(AGENPARL) – gio 16 gennaio 2025 Issued: Jan 16, 2025 (12:51pm EST)
If you wish to unsubscribe please do so
here: http://url6130.epa.mediaroom.com/ls/click?upn=u001.iqz6hAvLdUl-2FaSixKUG3iyFJBsxNAroAZOQ1BID8fKIiLAUfJX2sQlhu1tzKAOIu-2BU84uzAzSpWvmWyHnsNJDRYXWx5dlMz75Zp9ch-2BQlG6mQHPYjReZhS13hvd5qOopbVC9_-2B0Ok6Af7hyz7Kqg6CR74pYblAA1WjrUjKSJUAiv3NOub0DC4O7JPWGxIlQ7kBB-2FS8QJ5ilTCi3cJUqEOFGon9cMINVpHF3U6MrIU6Wc3BXgXPIPpc5txSvjQomqfUC51-2BVa6AGpm8W0SCp5-2FazkpzPAbb1iULt5yb1AbZ3q2H7Re8YI5D4mRHyiRMTMRPXB2OlD-2BUvHhnTCHJKQ5mDvAjFni-2FWqgELLMsWqBsVYu-2BeoooSsEsL0VqAub-2F3kbmJJe
EPA Finalizes Cleanup Plan for Welsbach & General Gas Mantle Superfund Site
(Camden Radiation) at Gloucester Marine Terminal in New Jersey
Gloucester City and Camden, N.J. (Jan. 16, 2025) – The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency has finalized changes that add measures to its cleanup plan
to address radiological contamination at the former Welsbach Facility at the
Welsbach & General Gas Mantle (Camden Radiation) Superfund Site. The former
Welsbach Facility is located within the footprint of the Gloucester Marine
Terminal in Gloucester City and Camden, New Jersey. These changes adapt the
original plan to address some additional radioactive material that was found
at the site, while minimizing disruptions to the port facility’s operations.
“This updated cleanup plan highlights EPA’s ongoing commitment to
protecting public health and ensuring a safe environment for the port
communities,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “We
continuously assess conditions and adapt our strategies to ensure the cleanup
remains scientifically sound while accommodating the ongoing operations at the
Gloucester Marine Terminal.”
The amended cleanup plan focuses on addressing radiological contamination at
the former Welsbach Facility. The plan adds key actions that include:
Removal of radiologically contaminated soil and waste material from selected
areas at the Gloucester Marine Terminal, including under buildings, to a depth
of approximately 10 feet.
Disposal of excavated material at an off-site, licensed, and EPA-approved
facility.
Backfilling of excavated areas with clean soil to restore the site.
Restoring paved areas to their previous condition.
Implementing institutional controls, such as deed restrictions, to limit
access to remaining contaminated areas.
EPA’s changes to the original cleanup plan are necessary after EPA found a
greater volume and depth of soil contamination than initially assessed,
including radiologically contaminated materials beneath structures at the port
facility. Removing these materials would significantly increase the original
cleanup costs, delay the project, and cause major disruptions to port
operations. EPA’s study on current site conditions confirms that the amended
cleanup plan will protect public health and the safety of port workers, even
with some contamination remaining at depth and under certain structures after
the cleanup is completed. Removal of contaminated material under structures
would only be completed if and when the property owner demolishes those
structures.
EPA added the Welsbach & General Gas Mantle (Camden Radiation) site to the
federal Superfund list in 1996. Because of the nature, size and complexity of
the site, EPA divided the investigation and cleanup into multiple phases. In
1999, EPA selected a plan for the first phase of the cleanup, which included
the excavation and off-site disposal of radiologically contaminated soil and
building materials, and backfilling of the areas with clean soil. To date, EPA
has removed more than 200,000 cubic yards of radiologically contaminated soil
and building materials from more than 90 properties in the Gloucester City and
Camden areas and has investigated more than 900 properties.
Additional background and the proposed amended cleanup plan will be available
at the Welsbach & General Gas Mantle (Camden Radiation) Superfund site
profile page.