Wilson Farm

Overview

Wilson Farm is a 10-acre site in Plumstead Township, New Jersey, where Rohm and Haas allegedly disposed of chemical wastes from Thiokol Corporation during the late 1960s and early 1970s. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in September 1984, and cleanup work has since been completed. The site is now deleted from that list, meaning EPA determined it no longer requires priority cleanup attention.

Twenty-eight contaminants have been identified at the site, found in groundwater, sediment, and surface water. These include volatile organic compounds such as 1,1,1-trichloroethane, dichloromethane, and acetone, as well as metals including lead, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and mercury, and organic compounds such as dibutyl phthalate and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate.

Cleanup began in 1980 when the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and EPA took immediate action. Workers installed groundwater monitoring wells and excavated about 620 cubic yards of contaminated soil and sludge. Between June and July 1992, the responsible party excavated an additional 650 cubic yards of surface waste and contaminated soil and disposed of it off-site. A Risk Assessment Report completed in May 1993 found that remaining contaminants would not pose unacceptable risks. EPA signed a Record of Decision in August 1993 selecting monitoring and no further action as the remedy for groundwater.

Human exposure is currently under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified. Groundwater contamination has been stabilized and is being monitored to ensure it stays in its original area. The site achieved readiness for anticipated reuse in April 2009. NJDEP established a Well Restriction Area in 1986 to limit exposure to contaminated groundwater, and zoning restrictions remain in place to prevent residential development and other incompatible land uses. The most recent five-year review was completed by EPA in June 2005.

Community members with questions can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager directly using the contact information below. Site records are also available for in-person review at the EPA Superfund Records Center in New York City or at the Ocean County Library, Plumsted Branch, in New Egypt, New Jersey.