Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Wyeth Holdings Corporation in Princeton Junction, New Jersey
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
Former BASF facility is cleaning up the site under a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) order. The contents of Landfill No. 2 were completely excavated in 1995 and taken off-site for proper disposal. Because the source was removed, the contamination of the groundwater is expected to naturally degrade and dilute. BASF facility has been monitoring the groundwater near the landfill. It has found that pesticides and organic compounds have generally been decreasing since 1995, except that chloroform and carbon tetrachloride concentrations have fluctuated. There is some remaining soil contamination and therefore, the future use of part of the property is restricted to industrial use so that human exposure is limited.
BASF will continue to monitor the groundwater. If concentrations of chemicals begin to increase, BASF will be required to take additional measures to clean up the groundwater.
Site Description
BASF, formerly American Cyanamid Corporation (ACC) Agricultural Division, is a 683 acre site, located at the intersection of Quakerbridge Rd and US Route 1 in Princeton Junction, NJ. BASF bought the operations of ACC Agricultural Division from American Home Products (who purchased American Cyanamid in 1994) in 2000. However, American Home Products retained ownership of the 683 acre property less the liability for the cleanup of the contaminated SWMUs on site. American Home Products changed its name to Wyeth Corporation in March 2002. Real estate development company, Rouse Corporation, purchased the property from Wyeth Holdings Corporation for $35 million in 2006.
No manufacturing or production was conducted at the site, which is now shutdown. The activities included research and development of agricultural chemicals and animal health and nutrition products. There are woodlands and farmland near the site.
Contaminants at this Facility
The groundwater and soil at the site have been contaminated with pesticides, (4,4-DDT and 4,4-DDE, No.2. Delta-BHC), chloroform and carbon tetrachloride. The main source of contamination of the groundwater is a landfill (Landfill No. 2), which is located in a wooded area in the southern section of the site. It was used to dispose of laboratory glassware and small containers of laboratory wastes.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action activities at this facility have been conducted under the direction of EPA Region 2.