chemsol, inc.

FLEMING ST

The Chemsol, Inc. site is located at the end of Fleming Street, in the Township of Piscataway, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Interstate 287 is located approximately one-half mile south of the site, and the site is bounded on the south by the Reading Railroad right-of-way. The site covers approximately 40 acres. Land use in the vicinity of the site is commercial and residential. Single family residences are located immediately west and southwest of the site. Industrial and retail/wholesale businesses are located south and east of the site. An apartment complex is located north of the site. The site was operated as a solvent recovery and waste reprocessing facility in the 1950's through approximately 1964. Recovery and reprocessing activities included operations such as mixing, blending and distillation. The facility was closed after a series of industrial accidents, explosions and fires. In 1978, the site was purchased by Tang Realty Corporation. In 1984, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) entered into an Administrative Consent Order with Tang Realty requiring that Tang Realty perform an investigation to evaluate contamination at the site and develop a remedial action plan for the site. Approximately 40 groundwater monitoring wells were installed by Tang Realty on-site or downgradient from the site. Sampling from these monitoring wells indicated that groundwater was contaminated with organic compounds. Furthermore, sampling and analysis of soils revealed the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organic compounds. In the summer of 1988, Tang Realty removed approximately 3,700 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated soils for off-site disposal. During the soil excavations for removal of PCB-contaminated soils, several thousand small (less than 1 gallon) containers of unknown substances were discovered. These unknown substances were stored in a trailer on-site. Sampling was conducted by Tang Realty and the Middlesex County Health Department at private (residential) wells located downgradient of the site (in the "Nova Ukraine" area of Piscataway). The results of sampling performed in January 1990 indicated the presence of organic contaminants in residential wells. The Township extended municipal water service into the Nova Ukraine area during the Fall of 1990. In the Fall of 1990, EPA and the NJDEP agreed that EPA should perform site investigations and federally fund the remainder of the investigatory work