American Cyanamid
Bridgewater Township, Somerset County
PI #: 001000
BLOCK: Various LOT: Various
Office of Community Relations (OCR)
(609) 984-3081 | (800) 253-5647
SITE DESCRIPTION/RESOLUTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS:
As
of December 2004
The site is located in the southeastern section of Bridgewater Township,
Somerset County. The site is approximately 435 acres in size and is bounded
by Main Street to the north, the Raritan River to the south, Interstate
287 and the Somerset Tire Service to the east and the Raritan River to
the west. The site has been used for numerous chemical and pharmaceutical
manufacturing operations for over 75 years. Manufacturing ceased at the
site in June 1999 and demolition of the plant buildings was completed
by November 2000.
Past manufacturing and disposal activities at the site had resulted in
a number of areas used for waste storage and disposal as well as areas
of soil and ground water contamination. The site is listed on the National
Priorities List (NPL). Site cleanup activities are being addressed under
a May 1988 (Amended May 1994) Administrative Consent Order (ACO) between
American Cyanamid and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
(NJDEP). Wyeth Holding Corporation (WHC, formerly American Home Products
Corporation) has assumed full responsibilities for remediation of the
site. Requirements of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended by the Superfund Amendments and
Re-authorization Act (SARA) as well as the Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (RCRA) and the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) for corrective
actions are included in the ACO and are being addressed for overall site
cleanup. A HSWA permit and numerous Air Pollution Control permits have
also been issued to the site.
SITE INVESTIGATION
A Remedial Investigation of the site-wide soils was completed in 1992.
A Feasibility Study addressing the site-wide soils will be initiated after
completion of the remediation of the 16 on-site impoundments. Site-wide
ground water contamination will be addressed after completion of the remediation
of site-wide soils. Potential contamination in surface water, sediment
and associated wetlands related to the Cuckolds Brook and Raritan River
is being independently (and simultaneously with this program) addressed
under the Natural Resource Assessment investigation program. Depending
upon the outcome of this investigation program, additional study and/or
restoration work may be required.
Due to practical limitations, all 16 of the Superfund impound-ments cannot
be remediated concurrently. Therefore, they have been grouped into three
impoundment groups according to waste type, nature of contaminants, and
geographical location on the site. This concept allows this complex site
to be subdivided into discrete, more manageable units. The impound-ment
groups are as follows:
Group I - Impoundments 11, 13, 19, and 24
Group II - Impoundments 15, 16, 17, and 18
Group III - Impoundments 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 20, and 26
In addition to the 16 Superfund Impoundments, there are 4 RCRA Lagoons
(Lagoons 6, 7, 8 and 9A) which require closure.
Completed Programs
American Cyanamid Company has completed, or is conducting, several remedial
programs at the site. Completed programs include: removal of pumpable
tars from Impoundments 1, 2, 4, and 5 for off-site use as a supplemental
fuel, closure of Impoundments 11, 18, 19, 26 and closure of Lagoon 6,
8 and 9A. Each of the ongoing programs is discussed briefly below.
On-going Programs
On-site Impound 8 Facility Program
This program involves closure and post-closure of four on-site impoundments
(Lagoons 6, 7, 8, and 9A) and the con-struction of a waste consolidation
facility (Impound 8 facility). These construction, closure, and post-closure
activities are being conducted in accordance with the May 1994 ACO. Construction
of Cell 1 of the state-of-the-art Impound 8 facility was completed in
May 1991. The design includes a triple liner, leachate detection and collection
system and ground water monitoring system. A cross section of the Impound
8 facility is provided. Sludge from old Lagoon 8 was removed, dewatered,
solidified, and consolidated into Cell 1 from August 1991 to November
1994. Also during this time period, most of the waste from Lagoon 7 was
removed, dewatered, solidified, and consolidated into Cell 1. The solidified
sludge from Impoundment 19 was placed in Cell 1. Construction of Cell
2 of the Impound 8 facility was completed in August 1996. The design of
this cell includes a double composite liner system, leachate detection
and collection system, and a ground water monitoring system. Solidified
sludge from the remediation of Impoundment 11 was placed in Cell 2 between
September 1996 and April 1997.Solidified sludge from the remediation of
Lagoon 6 was placed in cell 2 between November 1997 and May 1999. Construction
for Cells 3 and 4 of the Impound 8 facility was completed in December
1999. The design of cells 3 and 4 is similar to Cells 1 and 2. Solidified
sludge from the remediation of Impoundment 26 was placed in cell 3 and
4 between December 2000 and April 2001. Impoundment 9A has been closed
in-place by installing a double synthetic liner capping system (60-mil
High Density Polyethylene).
Surface Soils Remedial/Removal Action Program
The 1992 Surface Soils Remedial/Removal Action (SSR/RA) Program was completed
in December 1992 addressing areas of surface soil contamination that posed
a potential risk to worker health and safety. The program included excavation
and off-site disposal of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated soils,
excavation and disposal of Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated
soil in the on-site RCRA permitted facility, and capping of another PAH-contaminated
area (in West Yard Area near Impoundment 14), as well as placement of
a geotextile, soil and vegetative cover over a chromium-contaminated area.
These areas, except for one PAH Area (Area 11) will be revisited as part
of the site-wide soil remediation program. PAH Area 11 was determined
to be clean based on post-excavation sampling results that indicated no
surface contamination and based on the Soil Remedial Investigation data
that indicated no subsurface contamination above the applicable State
Cleanup Criteria. NJDEP non-residential cleanup criteria were used in
the SSR/RA program.
Hill Property Remedial Investigation/Rod
The Hill Property is approximately 140 acres in area, bounded to the
south by the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CRNJ) railroad tracks, to
the east by Interstate Highway 287, to the north by Route 28 (Union Avenue).
Although physically separated from the main plant of the site the Hill
property portion was part of the overall site, which consisted of a research
laboratory and administrative buildings. The March 1991 Hill Property
Remedial Investigation Report and comparison of contaminant levels in
soils to NJDEP Soil Cleanup Criteria indicated that levels of contaminants
in soils at the Hill Property are below the applicable NJDEP Soil Cleanup
Criteria (both residential and non-residential) and/or background and/or
Impact to Ground Water Criteria. The March 1992 Baseline Site-Wide Endangerment
Assessment Report (Hill Property Quantitative Risk Assessment, Appendix
VII) established that there is no current or future unacceptable risks
to human health and the environment associated with the Hill Property.
Based on this finding, no remedial actions were required for the Hill
Property soils.
In July of 1996, a no further action ROD was issued by the NJDEP for
the Hill Property portion of the site. The ROD includes provisions for
a Classification Exception Area (CEA) covering the ground water beneath
the Hill Property. This ground water was monitored at five bedrock wells
(former production wells PW-16, PW-17, PW-18, as well as wells UU and
MJ). Low levels of some organic compounds were observed in these wells
at the time of issuing of the ROD/CEA. Monitoring of these wells is required,
in accordance with the ACO Amendment and the ROD/CEA, until it is observed
that the monitoring results are below criteria for two consecutive quarters
(NJAC 7:26E-6.3). NJDEP approved a request to terminate monitoring for
wells PW17, PWl8, UU and MJ on February 18, 1998 based on the information
submitted in the January 1998 Hill Property Ground Water Quality Assessment
report. Monitoring of well PWl6 will continue until such time that the
monitoring data meet the conditions discussed above in this section.
The Hill Property area of the site was deleted from the NPL in December
1998 and developed under the Brownfields program, which includes a Baseball
Stadium and Retail Stores (Home Depot, Target and others).
Bedrock Ground Water Pumping/Control System Program
Presently an average of 650,000 gallons of groundwater per day is being
withdrawn from the on-site extraction wells. The withdrawal of over 650,000
gallons per day results in ground water flow inward from the perimeter
of the site towards the pumping wells. This system effectively contains
the majority of the ground water contamination within the production area
and West Yard area on the site. Recovered ground water is transferred
to the adjacent Somerset-Raritan Valley Sewerage Authority (SRVSA) wastewater
facility for subsequent treatment. Any ground water not captured by the
production well pumping system flows to the Raritan River. A previous
study (Lawler, Matuskey, and Skelley, 1983) concluded that the Cyanamid
facility did not have a signifi-cant impact on water quality in the Raritan
River. Further study of the Raritan River/Cuckolds Brook water quality
is being conducted as part of the Natural Resource Assessment (NRA) program.
The NRA is currently under evaluation.
Impoundments 11, 13, 19, and 24 (Group I)
Remediation of the Group I Impoundments, consisting of solidification
and consolidation into the Impoundment 8 facility, has been initiated
in accordance with the September 1993 Record of Decision (ROD), May 1994
Remedial Design Report as well as the July and September 1994 Impoundment
19 Remedial Action Plans and the August 1996 Impoundment 11 Remedial Action
Plan. To date, remediation of Impound-ments 19 and 11 has been completed.
Remediation of Impoundments 13 and 24 will be initiated after completion
of the remediation of the Group II and III Impoundments.
Impoundments 15, 16, 17, and 18 (Group II)
Remediation of the Group II Impoundments has been initiated in accordance
with the July 1996 ROD, the March 1997 Remedial Design Report, and the
October 1997 Remedial Action Plan (Impoundment 18). The selected remedial
alternatives for those impoundments are as follows:
Impoundment 15 and 16: Consolidation of the material from Impoundment
16 into Impoundment 15, followed by covering with a synthetically lined
cap. NJDEP received a proposal from American Home Products Corporation
for an alternative remedy consisting of recycling/reuse of iron oxide
material at an offsite facility. Based on this proposal, NJDEP issued
a Superfund Explanation of Significant Difference (for sleeted remedy
in the July 1996 ROD). This recycling/reuse activity is now in progress.
Impoundment 17: Solidification and consolidation into the Impound
8 facility. Remediation of Impoundment 17 will be initiated after completion
of the remediation of the Group III Impoundments (because of the high
concentrations of detected contaminants in the Group III Impoundments).
Impoundment 18: Security fencing, berm improvements and maintenance
of natural vegetative cover. The closure of Impoundment 18 has been completed.
Group III Impoundments (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 20 & 26):
A ROD was signed on 8 October 1998 as follows:
- Category A material (High BTU tar of Impoundments 1 and 2):
- Low-Temperature Thermal Treatment (LTTT) and placement of treated
material in Impoundment 8;
- Category B (Low BTU tar of Impoundments {4, 5 (wet), 14, and 20}:
- Biotreatment and placement of treated material in Impoundment
8
- Category C (remaining tar material of Impoundment 3):
- LTTT and placement of treated material in Impoundment 8
- Category D (non-hazardous material of Impoundments 5 (dry) and 26:
- Consolidation in Impoundment 8
- Category E (General plant debris of Impoundments 3, 4, 5, 14, and
20):
- Consolidation in Impoundment 8.
During 2002, a 65,000 square foot processing structure was constructed
to support the Group III Impoundment remediation projects. The purpose
of the structure is to control odors and air emissions generated during
the processing of impoundment materials. Using the facility, a portion
of Impoundment 5 Dry was solidified and placed into the Impound 8 Facility.
The remaining portion of Impoundment 5 Dry will be removed during the
remediation of Impoundment 5 Wet. Impoundments 14 and 20 were excavated
and staged in preparation for biotreatment.
PRESENT STATUS/FUTURE PLANS
In March 2004, WHC submitted a letter to NJDEP and USEPA stating that,
based on pilot-scale treatment data, the Biotreatment may not be appropriate
for remediation of category B material of the Group III Impoundments due
to air emission issues. WHC has proposed and NJDEP and USEPA accepted
to conduct an integrated site-wide Feasibility Study (FS) Program encompassing
all remaining impoundments, site soils, and groundwater to determine and
select an appropriate remedy. The site-wide FS program is in progress.
|
Please be advised that these
cases labeled by OCR as inactive may still be undergoing remedial
activities but OCR has no involvement. Documents that are available
on this page associated with the inactive list may not reflect
the current status of a case.
Related Links
|
