Toms River, NJ


Toms River, NJ

The City of Toms River is home to an estimated 91,415 residents, and it’s located in Ocean County, NJ.

This report will help you become better acquainted with Toms River and the surrounding area by addressing the following questions:

  • Are there any hazardous sites in Ocean County, NJ?
  • How clean is the air in Ocean County, NJ?
  • What’s the average radon level for homes in Ocean County, NJ?
  • Is the water in Ocean County, NJ safe to drink?

Hazardous Sites near Toms River, NJ

There are five Superfund sites in Ocean County, NJ. Superfund sites, like Brick Township Landfill in Brick Township, NJ, are areas that have been contaminated with hazardous substances. If not for the cleanup efforts orchestrated by the EPA, these sites could endanger people living in nearby communities.

The EPA uses the Hazardous Ranking System (HRS) to quantify the risk a contaminated site poses to human health and the environment. Sites assigned HRS scores of 28.5 or greater qualify for placement on the National Priorities List (NPL), and are eligible to receive federal funding for cleanup efforts.

Before the EPA deletes a site from the NPL, it conducts reviews to ensure the cleanup was sufficient. As a result, some sites remain on the active site list long after cleanup activities are complete.

For more information about the Superfund sites located in the Toms River, NJ area, be sure to review the map and background information provided below:


Map Legend:

34029

A. Brick Township Landfill (HRS Score: 58)

The Brick Township Landfill site is located in Brick Township, NJ.

Contaminants found at the Brick Township Landfill site include:

  • Arsenic
  • Barium
  • Benzene
  • Beryllium
  • Cadmium
34029

B. Reich Farms (HRS Score: 53)

The Reich Farms site, where an independent waste hauler operated, is located in Pleasant Plains, NJ.

Contaminants found at the Reich Farms site include:

  • Toluene
  • 1,1,1-Trichloroethane
  • Xylene (Mixed Isomers)
  • 4-Cyano-1,2,3,4-Tetrahydro-Alpha-Methyl-1-Naphthaleneacetonitrile
  • 1,1-Dichloroethane
34029

C. Naval Air Engineering Center (HRS Score: 51)

The Naval Air Engineering Center site, a former naval installation, is located in Lakehurst, NJ.

Contaminants found at the Naval Air Engineering Center site include:

  • Aluminum
  • Arsenic
  • Benzene
  • Cadmium
  • Chloroform
34029

D. Ciba-Geigy Corp. (HRS Score: 50)

The Ciba-Geigy Corp. site, where dyes, pigments, resins and epoxy additives were manufactured and wastes dumped at multiple locations throughout the property, is located in Toms River, NJ.

Contaminants found at the Ciba-Geigy Corp. site include:

  • Arsenic
  • Benzene
  • Cadmium
  • Chromium
  • Lead
34029

E. Goose Farm (HRS Score: 48)

The Goose Farm site, where polysulfide rubber and solid rocket fuel propellant was manufactured from the mid-1940s to the mid-1970s, is located in Plumstead Township, NJ.

Contaminants found at the Goose Farm site include:

  • Benzene
  • Trichloroethene
  • Dichloromethane (Methylene Chloride)
  • Aroclor 1254
  • Ethylbenzene

Air Quality in the Toms River, NJ Area

The two most widespread forms of air pollution are ozone (smog) and particle pollution (soot). Exposure to these harmful pollutants, for even just a short period, can have adverse effects on your health.

Thanks to data collected by air monitoring equipment located across the country, the American Lung Association (ALA) is able to assess and track our air quality using three metrics:

  • Ozone
  • Short-term Particle Pollution
  • Year-round Particle Pollution

In their 2019 annual report, the ALA rated the air quality in Ocean County, NJ as follows:

Ground-Level
Ozone Pollution

Grading Scale: A-F

Short-Term
Particle Pollution

Grading Scale: A-F

Year-Round
Particle Pollution

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Radon Levels in Toms River, NJ Area

Air quality inside your home can be impacted by a number of factors, including the presence of hazardous substances in building materials (asbestos, lead, formaldehyde, etc.) and local radon levels.

Radon is a naturally occurring gas you cannot see or smell. It can build up inside your home and negatively impact your indoor air quality as well as your health.

To provide a guideline, the EPA assigned one of three zones to each U.S. county and county equivalent:

  • Zone 1 (higher radon levels)
  • Zone 2 (moderate levels)
  • Zone 3 (lower levels)

The average indoor radon reading in Ocean County, NJ is predicted to be less than 2 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), so the county has been assigned EPA Radon Zone 3.

EPA Radon Zone

But, it's worth mentioning homes with elevated levels of radon have been found in all three radon zones. So, despite the fact Toms River, NJ is in EPA Radon Zone 3, you should have a radon test performed on any home you purchase in the area.

Water Quality in Toms River, NJ Area

In accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the EPA sets regulatory limits for drinking water contaminants known to cause adverse health effects.

The following Ocean County, NJ water provider(s) violated the maximum allowable level for one or more regulated contaminants:

Filter ValueWater SystemContaminantHealth Effects
34029Brick Township MuaTTHMLiver, kidney, or central nervous system problems; increased risk of cancer 
34029Cedar Glen West Water CoCombined Radium (-226 and -228)Increased risk of cancer 
34029Cedar Glen West Water CoGross Alpha, Excl. Radon and UIncreased risk of cancer
34029Manchester Twp Water Utility - EasternCombined Radium (-226 and -228)Increased risk of cancer 
34029Silver Pine Park Land LLCNitrateInfants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome. 
34029Suez Water Toms River IncCombined Radium (-226 and -228)Increased risk of cancer 
34029Suez Water Toms River IncGross Alpha, Excl. Radon and UIncreased risk of cancer

In addition to setting enforceable standards for harmful contaminants, the EPA also established guidelines to assist public water providers in managing the taste, odor and color of their drinking water.

To find out more about what’s in your drinking water, contact your utility company and request a copy of the latest Consumer Confidence Report.


Sources and Methods

Hazardous Sites: Identified using a report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), hazardous sites detailed on trendingtowns.com represent sites contained on the National Priorities List (NPL) as of November 25, 2019.  The NPL is the list of national priorities among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants throughout the United States and its territories.  All site-related data was sourced from the EPA.

Air Quality: Grades for ozone, short-term particle pollution, and year-round particle pollution were obtained from State of the Air 2019, a report compiled by the American Lung Association.

Radon Zones: Radon zone designations were obtained using a public use dataset provided by the EPA (September 11, 2019).

Water Quality: Drinking water violation data was sourced from the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), a public use database provided by the EPA.  The dataset included violations submitted to the database as of the third quarter of 2019.

Paul

I’ve moved several times over the years, so I know just how stressful it can be to relocate. I want to help put your mind at ease. That’s why I research and write about all the things I think you should consider when moving to a new town.

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