You are here: EPA Home Superfund Sites National Priorities List (NPL) NPL Site Narrative for Standard Chlorine Chem. Co., Inc.

Site Location: The Standard Chlorine Chemical Company, In c. (Standard Chlorine), site is located in an industrial area along the Hackensack Ri ver in Kearny Township, New Jersey.

Site History: Chemical manufacturing occurred at the 25-acre facility from the early 1900s to the 1990s. Operations included the production and refineme nt of naphthalene, th e storage and packaging of 1,4-dichlorobenzene moth preventatives and deodorizers, the production of dye carriers, and the processing of liquid petroleum naphth alene for the manufacture of moth balls and flakes, as well as several othe r manufacturing activities.

Site Contamination/Contaminants: The primary areas of co ncern include contaminated soils throughout the site, and two lagoons located on the eastern portion of the fa cility property. Another concern is an area contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the vicinity of a former transformer. All of these areas appear to ultimately drain into the Hackensack River. Co ntamination in the soils and groundwater also appears to discharge directly to surfac e water bodies. Tanks and drums that contained various site-related hazardou s substances, including dioxin contaminated asbestos, also are present at the facility. In addi tion, contaminated fill material from non-site related chromium ore processing activities is pr esent on the site property, as well as on other properties in the Hackensack Meadowland s. Sampling conducted between 1992 and 2002 indicate that a release of site-related hazard ous substances has occurr ed to the Hackensack River and adjacent wetlands. Dioxins, dichloro benzenes, 1,2,4-trichlor obenzene, naphthalene, benzene, and chlorobenzene, as well as several other semivolatile and volatile organic compounds, have been detect ed at varying levels .

Potential Impacts on Surrounding Community/Environment: Fish consumption warnings (particularly crab) and a health advisory have been issued for the Hackensack River due to PC Bs and dioxin contamination, originating in part from the Standard Chlorine site. The site lies in the Ha ckensack Meadowlands which has been identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a Si gnificant Habitat Complex of the New York Bight Watershed at the request of the U.S. Environm ental Protection Agency 's (EPA) New York - New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program, and may be a habitat for some state or Federal designated endangered and/or threatened species. Releases of site-related hazardous substances to ground water also have been documented since at least the early 1980s.

Response Activiti es (to date): In December 2001, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protec tion (NJDEP) requested that EPA evaluate the Standard Chlorine site for listing on the National Priorities List due to 

## STANDARD CHLORINE Kearny, New Jersey Essex Count y 

## National Priorities List (NPL) Last u p dated on Monda y, November 16th

, 2009. htt p : //www.e p a. g ov / su p erfund / sites / n p l / nar1672.htm 

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12/3/2009 http ://www.e p a. g ov/su p erfund/sites/n p l/nar1672.htmthe complex environmental issues present at the site and the inability of the responsible parties to address the issues. The NJDEP indica ted that Standard Chlorine had not completed Remedial Investigation activities required un der the terms of a 1989 Administrative Consent Order (ACO).
[The description of the site (release) is based on information available at the time the site was evaluated with the HRS. The descr iption may change as additional information is gathered on the sources and extent of contamination. See 56 FR 5600, February 11, 1991, or subsequent FR notices.]

For more information about the hazardous substa nces identified in th is narrative summary, including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substa nces and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Interne t at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737. 

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12/3/2009 http ://www.e p a. g ov/su p erfund/sites/n p l/nar1672.htm