The Department estimates that up to five percent of the state's acreage may be impacted by the historical use of arsenical pesticides. The presence of pesticide residues may be a concern in currently operating farms and orchards as well as properties that have already been developed. Research conducted by the Department indicates similar problems exist in other states and countries. During their deliberations, Task Force members focused on how the Department determines risk and sets cleanup criteria. While supporting the overall report, the Task Force members, individually, would place different emphasis on the various conclusions, findings and recommendations.
Many members continue to have questions about various elements of the report.
The Task Force believes that implementation of the remedial options identified in the report are protective of human health and the environment. The Task Force agreed to offer certain recommendations while the Department continues to evaluate relevant environmental data, conduct needed research, monitor economic impacts of these policies and revisit these recommendations as needed. The Task Force focused its efforts on several pesticides of concern based upon their extensive agricultural use during a number of years in New Jersey, their persistence in the environment after application, and their presence in sites across the state in concentrations that exceed the Department's residential soil cleanup criteria. During the last 100 years, the agricultural community has routinely and consistently applied pesticides to control pests in order to increase crop yield. Application rates, duration of use and persistence in soil are the major factors contributing to the likelihood that residual pesticides may be present in soil at concentrations above the Department's unrestricted soil cleanup criteria.