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E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Company - Deepwater
Other (Former) Names of Site: DuPont Chambers Works Complex
| EPA Identification Number: | NJD002385730 | |
| Facility Location: | State Highway 130 (Shell Road), Deepwater, New Jersey |
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| Facility Contact: | Albert J. Boettler, (856) 540-2153 | |
| EPA Contact: | Sin-Kie Tjho, (212) 637-4115, tjho.sin-kie@epa.gov | |
| New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Case Manager: | Frank F. Faranca, (609) 984-4071 | |
| Last Updated: | October 2005 | |
| Environmental Indicator Status: | Human Exposures Under Control has been verified. (Documentation of this indicator determination will be posted in the first quarter of 2008.) Groundwater Contamination Under Control [PDF 41.77 KB, 11 pp] has been verified. |
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Site Description
The 1,455-acre DuPont Chambers Works Complex -- composed of the Chambers Works manufacturing area and the former Carneys Point Works - is located along the eastern shore of the Delaware River by State Highway 130 (Shell Road) in Deepwater, New Jersey. East of the Chambers Works Complex are light industrial, residential and recreational areas. North of the complex are residential areas, with the Delaware River to the west.
The site began its industrial history in 1892 when the Carney Point smokeless gunpowder plant was constructed. Since then, operations have included the production of dyes, freon, tetraethyl lead, aromatic chemicals and elastomeric polymers. The site was used during World War II for research and development of chemicals for the production of radiological materials, which contributed to the development of the atomic bomb. By the early 1980s, the manufacture of explosives and dye ended, leaving only chemical manufacturing. Currently, there are several active waste-management areas on the site, including a secure landfill and a wastewater treatment plant.
A New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Resource Conservation And Recovery Act (RCRA) permit allows DuPont to operate the hazardous waste container storage areas, treatment units, a containment building, and a secure landfill. DuPont is also required under a RCRA permit to do site-wide groundwater monitoring. A permit issued by EPA and an agreement between NJDEP and DuPont require DuPont to perform the cleaning up of the site. In addition, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating the areas utilized for the radiological material research and development and, if deemed necessary, will clean up any of the areas.
Potential Threats and Contaminants
Extensive chemical manufacturing and waste management at the site have resulted in contamination of the site's groundwater and soils. Contaminants include organic and inorganic chemical constituents, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and radiological materials. Chemicals that are heavier than water and therefore sink within the aquifer are also present.
Cleanup Approach and Progress
The closures of three basins and two ditches were completed in the early 1990s. Two rounds of sitewide investigation have been completed. A number of interim measures - such as removal of source materials, installation of caps over contaminated areas, and fences -- have been completed to address immediate environmental concerns.
A system was installed in the 1970s to pump and treat contaminated groundwater. The groundwater is pumped at a rate of 1.5 million gallons per day. The pumped groundwater is sent to an on-site wastewater treatment plant. Then, after meeting acceptable standards, it is pumped into the Delaware River. A sitewide groundwater monitoring program has been installed to monitor the effectiveness of the system.
DuPont and the Army Corps will continue to look for additional sources that might be contaminating the site's soil and groundwater. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) will impose a deed notice on the site to restrict future use to industrial purposes. The pump and treat system will continue to operate in conjunction with the sitewide groundwater monitoring program. Further evaluation will be performed to confirm that contaminated groundwater does not migrate off-site.
Site Repository
Copies of supporting technical documents and correspondence cited in the site fact sheet are available for public review at the following location:
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Division of Solid & Hazardous Waste
Records Center
401 E. State Street, 6th Floor
Trenton, NJ 08625
Telephone: (609) 777-3373
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) makes available its public records through formal request under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA).
