&EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5502G) EPA520-F-92-011 Fall 1992 Superfund At Work Hazardous Waste Cleanup Efforts Nationwide Site Profile Site Description: Hazardous waste dump in rural Hillsborough Township, New Jersey Site Size: 1 acre Primary Contaminants: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyts (PCBs) Potential Range of Health Risks Without EPA Cleanup: Skin irritation; increased risk of cancer Nearby Population: 1,200 within one mile Ecological Concerns: Rarttan River Year Listed on NPL: 1982 Year Deleted from NPL: 1989 EPA Region: II State: New Jersey Congressional District: 12 Five Years of Uncontrolled Dumping The Krysowaty Farm site had hazardous material strewn over a one-acre area of a ravine. Tires, demolition debris, and many corroded drums of paint, pesticides and dye wastes were illegally dumped. Success In Brief Krysowaty Farm.. .Cleaned Up The one-acre dump at Krysowaty Farm was small in size compared to some other Superfund sites. But five years of dumping proved to be a challenge when designing an appropriate cleanup. Nevertheless, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) quickly and efficiently alleviated immediate and potential dangers to the community of Hillsborough, New Jersey. In less than five months, Superfund staff: • Worked closely with community members and Hillsborough Township officials to ensure an effective solution; • Funded a permanent alternate water supply for residents threatened by contaminated well water; and • Completed a permanent cleanup of hazardous wastes at the site. Krysowaty Farm is a good example of how an active community, coupled with EPA responsiveness and expertise, can eliminate the dangers posed by the unauthorized dumping of hazardous substances. The Site Today Krysowaty Farm was once considered one of the worst uncon- trolled hazardous waste sites in the United States. It was deleted from the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989, after all known contami- nants were removed. The cleanup effort meets established safety standards and no further actions are required at the site. A local health official said, "(I) couldn't be more pleased" with the "state-of-the-art" cleanup of Krysowaty Farm. Superfund financed and con- ducted the site cleanup because the owner of the Krysowaty property was deceased, and the identity of other contributing parties was unknown. Region 5, Library (PL-12J) 77 West Jackson Boulevard, 12th Floor Chicago, IL 60604-3590 ------- Superfund At Work Krysowaty Farm, Hillsborough, NJ Fall 1992 A Site Snapshot Krysowaty Farm was a one- acre hazardous waste dump in Hillsborough Township, N.J. Five hundred drums of paint, dye wastes, and pesticides :«;; were r, .^..^ ,„ dumped, f ^ _t crushed, and " s' buried in a v"' '">s>7 ravine on the L'''!- s 42-acre prop- erty, contami- *v> ^ *x ' nating 13,700 cubic yards of soil. The pulverized drums released volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) which contaminated the ground water, soil, and environs. In addition to drums, other wastes disposed on this property included demoli- tion debris, tires, automobiles, bulk wastes, solvents, and waste sludge. The site gained recognition because of its negative impact on nearby drinking wells and the threat of migrating contamination from the site to the south branch of the Raritan River. Potential health effects from direct contact with these pollut- ants and/or consumption of contaminated ground water range from skin irritation to an increased risk of cancer. Krysowaty Farm is located in a rural area with approxi- mately 1,200 people living within a one-mile radius; the closest inhabitants reside 900 feet from the farm. Hazardous Wast EPA Responds to Dangers of Contaminated Ground Water Between 1965 and 1970, a on< acre portion of Krysowaty Farn was used as an unauthorized dump site for hazardous materi Starting in 1977, medical com- plaints were registered with the Hillsborough Township Health Department. It was not until 19 that the New Jersey Departmen Environmental Protection (NJD became aware of the site and conducted an investigation whi revealed VOCs in the ground water. Superfund was enacted 1980, and, in 1982, the site was proposed for listing on the NPL EPA also investigated local claii of skin rashes and miscarriages allegedly due to ground water contamination; however, no sci Krysowaty Farm Timeline Hazardous wastes improperly dumped 1965 Hillsborough Township provides bottled water < Site included on National Priorities List Superfund legislation enacted 1 New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection investigates site 1970 1979 1980 Page 2 ------- Superfund At Work • Krysowaty Farm, Hillsborough, NJ • Fall 1992 Dumped In Kiysowaty Farm Ravine tine data was found to substantiate these claims. Hillsborough Town- ship provided bottled water to affected residents in 1982 as a temporary measure while EPA and NJDEP conducted joint site investiga- tions to verify Krysowaty Farm Hillsborough Township, NJ whether the site should be on the final NPL. The findings of the site investigation led to Krysowaty Farm being included on the final NPL in December 1982. In addition to the cleanup of the contaminated soil, a permanent alternate water supply system servicing 29 homes was installed in 1985, further reducing the threat to the community. Hillsborough Township's financial burden was eased when the Elizabefhtown Water Company con- tributed part of the funds needed for the alternate water supply. Krysowaty Contami- nants Removed, Site Restored Developing a cleanup plan for Krysowaty Farm proved to be a problematic undertaking, as many of the corroded drums needed to be contained before removing them from the site. An accidental release of the con- taminated materials from the drums could have caused further endangerment to the environment. Consequently, EPA spent almost one year examining alternatives for the site before finalizing the cleanup plan in July 1985. EPA undertook a variety of measures to ensure the safety of nearby residents. In August 1985 cleanup teams began preparing the area and the surrounding community for permanent cleanup activity. EPA fenced the area surrounding the site to protect trespassers from coming into contact with the contamina- tion while cleanup was ongoing. EPA then chose the least- traveled roads for the bucks to use when transporting the hazardous substances. Maps of these routes were distributed to the community in advance, informing them of the exact r Site investigation completed Public meetings held j> « Cleanup design completed; work begins ^ • Permanent alternate water supply installed Cleanup activities successfully completed All drums and visibly contaminated soil removed Area covered with fresh soil, reseeded \> Site deleted from National Priorities List Site monitored to ensure safety 1984 1985 1986 1987 1989 1992 Page 3 ------- Superfund At Work Krysowaty Farm, Hillsborough, NJ Fall 1992 times the shipments of con- taminated material would take place. EPA teams then removed and transported 13,700 cubic yards of contami- nated soil and wastes to an approved hazardous waste disposal facility. The excavated area was filled with dean soil and seeded for grass. By January 1986, fences were removed to signify the successful completion of site cleanup efforts. EPA conducted air monitoring tests throughout the cleanup to ensure the safety of the commu- nity. In 1989, Krysowaty Farm was deleted from the NPL. NJDEP continues to ensure the effectiveness of cleanup activities by monitoring the ground water semi-annually through 1992. One Scoop At ATlme As heavy construction equipment removes contaminated soil at the Krysowaty Farm site, progress is made one scoop at a time. EPA cleanup teams removed and transported 13,700 cubic yards of contaminated soil and wastes from the site, placing them in an approved hazaretous waste facility. The excavated area was led with clean soil, then reseeded for grass. EPA Continues To Protect Citizens After Cleanup Is Complete The Superfund program not only contributes to the successful cleanup of existing hazardous waste sites, but ensures that mea- sures are taken to prevent future endangerment to the environment. To that end, EPA obtained a deed restriction for Krysowaty Farm prohibiting the installation of drink- ing wells and future development of the portion of the property where the cleanup occurred. Although this site is considered clean, these precautionary measures were taken to ensure the future protection of the residents from any previously undetectable or residual contamination. Page 4 ------- Superfund At Work Krysowaty Farm, Hillsborough, NJ Fall 1992 A Perspective of Scale Members of an EPA cleanup team, clothed in protective gear, survey progress during the cleanup activities. The Krysowaty Farm ravine was filled with 500 drums of hazardous waste, many of which ruptured and leaked contamination into the surrounding area. Other debris and rubble are visible in the photo's foreground. Community and State Contribute to Cleanup at Krysowaty Farm Site An essential component of a successful Superfund program is community participation in EPA site activities. The dangers of Krysowaty Farm were brought to EPA's attention through the persistent efforts of Hillsborough Township residents. Public meetings held throughout the process provided the community with a mechanism for expressing their concerns regarding the Excavating the Contamination EPA teams removed and transported 13,700 cubic yards of contaminated soil and wastes from the Krysowaty Farm site. The excavated area was then filled with new soil and reseeded. cleanup. The Township and EPA designed plans and undertook cleanup activities based on input from the citizens of Hillsborough. The Township was also respon- sive in acknowledging the problem's severity, lowering property taxes for 68 homes near the hazardous waste dump. EPA's Superfund program financed the site cleanup because the original landowner of the Krysowaty property was deceased, and other potential continued on back page Page 5 ------- Superfund At Work Krysowaty Farm, Hillsborough, NJ Fall 1992 Community and State Contribute to Cleanup continued from page 5 contributing polluters could not be found. A leader for the Coalition for Clean Water underscored the benefit of positive, coordinated efforts like those at Krysowaty Farm: "I believe you can change any- thing if you work at it," she said. Residents, township officials, and EPA certainly did work at it, and their efforts yielded impressive results: The threat of contamination has been abated and the Krysowaty Farm property has been largely restored. If you wish to be added to our mailing list or to comment on this bulletin's content, length or format, please call (703) 603-8984 or send a letter to Superfund At Work (5502G), 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460. Success at Krysowaty Farm The cleanup of Krysowaty Farm dearly demonstrates Superfund's commitment to cleanup the nation's most dangerous hazard- ous waste sites. Superfund provided Hills- horough residents with the financing and expertise needed to alleviate the threat to their community. The fear of contamination of well water has subsided and neighboring properties have returned to full market value. With the dangers and repercussions of site con- tamination eliminated, residents can share in the comments of a local real estate agent who said, "The fear of this property is completely gone." For additional copies of this or other Superfund At Work updates, contact the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161, telephone (703) 487-4650. 8-EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency 5502G Washington, D.C. 20460 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 First Class Mail Postage and Fees Paid EPA Permit No. G-35 & Printed on recycled paper ------- |