WALL TOWNSHIP, N.J. — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a plan to clean up contaminated soil and groundwater at the White Swan Cleaners/Sun Cleaners Superfund site in Wall Township, Manasquan Borough and Sea Girt, N.J., according to a press release.
Previous dry cleaning operations in Wall Township caused the contamination of the soil and groundwater with volatile organic compounds, including perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE).
Exposure to these chemicals can have serious health impacts, including liver damage and increased risk of cancer, noted the release.
The plan proposed will require the excavation and treatment of contaminated soil and the treatment of some groundwater.
“Thirty years of operation by local dry cleaning companies have left a toxic contamination that will cost $19 million to address,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “This is an astonishing toxic legacy that the EPA is addressing. Our top priority is protecting public health and the local environment. The public is urged to attend the August 27th public meeting.”
