cosden chemical coatings corp.

CHERRY STREET

The 6 1/2-acre Cosden Chemical Coatings Corp. site operated under several names from 1945 until 1989, when it permanently closed. The facility produced paints for industrial applications that involved the use of solvents, which were stored in tanks and drums on site. Prior to 1974, solvents and wastes were recycled by a contractor who regularly removed the drums. In 1974, the recycling ceased and the drums accumulated on the site. The owner abandoned the site in 1985. The site first came to the attention of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) following a grass fire at the facility. An inspection by the NJDEP in1980 revealed surface spills and several hundred unsecured drums stored on site. EPA conducted sampling in 1988 and found the soil to be contaminated primarily with heavy metals and the groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Approximately 3,000 people live in the City of Beverly with a residential development bordering the site. There are two public water supply wells one mile from the site that provide 1.2 million gallons of drinking water per day to Beverly and eight other adjacent townships. These wells are located near the Delaware River which is used for recreational activities.