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Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Raritan, New Jersey

On this page:

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

Cleanup Status

Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics (OCD) has completed a number of interim remedial measures to date to remediate soil contamination, including: removal/excavation of various underground storage tanks (USTs), areas of concern (AOCs), solid waste management units (SWMUs), and a process sewer line.

In 2004, OCD initiated an enhanced reductive dechlorination (ERD) system to remediate the trichloroethylene (TCE) plume in groundwater. The ERD system includes 20 injection wells used for the injection of a dilute molasses/water. SWMUs and AOCs have been identified and extent of soil and groundwater contamination characterized. OCD is preparing for a site-wide remedy selection in early 2017.


Site Description

 Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics (OCD) is an administration and manufacturing facility located at 1001 U.S. Route 202 North in Raritan Borough, Somerset County, New Jersey. The facility manufactures hospital and laboratory reagents used primarily for blood chemistry clinical products, which are usually packaged into “diagnostic kits.” The property occupies Lot 4 on Block 31 of the Raritan Borough tax map and encompasses an area of approximately 66 acres. Approximately 9 acres are covered by buildings, 16 acres by roadways, parking lots and other paved surfaces, 11 acres by wooded areas, and 30 acres by landscaped areas. 

OCD’s activities at the facility have historically focused on research and production operations related to transfusion medicine (donor screening and immunohematology) products. As a result of their operation, there are numerous solid waste management units (SWMUs) and areas of concern (AOCs) have been identified at site and are being addressed under a corrective action program.


Contaminants at this Facility

The groundwater at the facility has been known to be contaminated with trichloroethylene, benzene, vinyl chloride, and tetrachloroethylene. The soil at the facility has been known to be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and metals (lead and nickel).


Site Responsibility at this Facility

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) NJPDES-DGW Permit:

Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics (OCD) is addressing groundwater contamination under the New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System – Discharge to Ground Water (NJPDES-DGW) permit (No. NJ0057894), which requires OCD to install groundwater monitoring wells in response to the closure/post-closure of the methanol underground storage tank and include additional monitoring wells to address site groundwater contamination. 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

OCD is addressing cleanup of site under the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendment (HSWA) permit (NJD068715424) issued in 9/19/1988, which required OCD to conduct a corrective action program to address solid waste management units and areas of concern.