Farmingdale 'In The Loop' For Howell Chemical Cleanup: Mayor

HOWELL, NJ — Even though a chemical cleanup is underway at a former industrial site in Howell, the nearby borough of Farmingdale in many ways is more affected.

The former site of the Compounders Inc. business is right on the border of Farmingdale, at 15 Marl Road.

And as a precaution, Howell put out an evacuation map for the borough.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency will meet with the Howell and Farmingdale communities next Tuesday, March 21, to discuss the removal of chemical waste drums from the site.

The Farmingdale mayor says that, while he feels the federal agency is taking proper precautions in the cleanup, the site needs "proper classification" and study, he added.

Last week, Howell published a map of potential evacuation routes the borough of Farmingdale should access in the event of any problem at the cleanup site.

The map was put out as a precaution and to provide greater preparation. There is no immediate threat, the township has said.

Farmingdale is the most affected because the Marl Road site is the last parcel in Howell, right on the border of the borough.

"I continue to stay in the loop but out of the way, allowing Howell OEM, the (Monmouth) County Hazmat, DEP and EPA to all do their jobs," said Farmingdale Mayor James A. Daly in a response to Patch on the cleanup.

He said the items seem to be in "small quantities on site."

"However, to know the real level of concern, all of this requires proper classification and cataloging and then remediation, which the EPA is on top of, and we are staying out of their way to let them resolve the issue," Daly said.

Howell informed the community two weeks ago that the EPA was on the site of the former Marl Road business to clean up hundreds of deteriorating 55-gallon drums containing chemicals.

The drums were discovered in February by Howell firefighters at the former industrial plant. Now federal environmental workers will be at the site for several weeks to manage their removal, the township said. See a previous Patch story on the cleanup here.

Compounders Inc. manufactured a number of chemical compounds, including glues, adhesives, and asphalt materials, the EPA said. The company closed in 2019.

Daly said the discovery of the material is an important reminder for municipalities to always have emergency plans in place for residents.

"What it did however do is bring to light, along with what's going on in Ohio right now, the fact that there is a need to be better prepared and have a plan in place that's never used - rather than nothing in place at the time of need," Daly said, referring to the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio that resulted in the release of toxins in the air and water.

The Howell Office of Emergency Management has issued a map it previously prepared as a precaution showing streets in Farmingdale that are in an evacuation zone of the cleanup area. Click here to see the map on the township Facebook site. The map that shows a half-mile radius and a one-mile radius of the cleanup area.

The cleanup site is the last parcel of land in the township before the Borough of Farmingdale, explained Michael Mannino, the site coordinator for the EPA - hence the evacuation plan for Farmingdale.

Mannino, who lives in Monmouth County, said adjacent to the cleanup site is a JCP&L operation and railroad tracks - all part of a mixed-use zone in Farmingdale.

Mannino said the evacuation plan for Farmingdale was developed by the township following the fire in early February.

"Howell Township wanted to have a plan in place to be prepared in the event of any subsequent incident at the site," he said.

Victor Cook, head of the OEM, said the town was being proactive in preparing the map and that Howell immediately notified county and state environmental offices of the drums, once they were discovered at the fire.

In general, Cook urged residents of the entire town to sign up for emergency alerts to keep informed of any issues that may arise. The township website has a link here to sign up for emergency alerts.

Mannino also said that EPA has posted a 24/7 security service at the property "to ensure no such incidents take place."

Mannino said the evacuation map was already prepared as part of township emergency planning once the drums were discovered. He said it was "shared publicly by the township as a matter of government transparency."

The EPA is currently working with the property owner to establish a fence around the area of concern, as well as establish a workplan to secure and remove the drums and containers from the property.

When EPA has a schedule of site work established, it will be shared with the township, Mannino said.

He said that EPA will be "establishing perimeter air monitoring during any work with the drums and containers to ensure that there is no off-site travel of materials during removal activities."

The community outreach meeting with the EPA will include several members of the EPA’s Region 2 Office who will be in attendance to give more information about the activity at the property, as well as to answer any questions from residents, the township said in a Facebook notice.

The meeting is March 21 at 6 p.m. at Howell's municipal building, main meeting room, 4567 Route 9, second floor, Howell, 07731.

The meeting will also be live streamed on YouTube, and a link will be posted on the Township website prior to the meeting, Howell township officials said.

"Despite some workers wearing protective equipment and clothing, this does not mean there is a risk to the public or surrounding residents," the township said.

The EPA said there will also be increased traffic in the area during the operations at the site.