News Releases from Region 02

EPA Finalizes Cleanup Plan to Address Groundwater Contamination in the Townships of Cinnaminson and Delran, Burlington County, New Jersey

NEW YORK – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized its cleanup plan to address groundwater contamination in Cinnaminson and Delran. The final decision, in the form of a Record of Decision (ROD), addresses contaminants in groundwater at the site by using pump, treat, and discharge methods that will capture groundwater contamination that can pose serious health risks. To further protect public health, EPA will conduct long-term monitoring of the groundwater, in addition to other protective measures.

“This decision reflects close coordination with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection as well as with the Townships of Cinnaminson and Delran to ensure the groundwater contaminants are properly treated and that the environment is secure,” said Acting Regional Administrator Walter Mugdan. “This Record of Decision, which is critically important to community members in Cinnaminson and Delran, builds on earlier decisions at the site in which EPA called for the installation of vapor recovery systems at impacted properties and a groundwater pump and treatment system, and ensured the sufficiency of the existing landfill caps at the site.”

Due to the nature and complexity of the contamination at the Cinnaminson Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site, the investigations and cleanup of the site have been conducted in four Operable Units (OUs). This finalized cleanup plan focuses on Operable Unit 4 which addresses groundwater contamination outside of areas already under remediation or investigation as part of OUs 1, 2, and 3. The properties of SLI Landfills, Messer LLC (formerly Linde LLC and BOC Gases) and Detrex Corporation are the primary identified sources of the OU4 groundwater contamination.

Under the finalized cleanup plan announced today, EPA will target highly concentrated portions of the contaminated groundwater near the source areas by using a pump and treat remedy. EPA will also implement institutional controls, such as restricting the use of groundwater from the site, to prevent and reduce human exposure to contaminated groundwater until the cleanup goals are met. Furthermore, EPA will require periodic collection and analysis of groundwater samples to verify that the level and extent of contaminants are declining.

On September 17, 2020, EPA released for public comment the proposed plan regarding its cleanup plan to address groundwater contamination at OU4 of the site. EPA held a virtual public meeting on October 1 to inform the public of EPA’s preferred remedial alternatives and to receive public comments.

To read the EPA’s Record of Decision and to view EPA’s responses to public comments, please visit https://www.epa.govhttps://www.epa.gov/superfund/cinnaminson

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