The Standard Chlorine Chemical Company site covers 42 acres in Kearny, New Jersey, sitting between the Belleville Turnpike and the Hackensack River. The property operated as a chemical manufacturing facility from 1916 to 1993, producing moth balls, lead-acid batteries, drain cleaners, and chlorinated benzenes. Those operations, along with the disposal of chromite ore processing residue, left soil, groundwater, and surface water contaminated with hazardous substances. The EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in September 2007 and finalized a cleanup plan in September 2016.
Contaminants found across soil, groundwater, and soil gas include heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and mercury. Organic compounds include benzene, chlorobenzene, naphthalene, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Chlorinated compounds such as hexachlorobenzene and polychlorinated biphenyls are also present, along with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin found in soil. Early cleanup actions addressed the most immediate exposure risks. Workers sealed and demolished contaminated buildings, installed a slurry wall to contain polluted groundwater and dense non-aqueous phase liquid (a thick oily substance heavier than water), placed a passive recovery system for that liquid, and capped the former lagoon area.
Physical construction of the cleanup was completed in September 2022. Remedial action work is ongoing and is estimated to finish between October and December 2026, after which operation and maintenance activities will begin. The site is estimated to be ready for anticipated reuse between June and August 2027. Long-term work still required includes capping all remaining uncovered areas, demolishing five decaying buildings, and expanding a pump and treat system to clean contaminated groundwater. Institutional controls are in place that restrict groundwater use, prohibit residential development, and include deed notices and a well restriction area. Under current conditions, human exposure to contaminants is under control, with no known completed exposure pathways. Groundwater contamination has been stabilized in its original area and poses no unacceptable discharge to surface water.
The responsible parties continue to monitor the containment wall and ensure treated water meets state discharge standards. The EPA completed its most recent five-year review in April 2026 to confirm the cleanup remains effective. Community members can review site documents at the EPA Superfund Records Center at 290 Broadway, 18th floor, New York, NY, or at the Kearny Public Library at 318 Kearny Avenue, Kearny, NJ. The five-year review report and public notices are available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Residents with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager directly.
