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Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Clean Earth of North Jersey Incorporated in Kearny, New Jersey

On this page:

  • Cleanup Status
  • Site Description
  • Contaminants at this Facility
  • Site Responsibility

Cleanup Status

The facility is being cleaned up pursuant to an Administrative Order on Consent between New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and Clean Earth of North Jersey, Inc. (CENJ). To minimize migration of contamination to groundwater, CENJ removed and disposed of approximately 231 tons of lead-contaminated historical fill from two on-site locations. A low-permeability asphalt cap was installed across the eastern portion of the site, and an improved surface water drainage system was installed over the area.  

This corrective action strategy was intended primarily to minimize infiltration of rain water and surface water run-on, and thereby reduce leaching of contaminants from on-site soil to underlying groundwater. The asphalt cap also minimizes direct contact risks associated with lead-contaminated historic fill remaining in place.  

A Declaration of Environmental Restrictions (DER) was filed with Hudson County in 1998 and 2009 to limit future use of the property to industrial or commercial activities and prevent disturbance of the asphalt cap and underlying soil.  

All groundwater and soil contamination observed at the CENJ site has been attributed to regional quality issues or historic fill in the area. Accordingly, no further action is necessary at this time to address environmental contamination at the site.


Site Description

The Clean Earth of North Jersey, Inc. (CENJ) site is located on approximately six acres of land in Kearny, Hudson County, New Jersey. The site has been used for a variety of purposes throughout its operational history, including storage of construction equipment and material and marine salvage operations. Beginning in October 1984 and continuing to date under an active solid and hazardous waste permit from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), the CENJ site has been used for hazardous waste treatment, storage, and transfer operations. 


Contaminants at this Facility

Data from environmental investigations identified organic and inorganic contaminants in soil and groundwater. However, based on all available investigation and groundwater monitoring efforts, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) determined that corrective actions were only required to address inorganic contamination in soil and shallow groundwater. 


Site Responsibility at this Facility

The facility is being cleaned up under the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Site Remediation Program pursuant to an Administrative Consent Order between NJDEP and Clean Earth of North Jersey, Inc., issued in 1992.