Submit your claim details for a free, no obligation case review
Get Started:
The federal Environmental Protection Agency directed a renewed cleanup of the former Superfund site for the past year in response to residents’ concerns that hazardous materials were still presenting health risks. The site is where Ford dumped lead-based paint sludge and other industrial waste more than 30 years ago.
The EPA had declared the site clean in 1994 after an initial cleanup by Ford, but overlooked sludge discovered by residents renewed cleanup efforts. The industrial dumpsite is located near the homes of Ramapough Mountain Indians who have complained of severe health problems. Even low levels of lead contamination can damage the nervous system.
An environmental group says its tests outside the former industrial dump site found high levels of lead, arsenic and other toxic substances. Long-term exposure to arsenic and benzene is linked to cancer and leukemia.
Ford contractors, this winter, have excavated sludge, marked several other areas for cleanup and tested monitoring wells. The tests found levels of lead, arsenic and benzene exceeding clean water standards at location near several homes. According to EPA documents, contractors who initially dumped waste for Ford did not map out all their dump sites, and the January 18 tests by the Edison Wetlands Association were conducted in residential locations outside the stated cleanup area that had been looked at before.
The streams in the area tested at elevated levels of the industrial chemical chlorobenzene, which residents have used for years for drinking water. The streams in the area flow into the Wanaque Reservoir, which millions of New Jersey residents use. The executive director of the Edison Association, Robert Spiegel, believes the latest sampling is evidence of the large problems that Ford and the EPA must still address.
For decades, residents have been living with toxic sludge in their yards, exposing them to potentially deadly risks. Last year, EPA officials directed Ford to reinspect the 500-acre area where waste from its from Mahwah manufacturing plant was dumped from 1967 into the early 1970s. The EPA is preparing a plan for inspecting and cleaning up residential properties while Ford contractors clean up the state park and borough-owned wooded lands.
Copyright © 2001 - 2012 Online Lawyer Source
ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT—Thank you for your visit. The content published on this website was not written by medical professionals and should not, at any point, be mistaken for medical advice. Furthermore, the information on this site is intended for educational purposes only and should never interfere with a patient/site visitor and his or her healthcare provider. In addition, viewing the content on this website, requesting additional information, or transmitting information through a contact form should never be considered the formation of an attorney-client relationship. The material published on this site is general and may not apply to your specific circumstances. Every case comes with its own set of unique circumstances; past success discussed on this site does not guarantee future performance. Information found on this website should not be used as incentive to act without seeking counsel from a professional. For more information, please read our disclaimer.