Kil-Tone site added to Superfund list

VINELAND - A years-long push to add a local waste site to the federal government’s to-do list came to fruition Wednesday. Crews are already at work limiting residents’ exposure to the hazardous materials.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, after it announced the addition of the former Kil-Tone Co. site to its Superfund cleanup list, said it is already in the process of mitigating exposure for homeowners near the waste area.

“The EPA is committed to protecting residents from the high levels of arsenic and lead at this site,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “The EPA has contacted community members and residents throughout the process to address the pollution. Now we can do the additional sampling needed to determine the best way to clean it up.”

PREVIOUSLY:EPA proposes to add Kil-Tone site to Superfund list

The Kil-Tone facility, located at 527 E. Chestnut Ave., used to be a pesticides manufacturer in the early 20th century under two separate ownerships. Ground water and soil both at the site and at nearby homes have been found to be contaminated with arsenic and lead.

Arsenic is a carcinogen, and lead is a toxic metal that can cause developmental problems in children along with other adverse health effects in adults.

The site was originally investigated in 2014 by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which discovered the arsenic and lead through soil samples.

Last year, the EPA confirmed the DEP’s findings, adding its own discovery of arsenic and lead along a part of the Maurice River.

Dozens of homes have been found with contaminated soil on their properties, resulting in a public meeting held by the EPA last summer.

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But this past month, the EPA said it has been at the site making efforts to limit waste exposure by placing sod, stone, mulch and other barriers at the impacted areas.

The city's law firm sent out a letter of encouragement to the EPA last fall, saying it supported the Superfund designation.

When reached for comment Wednesday, Stuart J. Lieberman, of Lieberman & Blecher P.C., said he was pleased upon hearing the news.

"I think this is great news for Vineland," Lieberman told The Daily Journal in an e-mail. "This means this site is on the federal government's radar, and my hope is the federal government will ensure that Vineland's residents are protected and that the site is returned to a clean state."

A final cleanup is scheduled to occur in the near future, according to the EPA.

Daniel J. Kov: (856) 563-5262; dkov@thedailyjournal.com