American Cyanamid Superfund Site Reduces Risk Exposure
The American Cyanamid Superfund site (Bridgewater Township, New Jersey) is located next to the Raritan River above the Brunswick Aquifer. The Brunswick Aquifer is New Jersey's second largest source for drinking water.
Historically the area had been used for manufacturing chemicals and as a disposal site of chemical sludge and other wastes. The site's soil, ground water and waste disposal areas are contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-VOCs, metals and other harmful chemicals.
In 2011, the site flooded after Hurricane Irene dumped seven inches of rainfall in 48 hours. Although there was no major release of contaminants from Hurricane Irene, the flooding caused significant damage to the facility.
To anticipate and better prepare for future events, the site owner raised critical infrastructure components to several feet above previous flood events. The berms surrounding two impoundments were also reinforced to increase their strength and prevent flood-related scour. In addition, a remedy selected by EPA in 2012 required that all future engineered caps be designed and constructed to withstand the effects of a 1-in-500-year flood event, at a minimum.
The actions taken increase resiliency to current flooding threats and prepared the site to better manage risks associated with projected increases in the frequency and intensity of future storms, including flooding. Overall, the site has become more resilient to changing environmental conditions by repairing and raising critical areas of the site to handle increased precipitation and flooding threats. This reduces the threat of contaminant release now and into the future.
| How did they do it? | Applicable EPA Tools |
|---|---|
Under EPA oversight, the site owner implemented several resiliency measures.
| EPA’s Superfund Climate Resilience site provides resources to help inform remediation efforts. |
Similar Cases and More Information
Waste sites, such as Superfund and RCRA sites, are at potential risk from the impacts of changing environmental conditions. Brownfield sites may also be at risk.
- Barre City, Vermont Accounts for Changing Conditions within a Brownfield Redevelopment Plan
- San Francisco Cleans Up India Basin Waterfront Brownfield Site as Part of Greenspace Development Effort
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