More contaminated concrete was spread over the site than previously believed
By: Emily Craighead
WEST WINDSOR Further testing will take place at a construction site across from the Mobil gas station at Route 571 and Southfield Road where PCB-tainted crushed concrete was delivered last year.
The developer, Edgewood Properties, originally told township officials a small amount of material was piled under a tarp.
Closer examination of records detailing delivery of the material revealed that nearly 2,000 cubic yards of crushed concrete from a former Ford Motor Co. assembly plant in Edison was spread over the site, Township Engineer James Parvesse said.
Between 2,200 and 2,600 cubic yards of contaminated material were delivered to the site, and 375 cubic yards reportedly were removed before the state Department of Environmental Protection halted the transfers until a determination could be made about how best to dispose of the material.
Testing will begin after the DEP reviews the testing plan. Depending on the contamination levels revealed through these tests, the material could be removed, capped with parking lots or roads or left as it is.
The contaminated material does not pose a threat to people’s health or the environment in the surrounding area, township Environmental Commission Chairman Michael Hornsby said at an earlier Township Council meeting.
Mr. Parvesse said the threat is not increased by the possible presence of additional contaminated material.
DEP officials admitted they knew about the possible contamination as early as October 2005, but did not report it to local officials until March. Local officials have expressed frustration with the lack of communication.
Since the contamination was made public, however, DEP officials have been cooperative and communicative, according to Mr. Parvesse.
The fill also was sent to other construction projects, including the former American Standard site in Hamilton Township and a site on Applegarth Road in Monroe Township.
Ford Motor Co. confirmed that none of the fill sent off-site contained more than 2 parts per million of PCBs. Anything less than 2 parts per million shouldn’t affect drinking water, Mr. Parvesse said. The residential limit of .49 parts per million set by the DEP is a conservative standard, according to Mr. Hornsby.
Grading of the Route 571 site which will have a daycare center and a drug store, among other businesses was completed earlier this year.

