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February 2000
Update, the BOMARC Missile Site Plutonium Remediation (Proposed Plan), Cleanup Work Plan and some support files are now located under "Resources/BOMARC" on this site.
The USEPA is once again trying to sway the unsuspecting public towards thermal desorption/incineration in
(Dover Township) Toms River, NJ.
Thermal Desorption unit at Industrial Latex
Superfund site in Wallington, NJ
When will the EPA listen to citizens?
Citizens have asked for risk assessments prior to selection on which cleanup method will be used.
This will allow an informed citizen to make a decision on whether a particular cleanup method is best for the community.
If small mechanical problems aren't fixed right away (see below), how can we trust the EPA to have the proper oversight of a thermal desorption unit.
Change all the terms "Thermal Treatment" on their reports and draft feasbility study to "thermal desorption" if that is truly
what they intend to use.
Click here to see the cover article on the November cover page to explain
why we are concerned with this terminology.
The tour of the Ciba Geigy Superfund site, "bioremediation"
and
Industrial Latex Superfund Site,
"thermal desorption".
Ciba Geigy is performing a pilot study on the use of microbes to breakdown organic contaminates. The material is brought into a building and placed in bins as pictured above and below.
Here the soil is mixed with nutrients and additives. Air is circulated through the piles of contaminated dirt to accelerate the process.
This process is call bio-remediation.
Bioremediation is a simple mechanical process. Thermal desorption/ incineration is a complex machine requiring frequent maintenance.
Pictured below is an example of how a simple system can have problems. Air is circulated through the contaminated pile of dirt via pipes, pictured below is a separated air pipe not performing its intended function.
When an official on the project was asked about this line being separated, he stated, "it happened several days ago." The line was hit by a piece of machinery and has not been repaired yet.
This line is supposed to be in operation to circulate air through this contaminated pile of dirt.
Our tour of the Industrial Latex site pictured above was even less impressive. The thermal desorption/ incinerator unit was shut down due to the cold weather and for maintenance.
The type of unit (indirect combustion) used at Industrial Latex site would not be used at the Ciba Geigy Superfund site because this unit does not have a secondary combustion chamber.
One has to wonder are we being asked to accept thermal desorption/incinerator without knowing how it will affect our community? The EPA has stated it will not perform any risk impact analysis on
this community from any cleanup option proposed. Are we being asked to accept thermal treatment because it is a "fast" fix to repair the damage done at the Ciba Geigy Superfund site?
Is public safety in jeopardy?
The next public meeting on the Citizen Action Committee on Childhood Cancer Cluster is February 28, 2000 at 6:00 pm.
For further details look under "Meeting/Events"
The previous cover page can be found under "RESOURCES", Previous Month's Cover Pages.
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