sources to meet safety standards (Florida Department of
Health, 1992). In December 1982, the EPA proposed the site for the National Priorities List and
finalized its inclusion in September 1983, after site assessments confirmed significant soil and
groundwater contamination from improper waste management practices (U.S. EPA, n.d.-f;
Florida Department of Health, 1992).
Pollution
The EPA’s Site Profile identifies multiple contaminants of concern at Miami Drum Services,
including VOCs like benzene, trichloroethylene, vinyl chloride, and 1,1‑dichloroethene, along
with heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, selenium) and semi‑volatile
organics (U.S. EPA, n.d.-f). In groundwater, EPA monitoring detected many of these VOCs at
concentrations exceeding federal and state Maximum Contaminant Levels or Guidelines. For
instance, benzene’s cleanup threshold is 0.7 µg/L, vinyl chloride is set at 1 µg/L (state level),
and TCE is limited to 28 µg/L, with metals like arsenic capped at 50 µg/L (U.S. EPA, n.d.-f).
Site investigations in 1983–1985 documented VOC and metal plumes extending from Miami
Drum Services into the adjacent Varsol Spill and Northwest 58th Street Landfill areas. The
common aquifer contamination led regulators to address the three sites collectively (U.S. EPA,
1985). Groundwater samples exhibited contaminant concentrations multiple times higher than
allowable limits, requiring urgent remedial intervention (U.S. EPA, 1985; n.d.-f).
Exposure
Urban communities including Hialeah Gardens, Pinewood Park, Miami Springs, Medley, and
the City of Miami are adjacent to the site, with potable water systems drawing from well fields
that historically lay within the contaminant plume’s reach (U.S. EPA, n.d.-a). Prior to remedy
implementation, residents had potential exposure through drinking water contaminated above
MCLs, especially concerning benzene and vinyl chloride. Dermal and inhalation exposures
could also occur via contaminated surface soils.
The public health advisory prompted Miami‑Dade County to blend water from alternative wells
and cease pumping from contaminated ones, protecting roughly one million local residents
(Florida Department of Health, 1992; U.S. EPA, n.d.-a). Formal health studies I found did not
report documented cases of illness directly linked to the site; however, standard health risks
from benzene and vinyl chloride include blood disorders and liver/kidney effects (U.S. EPA,
n.d.-f).
Current EPA assessments state there are no unacceptable exposure pathways and the site is
“under control” for human exposure. A Five‑Year Review in July 2023 confirmed continued
control of groundwater migration and maintenance of cleanup objectives (U.S. EPA, n.d.-b;
n.d.-h).
Remediation Efforts
A series of actions led by the U.S. EPA, Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, and
Miami‑Dade County unfolded in multiple phases. In September 1982, EPA issued a Record of
Decision requiring soil excavation and onsite groundwater treatment during removal.
Miami‑Dade County executed removal by excavating and transporting contaminated soil offsite,
culminating in the EPA deeming OU1 complete by August 1992 and achieving construction
completion in April 1993 (U.S. EPA, n.d.-i; n.d.-h; Florida Department of Health, 1992).
In September 1985, the EPA published the Biscayne Aquifer Sites ROD. The remedy
combined use of recovery wells in the existing Preston and Miami Springs water treatment
plants, installation of 64 air stripping towers to remove VOCs, and continuous monitoring
through Hialeah and Preston plants. Institutional controls were established to limit new
groundwater wells in the area (U.S. EPA, 1985; n.d.-i; n.d.-f).
Between 1988 and 1992, EPA secured a cooperative agreement with Miami-Dade Water &
Sewer, funding approximately 41% of the $19 million initial costs. Construction began in
mid‑1989, with tower operations launching in September 1992. Post-construction inspections
occurred in October 1992, with oversight facilitated by the Army Corps and FDER (U.S. EPA,
1985; n.d.-i; n.d.-h).
Operation and maintenance responsibilities passed to the County after ten years of EPA
funding. Annual O&M costs were estimated at $334,400, with periodic monitoring of all priority
VOCs, metals, and semivolatiles to demonstrate compliance with cleanup goals (U.S. EPA,
n.d.-i; n.d.-f). EPA facilitated public engagement through ROD comment periods and meetings.
Documents are stored in the Miami‑Dade County Public Library and on the EPA website (U.S.
EPA, n.d.-d; n.d.-i).
Periodic Five‑Year Reviews, the most recent on July 28, 2023, affirmed that human exposure
is under control and groundwater migration is stabilized. The site achieved “Construction
Complete” status in April 1993 and was deemed "Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Use" in July
2019, with deletion from NPL pending continued monitoring (U.S. EPA, n.d.-b; n.d.-h).
Conclusion
Remediation at the Miami Drum Services site involved successfully excavating contaminated
soils, installing a robust groundwater treatment system, and implementing institutional controls
to protect public water supplies. The phased cleanup disrupted multiple exposure chains
through soil removal, air stripping, and monitoring programs.
Nevertheless, challenges remain. Approximately 3,900 cubic yards of soil with elevated
mercury levels persist beneath industrial structures at Operable Unit 1, this residual
contamination requires long-term monitoring and institutional controls to prevent direct contact
or future disturbance (U.S. EPA, n.d.-f; n.d.-h). Additionally, while the air-stripping towers and
recovery wells have significantly reduced concentrations of volatile organic compounds, certain
chemicals, especially vinyl chloride, have occasionally exceeded target levels, prompting
additional site assessments and vapor intrusion screening (U.S. EPA, n.d.-h). Fortunately, as of
the most recent five-year review in 2023, the EPA has confirmed that there are no complete
exposure pathways that currently pose unacceptable risks to human health (U.S. EPA, n.d.-h).
The Miami Drum Services site exemplifies how historical industrial negligence can create
long-lasting environmental and public health hazards. Despite the site’s “construction complete”
status and the interruption of active exposure pathways, its legacy remains in the form of
institutional land-use controls, groundwater treatment infrastructure, and future land
management restrictions. The site also serves as a critical reminder of the importance of strict
environmental regulation, enforcement, and corporate accountability to prevent future
contamination.
From a broader perspective, the case contributes to national discussions on how Superfund
programs are managed and funded. Although the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act allows for cost recovery from responsible parties, local and
federal agencies often shoulder ongoing monitoring and maintenance costs, an issue of growing
concern as Superfund cleanups nationwide face aging infrastructure and funding gaps. In this
context, Miami Drum Services demonstrates a successful yet incomplete journey of remediation:
a site where physical cleanup has been largely achieved, but long-term vigilance and
stewardship remain necessary.
Finally, while the EPA has indicated that the site is “ready for anticipated use” and may
eventually be deleted from the National Priorities List, it should remain a site of future concern.
Continued climate variability, changing water table levels, and nearby development could impact
remaining contaminants or compromise institutional controls. Future oversight must prioritize
both environmental safety and community transparency to ensure that residents and
stakeholders stay informed and protected for generations to come.
References
Florida Department of Health. (1992, September). Site review and update: Miami Drum
Services, Miami, Dade County, Florida [PDF]. https://www.floridahealth.gov
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.-a). Miami Drum Services Superfund site profile.
EPA. https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0400746
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.-b). Human exposure and groundwater migration
status for Miami Drum Services. EPA. https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/SiteProfiles/index.cfm
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.-d). Community involvement plan, Miami Drum
Services [PDF]. EPA. https://semspub.epa.gov/work/04/11167777.pdf
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.-f). Contaminants of concern and cleanup goals,
Biscayne Aquifer Sites ROD [PDF]. EPA. https://semspub.epa.gov
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.-h). Five-Year Review report, Miami Drum Services
Superfund Site, July 2023 [PDF]. EPA. https://cumulis.epa.gov
