Delivering Environmental Consulting and Remediation Solutions for 50 Years
Project Profile
Big Box Retail Site - Jersey City, NJ
ESI was contracted to investigate, assess, and remediate a 12 acre brownfield site on the west side of Jersey City, NJ that previously supported a chromium smelting facility operating from the early 1900s until 1954.
Regulatory Authority
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) – ISRA
Identified Contaminants
Hexavalent Chromium
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Remediation Strategy
Strategic Excavation/Disposal and Site Capping
Site Services
- Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)
- Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)
- Contaminant Identification and Delineation
- Remediation Workplan Development
- Remedial Action Report
- Regulatory Negotiation
- Permitting & Compliance Reporting
- Remedial System Deployment & Management
- Site Health & Safety Plan
Site History
From the early 1900s to 1954, a company called the Mutual Chemical Company operated a “chrome ore” processing plant across the street from 441 Route 440, where the Home Depot is now located. The plant produced chromium products that were used as a key ingredient in stainless steel and in heating and cooling systems. Approximately 40% of the material produced at the processing plant was used to support U.S. military operations during World War II.
From the early 1900s to 1954, the Mutual Chemical Company used Site 441 Route 440 to dispose of a manufacturing by-product called “Chrome Ore Processing Residue” or “COPR” (pronounced “ko-per”). At the time, this was done with approval from state and local governments.
In the 1980s, because of new concerns about the suitability of COPR as fill material and the possibility of adverse health effects caused by a type of chromium called “hexavalent chromium,” the state of New Jersey began to investigate COPR sites throughout Hudson County, including this site. Under the federal Superfund law passed in 1980 and amendments to the New Jersey Spill Act passed in 1979, responsibility for these old sites was placed on the companies that created them or with the companies that bought the companies that created them, regardless of who owns these sites now.
Project Details
ESI was retained by G. Heller Enterprises, a developer for Home Depot, to provide environmental assessment and remediation services at the former Ryerson Steel/Mutual Chemical industrial site in Jersey City, NJ. Heller was buying the 12 acre property from Honeywell/Allied Signal, the current owners, and planned to lease the property to Home Depot.
We conducted Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) that focused on the practical property redevelopment issues. Under the ISRA program, site investigation was completed and and soil and groundwater sampling provided pollutant delineation data that could impact the planned property redevelopment and provide technical support for remedial cures and property title restrictions.
Based on our site assessment findings and the proposed site redevelopment plan, ESI evaluated remedial alternatives and recommended that the site be lined and capped. We developed the liner specifications that were protective of chromium migration to groundwater. The capping system was jointly designed to consist of non-woven geotextile placed beneath a flexible geomembrane liner, with a geocomposite drainage layer placed directly above the geomembrane. The membrane and drainage layers were covered with soil, asphalt, or concrete building slabs.
ESI developed the remediation site health & safety plan that included a comprehensive worker monitoring schedule for chromium exposure.
The New Jersey DEP approved the remedial plan and filed a Declaration of Environmental Restriction.
The remediation was completed within the project budget and timeline, and redevelopment proceeded without any further incident.
Delivering Environmental Consulting
and Remediation Solutions for 50 Years
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781 Route 15 South, 2nd Floor
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info@esienv.com
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darata@esienv.com
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