Second Quarter 2008

Progress Update Ringwood Mines/ Landfill Site

Ford Motor Company has been working closely with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to follow up on cleanup activities undertaken in the 1980s and 1990s at the Ringwood Mines Landfill Site in Ringwood, New Jersey, where waste materials from Ford's former assembly plant in ahwah, New Jersey, were disposed from late 1967 through mid-1971. Other parties, including the Borough of Ringwood, used the site for the disposal of waste materials before, during, and after the period when Ford-related wastes were brought to the Site. 

Ford is providing this Progress Update to share information about developments in the investigation and cleanup of the Site during the second quarter of 2008.

Background

Over the past three years, Ford has conducted a multi-phase investigation and removal action at the Ringwood Mines Landfill Site under the direction of the USEPA, NJDEP, and the Army Corp of Engineers.  As part of the reinvestigation, Ford conducted a comprehensive Field Reconnaissance Survey, a Site-wide Test Pit investigation as well as specific studies at the three known landfill areas (Peter's Mine Pit Area; the O'Connor Disposal Area, and the Cannon Mine Pit Area).

This Progress Update reviews the status of all of these activities.

Status of Removal of Paint Sludge in the SR Areas

Ford's contractor, ARCADIS, has completed the removal of surficial paint sludge in SR-6, and performed post-excavation sampling to confirm that the paint sludge has not impacted nearby soils.  Complete results of this sampling have not yet been obtained. Landfilled material that had been placed on top of the paint sludge by the Borough of Ringwood has been stockpiled and is awaiting off-site removal and disposal.

Surficial paint sludge deposits have now been removed from all of the sludge removal areas (SR) located outside of the Peters Mine Pit Area and the O’Connor Disposal Area.  These areas are being addressed under specific studies.

Restoration Activities

After removal activities are complete, Ford’s contractor, ARCADIS, conducts backfilling, grading, and planting activities to restore the SR areas back to natural habitat. To date, Ford has begun restoration activities in five SR areas, and completed them in three areas. This April, Ford began restoration activities in SR-10 which included laying topsoil atop the excavation area and seeding the area with rye grass.

Ford will complete restoration activities within the remaining SR areas pending approval from USEPA and NJDEP.

Site-Wide Groundwater Sampling

This May, Ford conducted groundwater monitoring at previously installed monitoring wells across the Site. The samples collected will be tested for volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, metals, PCBs, and cyanide. Results will be submitted to the EPA and NJDEP. (For more information on groundwater monitoring at the site view the Site-Wide Groundwater Monitoring Work Plan posted on Ford’s website www.ringwoodsiteupdate.com.)

Landfill Investigation

Ford has been proceeding under EPA's direction in conducting specific studies within areas where waste materials were historically landfilled: The Cannon Mine Pit Area, the O'Connor Disposal Area, and the Peters Mine Pit Area.  Investigative activities at these locations have included additional surface water and soil sampling, the excavation of test pits and test trenches to characterize landfilled materials, and the installation and sampling of additional groundwater wells to obtain additional groundwater data within and adjacent to the landfills.

These additional investigative activities have been completed at the O'Connor Disposal Area and Peters Mine Pit Area, and they are nearly complete at the Cannon Mine Pit Area. As part of the investigation of the Cannon Mine Pit Area, Ford obtained 10 surface soil samples, installed 6 deep borings and 12 test pits within and/or adjacent to the mine pit, and installed 4 additional groundwater monitoring wells. Ford expects to conduct groundwater sampling and packer testing on the additional wells in the next month.

Once the investigations have been completed and the data validated in accordance with EPA-required procedures, the results will be compiled into a Remedial Investigation report that will be made available for public review and comment.

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Ford is committed to addressing remaining environmental issues at the Ringwood Site associated with the disposal of Ford-related wastes. Ford is also committed to keeping the community informed and addressing questions or concerns about Site activities. If you would like a copy of previous issues of the Progress Update, or have any questions regarding activities at the Site, please contact Jon Holt, Ford Community Relations Consultant, at (908) 832-0557.