All News Releases By Date

EPA to Remove Superfund Site in Plumstead from the National Priorities List of Hazardous Waste Sites

Release Date: 06/27/2002
Contact Information:

(#02064) NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The cleanup work has been completed at the Hopkins Farm Superfund site in Plumstead Township, New Jersey, removing the threat to human health and the environment, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As a result, the Agency is proposing to delete the site from the National Priorities List (NPL) of hazardous waste sites. “Since the sources of contamination at the site were successfully removed by the responsible party, the quality of ground water and surface water has steadily improved near the site,” EPA Regional Administrator Jane M. Kenny said. “It is time to remove the site from the Superfund list and free it up for some future use that will benefit the community.” EPA deemed Morton International, Inc. responsible for the chemical contamination at the site. The company (formerly Thiokol Corporation, now a subsidiary of Rohm & Haas) dumped drums of industrial wastes at the property from 1950 to 1970. Between 1987 and 1992, the state of New Jersey conducted studies to determine the extent and nature of this contamination. The state used the studies to establish the scope of a contaminated soil cleanup to reduce contamination of local ground water, and then ordered Morton International Inc. to perform the work. The company removed all of the chemical wastes and contaminated soil at the site and regraded and planted vegetation between 1992 and 1994. In September 1996, after reviewing additional data collected during 1995, EPA determined that no further action at the site was necessary except for long-term monitoring of ground water and surface water, as well as sediment sampling to confirm that any residual contamination remains below levels of concern. Under the terms of an EPA Superfund Order on Consent, the company conducted the long-term monitoring of the ground water, surface water, soil and sediment at the site. Based on a comprehensive review of the Superfund cleanup and several post cleanup inspections, EPA and the state of New Jersey have concluded that the appropriate cleanup actions have been completed at the site. Deletion of a site from the NPL does not make the site ineligible for later cleanup actions. If further actions prove necessary, they can be taken without renominating the site to the NPL. The public is invited to comment on this proposal to delete the Hopkins Farm site from the NPL. If EPA does not receive any comments, the Agency will proceed to the final deletion of the site from the list. The public comment period will begin on June XX, 2002 and extend for 30 days. Written comments must be postmarked no later than July XX, 2002, and should be addressed to: Trevor Anderson, Remedial Project Manager U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region II -- 290 Broadway, 19th Floor New York, New York 10007-1866 Oral comments will also be received through this date and should be directed to Mr. Trevor Anderson at (212) 637-4425. Local repositories have been established to provide detailed information concerning this site at the following address: New Egypt Library 10 Evergreen Road New Egypt, New Jersey 08533, (609) 758-7888