O'Toole: Ford Must Clean Ringwood Superfund Site Now

Senator Kevin O'Toole (R-40), a member of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, asked the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cooperate fully and immediately clean up the Ringwood Mines Landfill Site in Ringwood, New Jersey.

"This is an issue of grave concern and unfortunately I don't believe we fully understand the environmental fallout, " O'Toole stated. "This important public health issue has fallen off the radar screen. The relevant government agencies have removed this site from their priorities list because it was seen to affect only a small part of the population. These agencies have failed the families in these communities."

The 455-acre site operated as an iron mine from the 1700's through the 1930's. In 1965, a subsidiary of Ford purchased property in Ringwood. From 1967 through 1971, Ford's waste hauler disposed of toxic waste materials at the site from its Mahwah automobile assembly plant, including paint sludge and waste contained in drums.

"We need to ensure families and children living in this area are cared for, " continued O'Toole. "Kids are playing in contaminated paint sludge and this is obviously a real medical problem. There seems to be a huge cover-up and it is very frustrating."

In 1982, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) sampled both ground water and water present on the surface at the site, and found VOCs, lead and arsenic. After evaluating information provided by the DEP, the EPA added the site to the NPL in September 1983. For the past 20 years Ford has been responsible for cleanup.

"It was distressing to hear at this morning's hearing that Ford is beginning to de-mobilize its cleanup crews, " O'Toole concluded. "This has been an issue for decades and I commend Commissioner Jackson for her continued oversight on this project and helping to ensure that this site will be safe for generations to come."