NJ Landfill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

NJ Landfill - Essay Example The early operators were Anthony Amadei Sand and Gravel Company, which remained in power to operate until 1976, when Gloucester Environmental Management Services, Inc. took over until its closure in 1980. The area of landfill was started off with a very small area; in 1963 it occupied simply 11.4 acres of the land; in only two years' time it was spread over 16 acres. In 1970 and finally in 1974 it covered 39.5 acres and 61.7 acres respectively. It was discovered by Solid Waste Administration (SWA) that during this later period of it's functioning that many chemicals were dumped. The report also indicated deficiencies in sanitary landfill operating procedures, improperly covered area and lack of control in preventing windblown paper. It all affected the Holly Run. Another survey conducted by SWA in the year 1977 showed that GEMS landfill did not meet the approved design specifications. The dispute broke between the two parties and later administrative order to end the operations was passed on September 1, 1977; it remained operative until November 1980. The coastal plain where the landfill is located is underlain by Pleistocene, tertiary and cretaceous age sediments. The geological formations include: the Bridgeton formation, the Cohansey formation, the Kirkwood formation, the Manasquan, the Naveskine, the Mount Laurel and Wenonah formation. Sources of contamination Organic solvents and several other industrial wastes and output have contaminated the surrounding area, ground water, surface water and air. Arsenic, barium and lead are the major elements found and pesticides include DDE, DDD, and DDT. It is shameful to see that these water sources were the drinking wells for the neighborhood (NUS Corporation, 1986). Potentially responsible parties The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in its efforts to take remedial action against the GEMS landfill, identified parties (companies) that were responsible for the degradation and exploitation of the landfill which led to hazards for the community and the landfill itself. The names of the parties are as under: Gloucester Environmental Management Services, Inc. Owens/Cornings Fiberglas, Inc. E.I. Dupont de Nemours and Company Rohm and Haas Company City of Philadelphia, Gloucester township Richard Winn David Ehrlich Anthony Amadei Geppert Brothers, Inc. and Curtis T. Bedwell and Sons, Inc. EPA invited these individual parties to volunteer their efforts in evaluation, design, clean up and redevelopment of the landfill area, in September of