Woodbridge, NJ


Woodbridge, NJ

The City of Woodbridge is home to an estimated 101,639 residents, and it’s located in Middlesex County, NJ.

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

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

Hazardous Sites near Woodbridge, NJ

There are 14 Superfund sites in Middlesex County, NJ. Superfund sites, like CPS/Madison Industries in Old Bridge 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 Woodbridge, NJ area, be sure to review the map and background information provided below:


Map Legend:

34023

A. CPS/Madison Industries (HRS Score: 70)

The CPS/Madison Industries site, where various chemicals were improperly handled and disposed, resulting in contamination of soil and groundwater (including thirty-two municipal wells), is located in Old Bridge Township, NJ.

34023

B. Horseshoe Road (HRS Score: 51)

The Horseshoe Road site, where chemical processing of coal tar, asbestos, sealants, epoxy resins, and pesticides occurred, is located in Sayreville, NJ.

Contaminants found at the Horseshoe Road site include:

  • Antimony
  • Arsenic
  • Benzene
  • Iron
  • Cis-1,2-Dichloroethene
34023

C. Kin-Buc Landfill (HRS Score: 51)

The Kin-Buc Landfill site is located in Edison Township, NJ.

Contaminants found at the Kin-Buc Landfill site include:

  • Arsenic
  • Benzene
  • Cadmium
  • Chloroform
  • Chromium
34023

D. Atlantic Resources (HRS Score: 50)

The Atlantic Resources site, a precious metals recovery operation from 1972 to 1985, is located in Sayreville, NJ.

Contaminants found at the Atlantic Resources site include:

  • Antimony
  • Arsenic
  • Benzene
  • Iron
  • Aroclor 1248
34023

E. Cornell Dubilier Electronics Inc. (HRS Score: 50)

The Cornell Dubilier Electronics Inc. site, a former manufacturing facility of electronic components, is located in South Plainfield, NJ.

Contaminants found at the Cornell Dubilier Electronics Inc. site include:

  • Arsenic
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
  • Aroclor 1260
  • P,P'-DDT
  • Benzo[a]anthracene
34023

F. Middlesex Sampling Plant (USDOE) (HRS Score: 50)

The Middlesex Sampling Plant (USDOE) site in Middlesex, NJ was used to store, test, and transfer uranimum, thorium, and beryllium until 1967.

Contaminants found at the Middlesex Sampling Plant (USDOE) site include:

  • Lead
  • Radium-226
  • Thorium-230
  • Uranium-234
  • Uranium-235
34023

G. Raritan Bay Slag (HRS Score: 50)

The Raritan Bay Slag site, home to a seawall affected by lead reclamation processing byproducts and battery casings, is located in Old Bridge Twp/Sayreville, NJ.

Contaminants found at the Raritan Bay Slag site include:

  • Arsenic
  • Iron
  • Lead
  • Zinc
  • Copper
34023

H. Woodbrook Road Dump (HRS Score: 50)

The Woodbrook Road Dump site, an inactive dumping area, is located in South Plainfield, NJ.

The EPA found dangerous levels of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) at the Woodbrook Road Dump site.

34023

I. Global Sanitary Landfill (HRS Score: 46)

The Global Sanitary Landfill site is located in Old Bridge Township, NJ.

Contaminants found at the Global Sanitary Landfill site include:

  • Aluminum
  • Antimony
  • Arsenic
  • Barium
  • Benzene
34023

J. JIS Landfill (HRS Score: 45)

The JIS Landfill site is located in South Brunswick, NJ.

Contaminants found at the JIS Landfill site include:

  • Arsenic
  • Benzene
  • Lead
  • 1,3-Dichlorobenzene
  • Copper
34023

K. Chemsol, Inc. (HRS Score: 43)

The Chemsol, Inc. site, where a solvent recovery and waste reprocessing facility operated from the 1950s to 1964, is located in Piscataway, NJ.

Contaminants found at the Chemsol, Inc. site include:

  • Barium
  • Benzene
  • Chloroform
  • Lead
  • Pesticides
34023

L. Chemical Insecticide Corp. (HRS Score: 38)

The Chemical Insecticide Corp. site, where insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides and herbicides were manufactured from 1954 to 1970, is located in Edison Township, NJ.

Contaminants found at the Chemical Insecticide Corp. site include:

  • Arsenic
  • Iron
  • Thallium
  • Manganese
  • P,P'-DDD
34023

M. Evor Phillips Leasing (HRS Score: 37)

The Evor Phillips Leasing site, an industrial site containing various waste treatment, hauling and disposal businesses, is located in Old Bridge Township, NJ.

Contaminants found at the Evor Phillips Leasing site include:

  • Arsenic
  • Beryllium
  • Chloroform
  • Lead
  • Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
34023

N. Fried Industries (HRS Score: 34)

The Fried Industries site, where floor finishing products, aqueous detergent solutions, adhesives and algaecides were manufactured, is located in East Brunswick Township, NJ.

Contaminants found at the Fried Industries site include:

  • Arsenic
  • Barium
  • Benzene
  • Beryllium
  • Chloroform

Air Quality in the Woodbridge, 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 Middlesex 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

DNC (Data Not Collected): Data on associated pollutants were not collected in this county or county equivalent.
INC (Incomplete): Associated pollutants are being monitored in this county or county equivalent, but data were insufficient to assign a grade.

Radon Levels in Woodbridge, 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)

Indoor radon readings in Middlesex County, NJ are expected to average from 2 to 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), so the county has been assigned EPA Radon Zone 2.

EPA Radon Zone

According to the EPA, you should consider acting to reduce your home's radon level if it measures between 2 and 4 pCi/L, so if you're contemplating buying a home in Woodbridge, NJ, you should have a radon test performed.

Water Quality in Woodbridge, 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 Middlesex County, NJ water provider(s) violated the maximum allowable level for one or more regulated contaminants:

Filter ValueWater SystemContaminantHealth Effects
34023Highland Park W DeptTTHMLiver, kidney, or central nervous system problems; increased risk of cancer 
34023Monroe Twp Utility DepartmentCombined Radium (-226 and -228)Increased risk of cancer 
34023Monroe Twp Utility DepartmentGross Alpha, Excl. Radon and UIncreased risk of cancer
34023New Brunswick W DeptTTHMLiver, kidney, or central nervous system problems; increased risk of cancer 
34023Old Bridge MuaTotal Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)Increased risk of cancer 
34023Perth Amboy Water DepartmentTTHMLiver, kidney, or central nervous system problems; increased 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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