3-EPA United Envirortmenta) Protection Agency OSWER/OSRTI Washington, DC 20460 NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST (NPL) *** ''Proposed Site *** RARTTAN BAY SLAG April 2009 Old Bridge Township / Sayreville, New Jersey Middlesex County Site Location: The Raritan Bay Slag site consists of a lead-contaminated sea wall and portions of Margaret's Creek in Old Bridge Township, and a jetty of lead-contaminated slag deposition located along the southern shore of the Raritan and Sayreville, both in Middlesex County, New Jersey. ,0. Site History: In September 1972, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) was advised by a local government official that lead-bearing waste material was being disposed of along the Laurence Harbor beachfront on Raritan Bay. NL Industries, Inc. (NL) acknowledged that metallic slag waste from blast furnace and blast furnace rubble was disposed of at their property in Old Bridge Township. Old Bridge officials worked with NJDEP to notify the public about health concerns from the lead waste material and restricted access by means of signage and some fencing. However, due to physical constraints, it was not practical to completely fence off contaminated areas. § Site Contamination/Contaminants: Lead is the contaminant of concern. Analytical results from sampling in 2007 found lead at concentrations as high as 142,000 parts per million at the jetty and seawall. Data collected by NJDEP demonstrate similar contamination levels in the area of Margaret's Creek from similar sources. dfr Potential Impacts on Surrounding Community/Environment: Lead-contaminated slag, associated with the western jetty of the Cheesequake Creek Inlet and the Laurence Harbor Seawall, was observed to be in direct contact with the Raritan Bay. The Raritan Bay is a fishery and a sensitive environment (a sensitive area identified under the National Estuary Program and a state-designated water body for the maintenance of aquatic life). t^ Response Activities (to date): In September 2008, EPA collected surface and subsurface soil, surface water, and sediment samples in the area of the seawall and the jetty. Waste samples were also collected from the slag that forms portions of the seawall and jetty. Analytical data from this investigation is pending. B Meed for NPL Listing: The State of New Jersey referred the site to EPA because limited site access restrictions previously implemented at the site would not protect human health and the environment over the long-term due to the lead contamination remaining on the seawall and a portion of the public beach, both part of Waterfront Park and along the Raritan Bay in the Laurence Harbor portion of Old Bridge. Other federal and state cleanup programs were evaluated, but none were viable for this site. [The description of the site (release) is based on information available at the time the site was evaluated with the HRS. The description may change as additional information is gathered on the sources and extent of contamination.] For more information about the hazardous substances identified in this narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737. ------- |