The CPS/Madison Industries site covers 35 acres in Old Bridge Township, New Jersey. It has hosted chemical manufacturing since the 1960s, first by CPS Chemical for organic chemicals and later by a second facility that still produces inorganic chemicals. Improper handling and disposal of hazardous substances over the decades contaminated soil and groundwater and forced the closure of 32 municipal drinking water wells in nearby Perth Amboy. The site was added to the National Priorities List in 1983. About 100 residences sit within one mile of the property.
Fifty-seven contaminants of concern have been identified across soil and groundwater. The CPS source areas contain chlorinated solvents such as tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, along with benzene, toluene, xylene, and dichloromethane. Groundwater contamination also includes lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, antimony, 1,4-dioxane, and aniline. The Madison source area has cadmium, lead, and zinc in soil.
Cleanup is organized into three operable units. Groundwater pump-and-treat systems installed by Madison Industries and CPS Chemical in 1991 continue to run, pulling roughly 80 and 30 gallons per minute respectively. Perth Amboy modified its well field and added water treatment in 1994. EPA assumed oversight in 2003. A cleanup plan for groundwater and CPS source areas was finalized in September 2019, and a remedy for the Madison source area was selected in September 2023. Long-term groundwater response actions began in September 2024, and remedial design work is currently underway. Remedial action is estimated to begin between June and August 2027. Human exposure is currently under control, though groundwater migration is not yet stabilized and cleanup goals have not been met across the entire site.
Two on-site businesses currently operate at the property, employing 40 people and generating about $11 million in annual sales. Community members can take part in the cleanup process through EPA's public involvement program. EPA held a public meeting on June 15, 2023, at the Old Bridge Senior Center to discuss the proposed cleanup plan. Residents with questions can contact the EPA staff assigned to the site.
