EPA Reaches Cleanup Agreement at New Jersey Superfund Site
The EPA has reached a settlement with SL Industries, Inc. and SL Surface Technologies, Inc. for soil cleanup, groundwater protection, and to reimburse the EPA’s costs at the Puchack Well Field Superfund site in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey.
SL Industries, Inc. and SL Surface Technologies, Inc. has reached a legal agreement with the EPA, and has agreed to clean up the soil and water contamination they contributed to at the Puchack Well Field Superfund site. The soil and groundwater have been contaminated with hexavalent chromium, which may cause cancer and other serious health conditions. Six drinking water wells around the area have been closed due to the same contamination.
“Clean drinking water is a top priority for the EPA. By reducing the amount of chromium in the soil, the EPA is protecting people’s health by keeping the contaminated soil from further polluting the ground water,” stated Judith A. Enck, regional administrator for the EPA. “This agreement allows the remediation of the Puchack Well Field Superfund site with the cost paid by polluters, not taxpayers.”
In the agreement, the companies will be cleaning up the soil with a nontoxic material that will make the chromium less toxic. This will also reduce the amount of chromium that is released into the groundwater. After the cleanup is finished, the EPA will oversee a study of soil and water samples to make sure that the areas are no longer contaminated. The entire cleanup is estimated to cost the two companies $23 million, and they will also be required to reimburse the EPA $10.7 million for costs related to this site.