Concern Mounts for Flooding at American Cyanamid

Experts are expressing concern about water quality with regard to chemicals and flood waters, particularly at the American Cyanamid Superfund site in Bridgewater.

According to a report from the New Jersey Sierra Club, reports are coming in from the impacts of flooding on the environment, and some concern has been expressed about the toxic waste at the Bridgewater site that could be leaking into flood waters.

"As people are trying to recover from the aftermath of this terrible storm, they need to be careful because what is in the flood waters can harm you," said Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, in a release from the organization.

There are contaminated sites being impacted by flooding all across New Jersey, according to the release, including the Laurence Harbor sea wall, which is made of lead and was washed away by the hurricane; chromium pollution in the waterways in Jersey City; and the Diamond Alkali site in Newark that contains dangerous dioxin right off the banks of the Passaic River.

In addition, the release said, there is the possibility of raw sewage being pumped in Hoboken from overflowing sewers and much more.

“Every time we have a major storm, we end up with a witches brew in our waterways," Tittel said in the release. "Everything from raw sewage to toxic chemicals to oil tanks to household cleaning products end up in our flood waters possibly in our homes and basements. People need to be careful when they go out in the floodwaters because what is in them can hurt you."

According to the release, many of the most hazardous facilities in New Jersey that need to be cleaned are in flood prone areas, including the Bayway Refinery in Linden, and the Crown Vintage and Roebling Superfund sites in Delaware.

There is also, the release said, the National Lead site in Sayreville, toxic sites in Perth Amboy, Standard Chlorine in Hackensack, sites in Little Ferry, Benedicts in Teterboro and Honeywell in the Meadowlands. In addition, in the past the release said, the Raritan Bay Slag site in Old Bridge and Laurence Harbor has flooded and let lead into the environment.

“Unfortunately many of our chemical plants, landfills, toxic sites and other facilities are located in fill on wetlands or flood prone areas," Tittel said in the release. "That is why whenever we have floods like this there is a concern toxic chemicals will leak out of these sites and enter our waterways."

There is also the concern, the release said, that household chemicals can get into the water with flooding. Homes, the release said, contain chemicals like paint, gasoline and ammonia in cleaning products, which can pollute the waterways.

“People should stay out of flood waters because you do not know what will be in there," Tittel said in the release. "There is a mixture of all kinds of materials, chemicals, and pollutants in these waters.  You should wear waders in these waters but rinse the water off you and your clothing afterwards."