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Site Number: |
A22L |
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Contract Number: |
EP-S2-10-03 |
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D.O. Number: |
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Action Memo Date: |
9/26/2013 |
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Response Authority: |
CERCLA |
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Response Type: |
Emergency |
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Response Lead: |
EPA |
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Incident Category: |
Removal Action |
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NPL Status: |
Non NPL |
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Operable Unit: |
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Mobilization Date: |
12/4/2013 |
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Start Date: |
12/4/2013 |
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Demob Date: |
12/20/2013 |
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Completion Date: |
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CERCLIS ID: |
NJN008010373 |
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RCRIS ID: |
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ERNS No.: |
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State Notification: |
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FPN#: |
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Reimbursable Account #: |
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1.1.1 Incident Category
Emergency Removal Action
1.1.2 Site Description
The former Barth Smelting Corporation was located at 99 Chapel Street, Newark, New Jersey. The Site includes the historic footprint of the former Barth facility (Block 2442, Lots 10, 11, 12) and the extent of lead contamination adjacent to the former facility, including the former playground and grassy areas adjacent the community building on the Newark Housing Authority (NHA) Terrell Homes property.
Barth Smelting Corp. operated on the 99 Chapel Street property, specifically Block 2442, Lots 10, 11, 12, from at least 1946 until the late 1970s, producing brass and bronze ingots and working with non-ferrous metals. Barth was listed as an unrecognized Battery Lead Smelter site with a paper titled “Discovering Unrecognized Lead Smelting Sites by Historical Methods” written by William Eckel et al, and published in the American Journal of Public Health, April 2001.
Prior operators at the 99 Chapel Street property include General Lead Batteries, a manufacturer of lead acid batteries, and the New Jersey Zinc Company, a former zinc smelter. The New Jersey Zinc and Iron Company, also known as the Newark Zinc Works, formerly operated their large facility on the 99 Chapel Street property as well as the property now occupied by the Newark Housing Authority's Terrell Homes. The Zinc Works was one of the first commercial zinc oxide plants in the United States and operated on this location from 1848 to 1910. After the cessation of operations, the New Jersey Zinc & Iron Company buildings were demolished and the property subdivided. In 1946, the Millard E. Terrell Homes, a family development with 275 units, was constructed on one of the parcels of property formerly occupied by the New Jersey Zinc and Iron Company.
1.1.2.1 Location
The Terrell Homes are located in a mixed residential/industrial neighborhood within the Ironbound Section of Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. The property was formerly home to the New Jersey Zinc and Iron Company from 1848 to 1910, and was located adjacent to the former Barth Smelting Corporation facility. The property is bounded to the west by the Passaic River and the Essex County Riverfront Park, to the east by Chapel Street, to the north by the former Barth Smelting Corp. property, and to the west by a large commercial property.
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
Lead concentrations have been detected exceeding the EPA residential soil screening level of 400 mg/kg within the top two feet of soil at the Terrell Homes housing complex within the grassy area immediately adjacent the Community Building and within the former playground area. The results from lead in the surface soil sampled at 0-1" depth interval ranged from 85 ppm to 9,800 ppm and in the highest concentration of lead detected in soils in the top one inch is 9,800 ppm and in the 1-6" depth interval ranged from 46 to 7,130 ppm.
Direct contact with the elevated levels of lead within the top one inch of soil may occur through common outdoor activities that occur in the play area, or by tracking lead contaminated dirt inside the home. Contact with the lead contaminated soils may present a health risk to residents, particularly young children.
The effects of exposure to lead are the same whether it enters the body through breathing or swallowing. The main target for lead toxicity is the nervous system, both in adults and children. Long-term exposure of adults to lead has resulted in decreased performance in some tests that measure functions of the nervous system. Lead exposure may also cause weakness in fingers, wrists, or ankles. Lead exposure also causes small increases in blood pressure, particularly in middle-aged and older people, and may also cause anemia.
Lead is a cumulative poison where increasing amounts can build up in the body eventually reaching a point where symptoms and disability occur. Particularly sensitive populations are women of child-bearing age, due to the fetal transfer of lead, and children. Cognitive deficits are associated with fetal and childhood exposure to lead. An increase in blood pressure is the most sensitive adverse health effect from lead exposure in adults. Effects on the kidney, nervous system and heme-forming elements are associated with increasing blood lead concentrations, both in children and adults. Other symptoms include: decreased physical fitness, fatigue, sleep disturbance, aching bones, abdominal pains, and decreased appetite.
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that lead and lead compounds are reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens based on limited evidence from studies in humans and sufficient evidence from animal studies, and the EPA has determined that lead is a probable human carcinogen.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
Soil samples collected from the former playground area of the Terrell Homes on December 3-4, 2012 indicated that elevated levels of lead were found to be present in the surface soils (0 - 2 foot depth interval) of the playground. Additional soil borings were installed throughout the Terrell Homes property from March 29 - April 1, 2013 to determine if historic operations conducted on this property and adjacent properties had impacted the soils. A total of thirty soil borings were installed throughout the property, and each soil boring was completed to a depth of two feet.
Two of the soil borings were installed in a grassy area adjacent the Community Building. The Community Building serves as a recreational area for the residents and contains a water park area (sprinklers) for children to play outdoors and a basketball court. Elevated levels of lead, which pose a significant threat to the local residents, were detected in the grassy area immediately adjacent the water park area. Additional sampling was performed from May 15-16, 2013 in the grassy area adjacent the Community Building to further characterize the nature and extent of the lead contamination. Elevated concentrations of lead were found along the northern property line and extending approximately 25 feet onto the property.
Soil samples collected from the former playground area of the Terrell Homes on December 3-4, 2012 indicated that elevated levels of lead were found to be present in the surface soils (0 - 2 foot depth interval) of the playground. Additional soil borings were installed throughout the Terrell Homes property from March 29 - April 1, 2013 to determine if historic operations conducted on this property and adjacent properties had impacted the soils. A total of thirty soil borings were installed throughout the property, and each soil boring was completed to a depth of two feet.Two of the soil borings were installed in a grassy area adjacent the Community Building. The Community Building serves as a recreational area for the residents and contains a water park area (sprinklers) for children to play outdoors and a basketball court. Elevated levels of lead, which pose a significant threat to the local residents, were detected in the grassy area immediately adjacent the water park area. Additional sampling was performed from May 15-16, 2013 in the grassy area adjacent the Community Building to further characterize the nature and extent of the lead contamination. Elevated concentrations of lead were found along the northern property line and extending approximately 25 feet onto the property.
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