January/February 2008
Progress Update Ringwood Mines/ Landfill Site |
Ford Motor Company has been working closely with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to follow up on cleanup activities undertaken in the 1980s and 1990s at the Ringwood Mines Landfill Site in Ringwood, New Jersey, where waste materials from Ford's former assembly plant in ahwah, New Jersey, were disposed from late 1967 through mid-1971. Other parties, including the Borough of Ringwood, used the site for the disposal of waste materials before, during, and after the period when Ford-related wastes were brought to the Site.
Ford is providing this Progress Update to share information about developments in the investigation and cleanup of the Site during the months of January and February 2008.
Background
Over the past three years, Ford has conducted a multi-phase investigation and removal action at the Ringwood Mines Landfill Site under the direction of the USEPA, NJDEP, and the Army Corp of Engineers. As part of the reinvestigation, Ford conducted a comprehensive Field Reconnaissance Survey that re-examined the entire Site using transects and GPS technology to collect information on all areas of the Site that potentially could have received waste materials. EPA and NJDEP required a follow-up investigation of any potential anomalies that were identified during the Field Reconnaissance Survey. Specifically, the agencies directed Ford to excavate 79 test pits throughout the Site to determine whether there may be additional paint sludge deposits in non-residential areas outside the three known landfill areas (Peter's Mine Pit Area; the O'Connor Disposal Site, and the Cannon Mine Pit Area). EPA also has required Ford to move forward with additional investigations of the landfills on the Site: Peter's Mine Pit Area; the O'Connor Disposal Site, and the Cannon Mine Pit Area.
This Progress Update reviews the status of all of these activities.
Field Reconnaissance Survey and Follow-Up Test Pit Survey
The Field Reconnaissance Survey was completed in 2005 and summarized in an October 2005 report. (Click here to view a copy of the Reconnaissance Survey.) The Reconnaissance Survey identified a limited number of surficial paint sludge deposits on the Site. A total of 12 paint sludge deposit areas were identified through the Reconnaissance Survey and related investigative activities. These deposits have been designated as 'SR' (for 'sludge removal') Areas 1 through 12.
In connection with the search for paint sludge deposits and any other evidence of Ford-related waste materials on the site, the Reconnaissance Survey located non-Ford related waste materials such as junked automobiles, tires, construction material, and municipal trash throughout the site. These non-Ford waste materials were identified in more than 50% of the locations surveyed.
The Test Pit Survey that followed the Reconnaissance Survey yielded similar results. Of the 79 test pits that EPA and NJDEP specified for excavation and characterization, paint sludge was identified in only 2 of the 79 test pits. (The 2 small paint sludge deposits identified during the Test Pit Survey have been excavated and removed from the Site.) Municipal and other non-Ford-related trash and debris were identified in 50 of the 79 (63%) of the Site-wide test pits.
Status of Removal of Paint Sludge in the SR Areas
Surficial paint sludge deposits have now been removed from all identified sludge removal areas (SR), with two exceptions: the paint sludge deposit at SR-5 which will be addressed as part of the Peters Mine Pit Area, and surficial paint sludge at SR-6 that is undergoing removal. The work at SR-6 is expected to be completed by the end of April 2008.
Removal of Paint Sludge from SR- 6
Ford's contractor, ARCADIS, is continuing to conduct paint sludge removal activities in SR-6. The SR-6 area is located adjacent to the former Cannon Mine Pit Area -- an area that was used for many years by the Borough of Ringwood for the disposal of municipal and other waste materials. Potions of SR-6 are on a slope that formed as a result of the borough's landfilling activities.
Some of the paint sludge deposits in SR-6 were buried under non-Ford related landfill material. Under the direction of USEPA, ARCADIS has excavated and removed large portions of non-Ford related landfilled material to remove the buried paint sludge located on the slope. During these activities, Ford has excavated approximately 2,000 tons of overlying fill material in this area.
Landfill Investigation
Ford has been proceeding under EPA's direction in conducting follow-up investigations in three specific areas where waste materials were historically landfilled -- Cannon Mine Pit Area, O'Connor Disposal Area, and the Peters Mine Pit Area. Investigative activity at those locations has included additional surface water and soil sampling, the excavation of test pits and test trenches to characterize landfilled materials, and the installation and sampling of additional groundwater wells to obtain additional groundwater data adjacent to the landfills. By way of example, in the Cannon Mine Pit Area, Ford has installed 3 directional borings, excavated 12 test pits, and it is completing the installation of four additional groundwater monitoring wells. In the Peters Mine Pit Area, Ford excavated a total of 10 test pits and 2 test trenches to characterize the fill material in the area. Ford also installed groundwater monitoring wells and collected groundwater and surface samples. Similarly, at the O'Connor Disposal Site, Ford collected additional surface soil samples, installed four additional groundwater monitoring wells, and excavated a total of 14 test trenches and 10 test pits.
These additional investigative activities have been completed at the O'Connor Disposal Area and Peters Mine Pit Area, and they are on-going at the Cannon Mine Pit Area. Once the investigations have been completed and the data validated in accordance with EPA-required procedures, the results will be compiled into a Remedial Investigation report that will be made available for public review and comment.
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Ford is committed to addressing remaining environmental issues at the Ringwood Site associated with the disposal of Ford-related wastes. Ford is also committed to keeping the community informed and addressing questions or concerns about Site activities. If you would like a copy of previous issues of the Progress Update, or have any questions regarding activities at the Site, please contact Jon Holt, Ford Community Relations Consultant, at (908) 832-0557.
