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Narrative for Standard Chlorine Chem. Co., Inc. 

 Site Location: 

 The Standard Chlorine Chemical Company, Inc. (Standard Chlorine), site is located in an 

industrial area along the Hackensack River 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 refinement of naphthalene, the storage and packaging 

of 1,4-dichlorobenzene moth preventatives and deodorizers, the production of dye carriers, 

and the processing of liquid petroleum naphthalene for the manufacture of moth balls and 

flakes, as well as several other manufacturing activities. 

 Site Contamination/Contaminants: 

 The primary areas of concern include contaminated soils throughout the site, and two 

lagoons located on the eastern portion of the facility 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. Contamination in the soils 

and groundwater also appears to discharge directly to surface water bodies. Tanks and drums 

that contained various site-related hazardous substances, including dioxin contaminated 

asbestos, also are present at the facility. In addition, contaminated fill material from non-site 

related chromium ore processing activities is present on the site property, as well as on other 

properties in the Hackensack Meadowlands. Sampling conducted between 1992 and 2002 

indicate that a release of site-related hazardous substances has occurred to the Hackensack 

River and adjacent wetlands. Dioxins, dichlorobenzenes, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, naphthalene, 

benzene, and chlorobenzene, as well as several other semivolatile and volatile organic 

compounds, have been detected 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 PCBs and dioxin contamination, originating in part from the 

Standard Chlorine site. The site lies in the Hackensack Meadowlands which has been identified 

by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a Significant Habitat Complex of the New York Bight 

Watershed at the request of the U.S. Environmental 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 Activities (to date): 

 In December 2001, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) requested 

that EPA evaluate the Standard Chlorine site for listing on the National Priorities List due to 

STANDARD CHLORINE Kearny, New Jersey 

Essex County 

National Priorities List (NPL)

Last updated on Monday, November 16th, 2009.

http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/nar1672.htm

NPL Site Narrative for Standard Chlorine Chem. Co., Inc. | National Priorities List (NPL)... Page 1 of 2

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the complex environmental issues present at the site and the inability of the responsible 

parties to address the issues. The NJDEP indicated that Standard Chlorine had not completed 

Remedial Investigation activities required under 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 description 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 substances identified in this narrative summary, 

including general information regarding the effects of exposure to these substances on human 

health, please see the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) ToxFAQs. 

ATSDR ToxFAQs can be found on the Internet at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html or by 

telephone at 1-888-42-ATSDR or 1-888-422-8737. 

NPL Site Narrative for Standard Chlorine Chem. Co., Inc. | National Priorities List (NPL)... Page 2 of 2

http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/nar1672.htm 12/3/2009