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| STANDARD CHLORINE | Kearny, New Jersey | |
| Essex County |
Site Location:
The Standard Chlorine Chemical Company, Inc. (Standard Chlorine), site
is located in an industrial area along the Hackensack River in Kearny
Township, New Jersey.
Site History:
Chemical manufacturing occurred at the 25-acre facility from the early
1900s to the 1990s. Operations included the production and refinement of
naphthalene, the storage and packaging of 1,4-dichlorobenzene moth
preventatives and deodorizers, the production of dye carriers, and the
processing of liquid petroleum naphthalene for the manufacture of moth
balls and flakes, as well as several other manufacturing activities.
Site Contamination/Contaminants:
The primary areas of concern include contaminated soils throughout the
site, and two lagoons located on the eastern portion of the facility
property. Another concern is an area contaminated with polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs) in the vicinity of a former transformer. All of these
areas appear to ultimately drain into the Hackensack River.
Contamination in the soils and groundwater also appears to discharge
directly to surface water bodies. Tanks and drums that contained various
site-related hazardous substances, including dioxin contaminated
asbestos, also are present at the facility. In addition, contaminated
fill material from non-site related chromium ore processing activities
is present on the site property, as well as on other properties in the
Hackensack Meadowlands.
Sampling conducted between 1992 and 2002 indicate that a release of
site-related hazardous substances has occurred to the Hackensack River
and adjacent wetlands. Dioxins, dichlorobenzenes,
1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, naphthalene, benzene, and chlorobenzene, as well
as several other semivolatile and volatile organic compounds, have been
detected at varying levels .
Potential Impacts on Surrounding Community/Environment:
Fish consumption warnings (particularly crab) and a health advisory have
been issued for the Hackensack River due to PCBs and dioxin
contamination, originating in part from the Standard Chlorine site. The
site lies in the Hackensack Meadowlands which has been identified by the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a Significant Habitat Complex of the
New York Bight Watershed at the request of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's (EPA) New York - New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program,
and may be a habitat for some state or Federal designated endangered
and/or threatened species. Releases of site-related hazardous substances
to ground water also have been documented since at least the early
1980s.
Response Activities (to date):
In December 2001, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
(NJDEP) requested that EPA evaluate the Standard Chlorine site for
listing on the National Priorities List due to the complex environmental
issues present at the site and the inability of the responsible parties
to address the issues. The NJDEP indicated that Standard Chlorine had
not completed Remedial Investigation activities required under the terms
of a 1989 Administrative Consent Order (ACO).
[The description of the site (release) is based on information available at the time the site was evaluated with the HRS. The description may change as additional information is gathered on the sources and extent of contamination. See 56 FR 5600, February 11, 1991, or subsequent FR notices.]
For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737.