~tate o-f cfu Wcrs£1? 

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER 

Mail Code 401-07 

CHRIS CHRISTIE P.O. Box 402 BOB MARTIN 

Governor Trenton, NJ 08625-0402 Commissitmer 

TEL (609) 292-2885 

KIM GUADAGNO FAX (609) 292-7695 

Lr. Gowmor 

April 26, 2013 

Judith Enck, Administrator 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

Region II 

290 Broadway 

New York, NY 10007-1866 

Re: 	 Nominmion for National Priorities List of Superfund Sites 

Unimatic Manufacturing Corporation (Unimatic) 

2.5 Sherwood Lane 

Fairfield (Essex County) 

DEP/SRP PI#: 99235 

Dear Ms. Enck: 

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) nominates the Unimalic 

Manufacturing Corporation site in the Fairfield Township, Essex County for inclusion on the 

National Priorities List (NPL) of Superfund sites. The Unimatic site contains significantly 

elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination in soil and groundwater and a 

building interior. 

On March 8, 2013, the New Jersey Department of Health, working through the federal Agency 

for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), provided a health consultation that 

recommends workers using the former Unimatic building should be re-located as soon as 

feasible in order to prevent on-going exposure to PCB contamination. This recommendation was 

made upon review of data collected recently by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s 

Removal Action Branch at the subject facility. DEP referred the Unimatic site to EPA in May 

2012 for further assessment due the elevated levels of PCB contamination. 

DEP requests EPA Region II's Emergency and Remedial Response Division expand upon past 

removal assessment studies at the site to delineate soil and groundwater contamination and 

implement appropriate measures to protect human health and ensure safe reuse of the property. 

In addition, DEP concurs with EPA's plans to assess and prevent PCB contamination from 

leaving the former Unimatic building as the currently operating company implements its 

relocation. 

N!'l:· Jerse_r is 1111 Equal Oppommir:v Employer 1 Primed 011 Recycled Paper und Recyclable 
DEP referred the site to EPA due to the elevated PCB levels in soils near the surface around the 

former Unimatic building. Previous soil sample results by the responsible party range up to 990 

parts per million (ppm) in the top few feet in areas near the building, 2,180 ppm at depth around 

building and 2,530 ppm under the structure now used as a picture frame manufacturer. In 

addition, DEP is concerned the soils at depth and under the building pose an uncontrolled source 

to ground water contamination that threatens a tributary to the Passaic River. The subject site 

also is located within a groundwater contamination plume of volatile organics from the nearby 

Caldwell Trucking Superfund site, which may be acting to mobilize PCBs. 

EPA"s Region II Pesticides & Toxic Substances Branch has been working with DEP to identify 

specific concerns of not only soil and groundwater contamination at the Unimatic site, but also 

interior building contamination. To date, a responsible party for the site has not presented a 

remedial action plan to address all contamination concerns by DEP and EPA Region II's 

Pesticides & Toxic Substances Branch. 

Due to the scope of remedial work anticipated to investigate and clean up PCB contamination in 

soil and groundwater and building interiors, it is appropriate that the Unimatic site be proposed 

for the NPL. 

DEP appreciates the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process to nominate this 

site for NPL status and is looking forward to future cooperation with EPA during remedial work 

at the site. 

If you have any questions, please call me at 609-2 _ 2885. ./../ 

·n~/~~1/ / / (re , / 

/ (... 

/ Bo Martin nf-	 .. vvl11ill!SS!Oner 

\,_-./ 

C: 	 George Pavlou, Deputy Administrator, EPA Region II 

Walter Mugdan, Director, EPA Region II 

Irene Kropp, Deputy Commissioner, DEP 

Dave Sweeney, Assistant Commissioner, DEP