EPA ANNOUNCES COMMENCEMENT OF
GROUNDWATER FIELD WORK AT THE
FRIED INDUSTRIES SUPERFUND SITE
Community Update
August 2009
EPA will begin the field work and
other remedial activities neces-
sary to treat the groundwater
contaminants at the Fried Indus-
tries Superfund site in East
Brunswick, NJ
EPA expects the work to begin
mid-August 2009 and take ap-
proximatelv six months.
QUESTIONS? Please Contact
Community Involvement
Coordinator
Pat Seppi
212-637-3679
Seppi.pat@epa.gov
Remedial Project Manager
Alison Hess
212-637-3959
Hess.alison@epa.gov
Visit EPA's Web site at:
www. epa. gov/region02/superfund
www.epa.gov/re
.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has prepared
this fact sheet to inform the community, local officials and other
interested parties about the upcoming field work to be performed at
the Fried Industries Superfund site (site) in East Brunswick, NJ.
This field work and other remedial activities are necessary to treat
the groundwater contaminants and meet applicable federal and
state requirements.
In June 2009, EPA approved the Final Remedial Design Work Plan
for the Fried Industries site. The field work component of the de-
sign is expected to begin mid- August 2009 and take approximately
six months. The field work will allow EPA to complete the char-
acterization of the nature and extent of contaminants and gather
design data to treat the bedrock groundwater contaminants and will
include the following tasks:
* Installation of a bedrock pump test well;
* Assessment of the matrix diffusion potential of the bed
rock
(shows the potential of the bedrock to slowly release
contaminants over time;
* Performance of an aquifer pumping test;
* Implementation of a topographic site survey;
* Installation of four new off-site bedrock groundwater
monitoring wells for contaminant delineation;
* Groundwater sampling from 23 existing bedrock wells,
21 existing overburden monitoring wells and the four
new off-site wells; and
* Installation of geotechnical borings.
EPA has certain remedial action objectives for the affected
groundwater. These objectives include the following :
* Restore contaminated groundwater to applicable State
standards;
* Prevent public exposure to contaminated groundwater
that presents a risk to human health and the environment;
* Minimize migration of contaminated groundwater; and
* Protect uncontaminated groundwater.
gion02/superfund/npl/friedindustries
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FRIED INDUSTRIES SITE BACKGROUND
EPA added the Fried Industries site in Middlesex County, NJ to the Superfund National Priorities List
on June 1, 1986. The Fried Industries Superfund site consists of an approximately 26-acre property lo-
cated in a mixed residential and open space area of East Brunswick. The site contains a pond, a marsh
area and several separate wetland areas. The site previously contained a building complex which was
used for the manufacture of certain chemicals.
Conditions at the site resulted in contamination of the soil and groundwater. In 1983, EPA found that
hazardous wastes were improperly stored on site and site soil was contaminated with heavy metals, arse-
nic and volatile organic compounds, which are potentially harmful contaminants that can easily evapo-
rate in the air.
As an immediate action, in 1985, EPA pumped approximately 7,000 gallons of process and septic
wastes from underground tanks. The Township of East Brunswick provided hookups to the public water
supply for homes still using wells in the affected area. In 1989, EPA installed a security fence around
the building complex and began to remove drums and laboratory containers from the site.
To clean up the entire site, EPA decided to excavate, treat and dispose of arsenic-contaminated surface
soil, extract and treat groundwater, and demolish on-site buildings.
In 1997, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers directed the demolition and removal of all on-site above-
ground structures, including buildings, tanks, railroad cars and loading ramps. This action was com-
pleted in January 1998. The building complex was demolished in 1999. Also in 1999, approximately
15,450 tons of contaminated soil was removed from the site along with over 600 55-gallon drums and
numerous pails, bottles and tanks. Additionally, 600,000 gallons of groundwater was pumped out of the
ground and disposed of off-site. Due to extensive removal of contamination, for both soil and ground-
water, a re-evaluation of the groundwater was necessary, and a review of the design was required.
The Final Remedial Design Work Plan for the groundwater was approved in June 2009 and EPA will
begin the remedial activities shortly to treat the groundwater contaminants at the site.
US EPA Region 2 has designated an Ombudsman as a point-of-contact for community concerns and
questions about the federal Superfund program in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the US Vir-
gin Islands. To support this effort, the Agency has established a 24-hour, toll-free number that the pub-
lic can call to request information, express their concerns or register complaints about Superfund. The
ombudsman for EPA's Region 2 office is:
George H. Zachos
US EPA, Region 2
2890 Woodbridge Avenue, MS-211
Edison, New Jersey
(732)321-6621
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