Frequently Asked Questions

What is a hazardous waste site?

Where are these sites located?

How can I tell if my health has been impacted?

How can I get my site cleaned up?

What is a hazardous waste site?

Hazardous waste sites pose real or potential threats to human health and the environment. They can include landfills, chemical plants, illegal dumps, industrial facilities and the abandoned lots that previously served these purposes. It is generally the responsibility of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) or the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to address contamination issues in New Jersey.

Where are these sites located?

There are more than 18,000 contaminated sites in New Jersey alone. Click here to see what’s in your neighborhood if you live in New Jersey. In other states, contact your State department of environmental protection/conservation for information on known contaminated sites in your community.

How can I tell if my health has been impacted?

All chemicals have different levels at which they will cause harm to your health. Each dose creates a response in the body. This dose-response relationship is a basic concept to understand toxicity.

A chemical can enter your body by 4 major routes:

• Inhalation (Breathing in)
• Absorption (Through the skin and occasionally eyes)
• Ingestion (Eating)
• Injection (Sharp objects)

Proving health impacts from a specific site is difficult even if your health has been impacted. Many toxic sites in communities are not obvious. While some have signs and fences around the site’s perimeter, many do not and are disguised as vacant lots. In some cases homes and schools are built on sites.

Superfund sites are mandated by Congress to have a Health Assessment conducted by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). State Department of Health (DOH) also investigates potential health impacts from contaminated sites. ATSDR and DOH investigations have many shortcomings, but they can be helpful as an organizing tool. Keep in mind that if you find your community is suffering from exposure to some type of chemical, you are the best judge of your health

How can I get my site cleaned up?

In approaching this challenge, the most important thing to remember is persistence

Here are some strategies for you to try:

• Keep records of all phone conversations in a detailed phone log. Include date, time, and phone number of whom you contacted and what was discussed.
• Keep detailed minutes of all meetings especially with responsible parties and regulators.
• Conduct site inspections and write up your own reports. Include date, time, who was in attendance, reason for visit, observation, recommendations and photo documentation, if possible. Make your presentation as professional as possible. Site inspection reports will be the basis for action and are a great tool for you to use with regulators and elected officials. A word of caution: Do not trespass on private property especially if you think the area is contaminated. Remember that many hazards may not be immediately apparent. You can see plenty from the fence line with binoculars and zoom lens on your camera.
• If you find drums or any other visibly contaminated area, immediately report it to your regional office of the U.S. EPA, National Response Center or the state environmental protection department. Low cost Global Positioning System units are extremely valuable in assisting the government agencies in finding contamination you report. When you call in a report make sure you get an operator number and case number for your files. The NJDEP hotline is 1-877-927-6337.
• Review any files the overseeing agency may already have for the site and be prepared to spend some time getting to know your site. Documents are available through the Freedom of Information Act (Federal FOIA) and most states have some type of Open Public Records Act that require government agencies to make most files available.
• Do not be afraid to ask questions at public meetings or challenge information that is being disseminated. The health of your community could be in the balance. Recommend solutions that permanently clean up your community. While capping a site or simply fencing it is a popular alternative, these engineering controls should only be used once the majority of contamination is remediated.
• Submit comments on all reports and proposals in writing to agencies, even if there is no official comment period. Ask for a written response, and copy as many people as you feel necessary on all correspondence. It’s a good idea to copy all your local, state and federal representatives with a cover letter. Federal regulators have to respond to elected representatives’ inquiries.
• If you have a Superfund Site, consider applying for a Technical Assistance Grant. These are federal mandated grants that allow citizen groups to hire an independent technical advisor to review relevant documents.
• If your budget permits, hire a lab to conduct sampling especially if you think a local park or water body is impacted. Having your own data puts you in the driver’s seat, particularly if you find something of note. Always have a certified lab collect the samples for Quality Assurance purposes.