OSWER/OSRTI Washington, DC 20460



## N ATIONAL 

## P RIORITIES 

## L IST 

## (NPL)

[The description of the site (release) is based on information av ailable 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.]

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 ca n be found on the Internet

at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/t oxfaq.html or by telephone at 1

- 888

- 42

- ATSDR or 1

- 888

- 422

- 8737. ***Proposed Site*** March 2011


### G

ARFIELD GROUND WATER Garfield, New Jersey

CONTAMINATION Bergen County

 **Site Location :** 
The G arfield Ground W ater Contamination s ite is located in a mixed commercial/residential neighborhood in Garfi eld, Bergen County, New Jersey. The site is bordered by Van Winkle Avenue to the north, Monroe Street to the south, Sherman

Place to the east , and the Passaic River to the w est.

 **Site History:**
The site consists of an area of ground water contamination t hat was at least partially attributable to the release from a private electroplating facility that had a partially underground storage tank (UST) failure. The tank failure releas ed an estimated 3,600 gallons of chromium plating solution which included app roximately 5, 4 00 pounds (lbs) of hexavalent

chromium. The spill of plating solution contaminated the water moving under the ground or ground water. Contaminated ground water has seeped into nearby residences and commercial buildings. In addition to the former e lectroplating facility,

there are other possible sources of chromium , including a former tannery and another former electroplating facility.

Beginning in 1993, samples collected from walls, sumps, and floors within residential and c ommercial prop erty basement s indicated the presence of hexavalent chromium at elevated concentrations.

 **Site Contamination/Contaminants:**

Ground water in the study area is contaminated with chromium , including hexavalent chromium

. Hexavalent chromium is

a metal use in a variety of industrial processes . Some sources of hexavalent chromium include chromic pigments, anti

corrosive agents, and chrome plating solutions.

 **Potential Impacts on Surrounding Community/Environment :** 
Chromium

- contaminated ground water ha s cont aminated properties within the City of Garfield. Many of the properties had ground water seepage through basement walls , floors and/or basement sump pits

. As a result of the ground water seepage
into these properties , chromium crystals have been deposite d on walls and floors within basements. Ground water flows

toward t he Passaic River where residents catch fish for recreation and reportedly for consumption.

 **Response Activities (to date):**
In 1993, a consulting firm working on behalf of an e lectropla ting facility recovered contaminated ground water at the site. It was reported that approximately 1,600 pounds of chromium or 29 percent of the spilled material was recovered. Since 2005, EPA has conducted extensive sampling in the area of concern includ ing soil, ground water, wipe, air

, and dust sampling. EPA has cleaned up hexavalent chromium contamination from 1 2 properties within the area of ground water

contamination.

 **Need for NPL Listing:**

On September 30 , 2010

, the Agency for Toxic Substances a nd Disease Registry ( ATSDR ) issued a Health Advisory which

recommend s EPA take actions to mitigate resident s ’ exposure to contamination in residential/commercial properties within the area of ground water contamination and take the necessary steps to imple ment a long

- term cleanup. EPA received a letter of support for placing this site on the NPL from the s tate.