Camden Launched Cleanup at Former Dump Site
The city has begun a $2.5 million EPA-funded project to remediate toxic soil at a former 1.69-acre junkyard.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Environmental
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The City of Camden initiated a $2.5 million project to remove 11,800 tons of contaminated soil from a former junkyard and auto repair site. The cleanup aims to address health hazards including lead and arsenic at the property bounded by 6th, 7th, Chestnut, and Sycamore streets.
Why it matters
Removing the toxic soil and chemical hot spots is a critical step to eliminate street flooding, dust, and long-standing health threats to residents. This effort sets the stage for a planned mixed-use residential and retail redevelopment of the site by the end of 2026.
Workers will remove three feet of topsoil across the 1.69-acre lot and excavate deeper chemical hot spots reaching nine feet underground. The project follows the removal of 10,000 tons of debris and 5,000 tons of waste previously cleared from the site.
The players
Environmental Protection Agency
This federal agency is responsible for protecting human health and the environment through the enforcement of regulations and grants.
City of Camden
This municipal government serves as the primary authority overseeing the remediation and future development of the site.
The details
The property, formerly a junkyard and auto repair business, posed ongoing environmental and physical risks to the local neighborhood. After backfilling the excavated areas with clean soil, the city intends to repurpose the land for community development.
Timeline
In 2022, a cease-and-desist order provided the city legal authority to clean the site.
In March 2023, crews removed 15 drums of stored chemicals.
By June 2024, the site was initially cleared of construction debris.
On October 1, 2026, the EPA regional director announced the current funding grant.
By the end of 2026, the city expects to complete the redevelopment project.
Deeper Dive
This remediation project follows a pattern set by the 2022 cease-and-desist order, which granted the city legal authority to intervene.
Residents near the site can expect an end to street flooding and dust issues caused by the former dumping ground. The eventual completion of the site's transformation into a mixed-use residential and retail space promises to replace an environmental hazard with new community infrastructure.
The takeaway
Large-scale soil remediation projects can successfully turn neglected brownfields into productive community assets. Residents living near formerly industrial sites should monitor city development plans for opportunities to engage with the new infrastructure.
Further reading
Find more information on local environmental initiatives by visiting the Camden Environmental section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Courier-Post.
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