The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public input on its proposed cleanup plan to address contaminated soil at the CPS/Madison Superfund site in Old Bridge, New Jersey. A 30-day public comment period for the proposed plan begins June 1, 2023. EPA will host a public meeting at Old Bridge Senior Center, 1 Old Bridge Plaza, Old Bridge, NJ  08857 on June 15, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. to explain the new cleanup proposal.

“To protect people’s health, EPA’s proposed cleanup plan for the CPS/Madison site will address the soil contamination and restrict future use of the property. EPA invites the public to join our meeting to ask questions about the CPS/Madison site and share their thoughts on the proposed plan. Community input and participation is a key element to our work on Superfund sites,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia.

The cleanup outlined in today’s proposed plan will address the soil contamination at the Madison property portion of the site. Most of the property is covered by pavement that acts as a cap, preventing the contaminated soil from spreading. Under the proposed plan, the existing cap would remain in place, along with:

• Inspecting and repairing the cap if any areas are damaged.
• Removing contaminated soil in unpaved areas and transporting it to a licensed facility off-site for disposal.
• Filing a deed notice with property records to avoid future residential use.
• Monitoring sediment and surface water long-term to assess the effectiveness of the proposed cleanup in preventing the migration of contaminants from the soil to sediment and surface water.

The CPS/Madison site covers 35 acres and includes two adjacent facilities: the now-inactive CPS Chemical plant property and the still-operating Madison Industries/Old Bridge Chemical property. The Madison Industries facility produces chemicals for fertilizer, pharmaceuticals, and food additives, and the Old Bridge Chemicals facility, operated by a related company, produces zinc salts and copper sulfate. At the CPS facility, organic chemicals were used in the production of water treatment agents, lubricants, oil field chemicals, and anti-corrosive agents. The site operations led to the release of chemicals, polluting the soil, sediment and groundwater with heavy metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In 2019, EPA chose a plan to address contaminated site groundwater and soil at the CPS property. The engineering work needed to carry out that plan is underway.

Written comments on the EPA’s new proposed plan may be mailed or emailed to Brennan Woodall, Remedial Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway – 19th Floor, New York, NY 10007, Email: woodall.brennan@epa.gov.

For additional background and to see the proposed cleanup plan, visit the CPS/Madison Industries Superfund site profile page.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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