EPA to Begin Cleanup Activities at the Tidewater Baling site Community Update March 2008 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will begin site cleanup at the Tidewater Baling site located at 26 St. Charles Street in Newark, New Jersey. Recently, testing was conducted at the site to gain ad- ditional information regarding the contaminated site soils and the baler pits. EPA anticipates this cleanup to occur in March through late spring . HISTORY AND BACKGROUND The site is located in a mixed residential and commercial portion of Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. The property is a long narrow parcel, approximately 2.5 acres in size, bordered by Conrail to the north, St. Charles Street to the west, and the Ironbound Recreation Center to the south. Residences line the opposite end of St. Charles Street and the adjoining street. The closest residence is approxi- mately 100 feet from the site. A number of industrial facilities are present north of the site. Tidewater Baling began operating in 1945. It processed and com- pacted a variety of ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal, including drums, automobiles, transformers, and industrial scrap for recycling. Poor housekeeping and oil spills from the operations impacted the site and a portion of the adjoining ball field. It is believed that opera- tions at the site ceased at least several years ago. There are several derelict structures on-site including two balers, each which includes a pit used for the collection of oil released dur- ing the baling operation. An old baler that was used to process the scrap metal is situated to the east of the storage building. The "new" baler, which was constructed in 1957, is located near the eastern end of the site. The baler pit is constructed of concrete and extends approximately three stories below grade. The pair were used to contain any oil that was released during the baling operations. The water and oil that accumulated in the pit was pumped into an above ground storage tank to allow the oil and water to separate. www.EPA.gov/region2/superfund/removal/TIDEWATER EPA will begin cleanup of con- taminated soil and two baler pits at the Tidewater Baling site. This work will begin mid March and continue through late spring. Recent activity: • Additional sampling occurred at the site to determine the extent of contamination in parts of the site such as the soil and the baler pit. Planned Activities: • Excavate PCB and lead con- taminated soil; • Transport approximately 10,000 cubic yards of con- taminated soil for disposal; • Upon completion of exca- vated activities, crushed stone will be placed in all ex- cavated areas of the site; • Dust control and air monitor- ing throughout the excavation process; • Demolition and disposal of the garage and warehouse buildings. ------- Community Update March 2008 The water was then discharged on to the ground and the oil report- edly reused in the baler hydraulic system. In 1986, Tidewater Baling Corporation reportedly excavated soil con- taminated with PCBs and heavy metals from the scoreboard area of the ball field but failed to address the source. EPA performed a CERCLA removal action at the site in 1989 which included construc- tion of limited fencing in the scoreboard area of the recreational cen- ter and placement of berms and booms to restrict migration of oily discharges into and out of this area. Sampling conducted by EPA revealed elevated levels of heavy metals and PCBs in the soils, and in the oil being used in the process. In 1990, the company signed an Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) with EPA to address the baler, initiate remedial action and pay Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) penalties. The facility re- portedly continued to impact both on-site and off-site areas. In 1992, the company signed an AOC with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to conduct a Remedial Investigation/ Feasibility Study (see glossary) and to remediate the contamination. A Remedial Action Work Plan was approved by NJDEP in 1997 which called for a limited excavation of 2,000 tons to an approximate four foot depth. This action was never implemented by the company. In May 2005, NJDEP initiated a response action at the site to remove oil from the baler pit; excavate a limited area of oil-saturated soil; and remove and dispose of cylinders, drums and tankers filled with petro- leum products and hazardous waste. In July 2006, NJDEP com- pleted the installation of a 465-foot fence with two gates at a portion of the unsecured site along St. Charles Street, which was the pri- mary access for trespassers to the site. Later that year, additional fencing was added to encompass the entire site except for a small area at the rear of the site, near an inactive railroad spur. During November 2006 and January 2007, EPA visited the site sev- eral times and there was evidence that persons were continuing to access the site even with the fencing. A site entry was completed in March 2007 to observe on-site conditions and to conduct air monitor- ing. In April 2007, 19 on-site and off-site surface soil sample and three wastewater samples were collected. All samples collected were not found to have high levels of lead and PCBs. Based on the available information, a removal cleanup is warranted at the site to address the potential threats posed to the community surrounding the site and the persons that enter the site. www.EPA.gov/region2/superfund/removal/TIDEWATER EPA encourages public participa- tion. If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact: Bobby Dease, On-Scene Coordinator U.S. EPA 2890 Woodbridge Avenue Edison, New Jersey 08837 908-420-4441 Dease.Bobby@epa.gov Don Graham, On-Scene Coordinator U.S. EPA 2890 Woodbridge Avenue Edison, New Jersey 08837 908-420-4506 Graham.Don@epa.gov Cecilia Echols, Community Involvement Coordinator U.S. EPA 290 Broadway 26th Floor New York, New York 10007 212-637-3678 Echols.Cecilia@epa.gov Beth Totman EPA Press Officer 212-637-3662 T otman ,elizabeth@epa .gov Or call our Superfund Toil-Free Hotline @1-800-346-5009 ------- |