Thursday, August 25, 2011

EPA Set To Try New Groundwater Cleanup in New Jersey

By Duane Craig

The Environmental Protection Agency is recommending a new approach to cleaning up heavy metals in the groundwater underlying a Superfund site in Pedricktown, New Jersey. The site was contaminated with heavy metals from a former lead smelter that was used for recycling old batteries.

The plan is to inject an additive that is non-hazardous into the groundwater. The additive will absorb the heavy metals. This process could replace the current process of drilling wells, pumping the water to the surface for treatment and then re-injecting it into the ground.

This site has been on the Superfund list since 1983 and previous cleanup efforts included, "removing contaminated waste, soil, sediment, piles of lead, debris, and standing water; demolishing contaminated buildings on the site; securing other areas; and conducting sampling and monitoring activities." The EPA has done some of the cleanup work while the responsible party has done other portions under the guidance of the EPA.

Get the whole story, here.

1 comment:

Nancy Swan said...

When government or industry removes toxic or contaminated soil, where does it end up. Privately owned dump trucks were seen at 2 am carrying soil away from a Superfund agent orange site near where I lived.
the dump trucks were followed and seen dumping the contents into a private dump. An investigation by a prestigious cancer center found a high incidence of cancer on the street bordering the private dump site. My friend on that street died of cancer.