Hazardous Waste Cleanup: GPP-Florence, L.L.C. in Florence, New Jersey
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
In the mid-1980's, former Griffin Pipes Products Company started to treat the sludge before disposing of it in the landfill. The portion of the landfill that had received lead and cadmium-containing sludge was closed in 1994 using a landfill cover system that meets EPA and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) requirements. The rest of the landfill was closed in 1998 using a similar cover system. EPA and NJDEP required Griffin to install a series of monitoring wells at the boundary of the landfill to determine the level of contaminants in the groundwater and whether they have spread beyond the landfill boundary.
Data from the monitoring wells have shown that the contamination is not spreading but is contained within the landfill area and that the levels of lead and cadmium in the groundwater are relatively low and do not exceed amounts considered unacceptable by NJDEP. The data have also shown that the contaminant levels are not increasing due to the fact that lead and cadmium do not move readily in groundwater and because the contaminants are very likely being adsorbed onto (stuck to) particles of soil.
Groundwater monitoring at the Griffin site will continue until at least 2025. If at any time the contamination from the landfill is found to be increasing in concentration or spreading, EPA and NJDEP might require that the contaminants be removed from the groundwater. However, since the contamination appears to be stable and contained within the landfill area, long-term maintenance of the landfill cover and groundwater monitoring are all that are currently required.
Site Description
Former Griffin Pipe Products Company is located at 1100 West Front Street in Florence, New Jersey. The 293-acre Griffin Pipe Products Company site has been operating as a foundry since the early 1900's, when it was known as the Florence Pipe and Foundry Company. Griffin Pipe Products acquired the facility in 1963 to make ductile iron pipe from scrap material, iron, coke and various alloy components. Land surrounding the facility is used primarily for industrial purposes, with some residential and agricultural use nearby.
The Florence facility has ceased manufacturing operations in 2009 and the plant is currently undergoing demolition. In May 2014 GPP-Florence, L.L.C. became the facility new owner.
Contaminants at this Facility
The company used to routinely place lead and cadmium-containing sludge from its manufacturing processes into an unlined landfill located on the property. Over time, the sludge and other wastes placed in the landfill released their contaminants into the soil and eventually into the groundwater under the site.
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.