Hazard Podcast - On Thin Ice - Season 1: Episode 1

The Hazard Podcast - On Thin Ice

Growing up in Bridgewater, New Jersey, Peggy Fussell has fond memories of ice skating on a local pond. That is, until she discovered that the pond was a toxic waste site.

Decades after chemical producer American Cyanamid ceased its Bridgewater operations, and was declared a Superfund site, its toxic legacy is precariously contained in local waste ponds. As climate change fuels more intense storms in the region, these ponds risk flooding and spilling over into the nearby community.

With a cleanup that has dragged on for decades and has no clear end in sight, what will it take to avoid catastrophe?

Support for Hazard NJ is provided by Peril and Promise, a public media reporting initiative covering the human stories of climate change and its solutions, with major funding provided by Dr. P. Roy Vagelos and Diana T. Vagelos. You can learn more at pbs.org/perilandpromise

Read the episode transcript below:

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

--BENZENE

--TOLUENE

--XYLENE

--NAPHTHALENE

--HYDROGEN SULFIDE

--SULFUR DIOXIDE

--MERCAPTANS

--CARBON DISULFIDE

THIS WITCHES BREW OF CHEMICALS WERE MIXED TOGETHER BY AMERICAN CYANAMID IN BRIDGEWATER, NEW JERSEY.

THE COMPANY'S CAULDRON OF CHOICE WAS TWO LARGE HUMAN-MADE PONDS NEAR THE RARITAN RIVER.

SHROUDED BY TREES AND AWAY FROM ONLOOKERS... THESE PONDS SAT STILL BY THE RIVER'S EDGE FOR DECADES.

UNTIL RECENT FLOODING SHOWED US WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF SITES LIKE AMERICAN CYANAMID AREN'T CLEANED UP.

EVERY TIME WE GET A MAJOR STORM WE RUN THE RISK OF TOXINS SEEPING INTO OUR WATERWAYS.

AND CLIMATE CHANGE IS MAKING THINGS WORSE.

THIS IS HAZARD... A LIMITED SERIES ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON SUPERFUND SITES HERE IN NEW JERSEY.

I'M JORDAN GASS-POORE'... AN INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST FROM TEXAS. I GREW UP HEARING STORIES ABOUT THREE-EYED FISH IN THE RIVER AND WONDERING WHY THE TAP WATER I WAS DRINKING WAS ORANGE.

I WAS THAT KID WHO STOOD UP IN FRONT OF CLASS AND ASKED PEOPLE TO SIGN MY PETITION TO SAVE THE RAINFOREST.

IT'S GOTTEN SLIGHTLY EASIER OVER THE YEARS TO GET PEOPLE TO CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT... ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT HAZARDOUS SUPERFUND SITES.

THOSE ARE THE MOST TOXIC SITES IN THE COUNTRY... AND NEW JERSEY IS HOME TO 114 OF THEM. THAT'S THE MOST OUT OF ANY STATE.

AMERICAN CYANAMID IS A TRIPLE THREAT: IT'S LOCATED IN A FLOODPLAIN... REGULARLY FLOODS... AND IS VULNERABLE TO HURRICANES.

SO... IT'S NOT HARD TO SEE WHY MARK SCHMIDT IS CONCERNED. HE'S THE EPA PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE SUPERFUND SITE.

Mark Schmidt -- EPA Remedial Project Manager

Could these impoundments erode? Could all the infrastructure, you know, we have a groundwater treatment facility, electrical infrastructure, could all that be washed away?

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

I RECENTLY VISITED AMERICAN CYANAMID.

IT WAS SO... INNOCUOUS. AND PEACEFUL. THE SILENCE WAS OCCASIONALLY PIERCED BY A HORN AND THE RATTLE OF AN NJ TRANSIT TRAIN... DELIVERING COMMUTERS TO THEIR HOMES NEARBY.

MY NERVES DIDN'T KICK IN UNTIL I GOT HOME THAT EVENING AND NOTICED SOME LIGHT BROWN DUST ON MY BOOTS. I NOW CALL THESE SHOES MY "SUPER BOOTS."

BACK ON THE SITE... WITH MY "SUPER BOOTS" AND SHOTGUN MIC... I SAW WHITE SIGNS ON SUPPORT POLES THAT SHOWED HOW HIGH THE FLOODWATERS GOT DURING:

--TROPICAL STORM DORIA IN 1971... NEARLY 38 FEET.

--HURRICANE FLOYD IN 1999... SLIGHTLY OVER 42 FEET.

--HURRICANE IRENE IN 2011... RIGHT AROUND 42 FEET.

--AND TROPICAL STORM IDA... A RECORD 43 FEET.

AMID THE DOOM AND GLOOM... A FEW THINGS STOOD OUT TO ME:

THERE WAS A WOODPECKER ON AN ELECTRICAL POLE...

...AND DUCKS IN THE PONDS.

THESE SIGNS OF LIFE ARE ENCOURAGING... AND GIVE ME HOPE THAT ONE DAY THE SITE WILL BE A LOVELY... WHOLE FOODS.

THE NEXT TIME IT FLOODS... WILL HAZARDOUS WASTE LEAK OUT OF THE AMERICAN CYANAMID SITE AND SNEAK INTO THE RARITAN RIVER?

OR COULD IT SEEP INTO THE BRUNSWICK AQUIFER... NEW JERSEY'S SECOND LARGEST SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER?

THE U.S. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE... OR THE GAO... MADE SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS IN 2019 TO MAKE SURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN.

Alfredo Gomez -- GAO Director, Natural Resources and Environment team

So, what we learned was that people wanted more direction. They wanted sort of forward-looking climate information, so they can make better decisions about risk responses, about risk assessments.

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

ALFREDO GOMEZ IS A DIRECTOR WITH THE GAO'S NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT TEAM.

HIS TEAM FOUND THAT MORE THAN 60% OF THE COUNTRY'S SUPERFUND SITES ARE IN PLACES VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

Alfredo Gomez -- GAO Director, Natural Resources and Environment team

Now, interestingly, in New Jersey, that percentage was a lot higher, it was 88% of the Superfund sites are located in places that may be affected by one or more of these climate change effects.

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

THE REPORT DIDN'T LOOK INTO HOW CLIMATE CHANGE MAY IMPACT CLEANUP EFFORTS.

AS LONG AS THE POLLUTION REMAINS, HURRICANES AND FLOODING ARE A MAJOR THREAT TO SITES LIKE AMERICAN CYANAMID... AND TO OUR HEALTH.

IF THIS SITE ISN'T SECURED BEFORE ANOTHER HURRICANE OR FLOOD... IT COULD SPREAD CHEMICALS THROUGH THE RIVER AND WIND. IF CHEMICALS GET IN THE GROUNDWATER... IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO TRACK.

Mark Schmidt -- EPA Remedial Project Manager

So, based on what has happened, we're concerned with the flooding events. We've been fortunate that nothing has happened. But, you know, what's the future gonna look like?

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

ALRIGHT... I JUST SPENT THE PAST FEW MINUTES THROWING AROUND A LOT OF TERMS I RECENTLY LEARNED HOW TO PRONOUNCE CORRECTLY... AND SERVED UP A HEARTY HELPING OF ACRONYM SOUP.

SO... I'M GOING TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND BREAK DOWN THE BASICS.

SUPERFUND... EMPHASIS ON FUND... NOT FUN... WAS A PROGRAM CREATED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN 1980 TO HELP PAY FOR THE CLEANUP OF HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES.

AT THE TIME... THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... OR EPA... THOUGHT THERE WERE RELATIVELY FEW TOXIC SITES IN THE COUNTRY.

BUT OFFICIALS SOON DISCOVERED THOUSANDS OF CONTAMINATED SITES. SO, THEY CREATED A NATIONAL PRIORITIES LIST TO FIGURE OUT WHICH PLACES NEEDED TO BE CLEANED UP FIRST.

IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR THE AMERICAN CYANAMID SITE TO BE INCLUDED ON THIS LIST.

SOME OF THE CHEMICALS THE COMPANY MADE ARE NOW KNOWN CARCINOGENS. THIS LINK WAS MADE BACK IN 1978... WHEN MORE THAN 1,000 WORKERS AT THE BRIDGEWATER PLANT WENT ON STRIKE.

Rebecca Sobel -- New Jersey Nightly News, 1978

More than 300 -- 1,300 workers at American Cyanamid's Bridgewater plant walked out on strike today, protesting low wages and poor safety conditions. Local 111 of the International Chemical Workers Union claims the company has ignored complaints of high rates of bladder cancer and lung disease among workers. Cyanamid wouldn't comment on that charge, but a spokesman says the company can't grant the 75-cent-an-hour pay hike because, said the Union, it exceeds President Carter's wage and price guidelines.

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

IN SEPTEMBER 1983... AMERICAN CYANAMID WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES TO BE DESIGNATED A SUPERFUND SITE.

THAT'S NO REAL SURPRISE.

FOR NEARLY A CENTURY... NUMEROUS COMPANIES USED THIS 575-ACRE SITE FOR CHEMICAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING.

THE TOXIC WASTE FROM THIS PRODUCTION WAS STORED IN HUMAN-MADE PONDS CALLED IMPOUNDMENTS. EVENTUALLY... THE PONDS LEECHED CHEMICALS IN THE SOIL AND GROUNDWATER.

THERE ARE 27 OF THESE PONDS AT AMERICAN CYANAMID... AND THE EPA SAYS 16 OF THESE BAD BOYS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE POLLUTION ON THE PROPERTY.

BUT THE GRANDDADDY OF THEM ALL ARE IMPOUNDMENTS 1 AND 2. THE EPA GAVE THE PONDS NUMBERS TO KEEP TRACK OF THEM ALL.

THESE TWO PONDS ARE CONSIDERED BY THE EPA TO HAVE THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.

THEY CONTAIN ACID TAR SLUDGE. THAT'S A BYPRODUCT OF THE SITE'S DAYS AS AN OIL REFINERY.

JUST GOES TO SHOW... SOMETIMES THE PAST STICKS WITH YOU.

AMERICAN CYANAMID IS ONE OF THE MORE COMPLEX SUPERFUND SITES IN TERMS OF CLEANUP.

AND MARK SAYS THE PONDS ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM.

Mark Schmidt -- EPA Remedial Project Manager

Each of these impoundments had different waste. Back in the, you know, early days, the '40s and the '50s, there wasn't a lot of thought about what would happen if you put waste into these impoundments.

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

EVEN WHILE CHEMICAL WASTE WAS BEING DUMPED NEXT TO THE RARITAN RIVER... SOMEONE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE SITE WAS ON A FLOODPLAIN AND TOOK ACTION.

IN THE 1930S... PONDS WERE CREATED ON THE SITE TO TRAP CHEMICAL WASTEWATER AND PREVENT THE TOXIC SOUP FROM POURING INTO THE RIVER.

DECADES LATER IN 2011... HEAVY RAINS FROM HURRICANE IRENE FLOODED PART OF THE SITE.

IMPOUNDMENTS 1 AND 2 WERE HIT HARD. THE TEMPORARY CAPS THAT HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON THESE SPOTS WERE DAMAGED.

CAPPING IS ONE WAY OF CLEANING UP A SUPERFUND SITE. THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO KEEP CHEMICALS IN PLACE TO PREVENT THEM FROM SPREADING. BUT IN THIS CASE... IT DIDN'T WORK.

THE CAPS COULDN'T WITHSTAND THE FLOODING AND SOME OF THAT ACID TAR SLUDGE WAS EXPOSED.

TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE... THE EPA NOW REQUIRES THAT ALL FUTURE CAPS BE DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND THE EFFECTS OF MORE FREQUENT FLOODING

THEN LAST SUMMER... HURRICANE IDA HAMMERED DOWN ON THE SITE... AND FLOOD LEVELS SET A NEW RECORD.

LUCKILY... EPA TESTS AFTER BOTH FLOODS SHOWED NO SIGNIFICANT RELEASE OF TOXINS IN THE RARITAN RIVER.

FOR NOW.

AT ITS PEAK... THE AMERICAN CYANAMID COMPLEX SPREAD OVER 600 ACRES ACROSS BRIDGEWATER AND BOUND BROOK.

THE COMPANY WAS ONCE ONE OF SOMERSET COUNTY'S LARGEST EMPLOYERS. THEY HIRED MORE THAN 5,000 PEOPLE WHO PRODUCED DYES... PIGMENTS... AND OTHER CHEMICALS BY THE TRAINLOAD.

PEGGY FUSSELL'S GRANDMOTHER WORKED FOR AMERICAN CYANAMID AS A TELEPHONE SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR.

FOR HOURS A DAY... HER GRANDMOTHER... ANNE FUSSELL... WOULD WATCH FOR CALLS THAT APPEARED AS LIGHTS ON A BOARD.

AT THE END OF HER SHIFT... SHE WOULD WALK THE FEW MINUTES TO HER HOME.

Peggy Fussell

She was what was called a hard luck story because she was a single mom, three kids. And so the corporation, the company, subsidized her housing. So we lived on a street that was for people who had fallen on hard times.

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

ONE OF HER CHILDREN WAS PEGGY'S DAD... WHO ENDED UP WORKING ODD JOBS AT AMERICAN CYANAMID... AND LIVING RIGHT NEXT TO HIS MOM.

Peggy Fussell

The reason I grew up there was because my dad grew up there. And then when my mother was pregnant with me, he was visiting his mother and found out that someone was moving out. And he said, "I am looking for housing now. Can I live in this house until I find something better, until the baby's born?" That baby was me.

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

ON THE SURFACE... THE TWO-BEDROOM... ONE BATH BUNGALOW ON MIDLAND AVENUE SEEMED LIKE AN IDYLLIC PLACE TO GROW UP.

Peggy Fussell

One of the perks of living there was that we had a backyard and then behind the yard were fields and woods, and lots of places to play. I felt like I grew up in the country, even though I was in pretty much suburban New Jersey.

Jordan Gass-Poore'

PHOTOS OF PEGGY AS A CHILD SHOW HER STANDING IN HER BACKYARD.

IN ANOTHER ONE... SHE'S WEARING SUNGLASSES AND TAKING HER DOLLS FOR A STROLL DOWN THE BLOCK.

THE SEASONS CHANGE... SHE'S TALLER... WITH LONGER HAIR... BUT THE ONE CONSTANT IN THIS SCRAPBOOK IS THE AMERICAN CYANAMID FACTORY... LOOMING LARGE OVER PEGGY'S CHILDHOOD.

IN THE WINTER... PEGGY SAYS SHE WOULD ICE SKATE ON THIS BEAUTIFUL FLAT POND NEAR HER HOUSE.

OTHER PONDS HAD LEAVES AND OTHER VEGETATION IN ITS WATERS... BUT NOT THIS ONE.

Peggy Fussell

The ponds were just murky. You know, they didn't look like they would make you sick or anything, they just looked like murky ponds.

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

THOSE PONDS STORED HAZARDOUS WASTE FOR AMERICAN CYANAMID.

PEGGY SAYS HER SKATING DAYS ENDED EARLY WHEN HER PARENTS REALIZED WHAT WAS GOING ON.

EVEN SO... IT WAS HARD TO ESCAPE THE COMPANY'S TRAPS FROM THE PAST.

Peggy Fussell

There was an orchard. When I was very young there were cows and a dairy at the end of the street. And when you think about what it means to drink milk from cows that are eating grass that's on the grounds of a chemical factories. And we had a well. We had well-water.

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

NOW, AT 60 YEARS OLD ... PEGGY WONDERS IF THE WELL-WATER SHE DRANK AS A KID MAY HAVE BEEN CONTAMINATED BY AMERICAN CYANAMID.

Peggy Fussell

I don't think those conversations were had. I know that they weren't had in my house.

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

WHAT THE FAMILY DID TALK ABOUT WAS HER AUNT'S WORK AT AMERICAN CYANAMID. MARY-LOUISE VEGA WAS A RESEARCH SCIENTIST AT THE PLANT.

HER CLAIM TO FAME WAS INVENTING A TYPE OF GLOW STICK USED BY THE MILITARY CALLED CYALUME.

Peggy Fussell

The joke was, you know, at some point we're all gonna glow.

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

AMERICAN CYANAMID OFFICIALLY TURNED OFF THE LIGHTS IN 1999 WHEN THEY STOPPED MANUFACTURING IN BRIDGEWATER.

THEN... POOF.

BUILDINGS WERE DEMOLISHED THE FOLLOWING YEAR... AND TODAY IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE A SPRAWLING FACTORY ON THE SITE.

WHERE PEGGY'S GRANDMOTHER AND AUNT WORKED... CYANAMID'S OFFICES AND LABS... IS NOW A SHOPPING CENTER AND A STADIUM FOR THE MINOR LEAGUE SOMERSET PATRIOTS.

PEGGY'S CHILDHOOD HOME IS NOW A STARBUCKS.

JENNY KETROW... A FORMER BRIDGEWATER RESIDENT... SAYS HER DAD AND GRANDFATHER USED TO WORK ON THE AMERICAN CYANAMID SITE.

Jenny Ketrow

Sometimes my mom still talks about it, my dad would come home with, like, pink dye or red dye soaked into his undergarments, and she would do the laundry separate from our laundry. And, you know, especially, like, a couple of jobs, he had jackhammering out dye in a vat that was, you know, like, sending humans in there to do that?

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

THE FAMILY HAD A COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP WITH AMERICAN CYANAMID. ON ONE HAND... IT WAS A SOURCE OF PRIDE TO HAVE RELATIVES WORK THERE. ON THE OTHER HAND... BY THE TIME JENNY WAS BORN IN 1984... IT WAS ALREADY LISTED AS A SUPERFUND SITE.

Jenny Ketrow

You also feared it because "Wow, I could die at this job. You know, I'm basically risking my life for my family and for my livelihood. But, you know, I can put a roof over my head and feed everybody and have a sense of pride, like, I can afford the nicer things."

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

SHE SAYS ONE OF HER DAD'S JOBS WAS TO ROW A BOAT OUT ONTO THE PONDS. THERE... HE WOULD STIR THE WATER TO KEEP THE CHEMICALS FROM POOLING TOGETHER.

Jenny Ketrow

I remember him saying, like, he would have to go sometimes with a scientist or, like, a lab technician and go take samples. So, they had a metal rowboat. I don't think they really had anything other than maybe, like, a jumpsuit to wear, but not like a safety jumpsuit, more like a denim jumpsuit, the typical work wear that the guys wore.

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

JENNY REMEMBERS BEING TOLD THE STORY ABOUT AN EMPLOYEE WHO ALMOST FELL INTO THE POND BECAUSE THE BOTTOM OF THEIR BOAT HAD ROTTED OUT.

SHE BELIEVES THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE THE POND WATER WAS SO TOXIC IT DISSOLVED THE BOAT'S METAL.

Jenny Ketrow

And at one point I guess something reacted with the chemicals and one of the boats started to have rot to it. One of the safety procedures was, like, check the bottom of the boat, make sure it's sound, make sure it's safe before we put it in. And then my father put it in, and then the new guy was just about to jump in. But the boat kind of sank and deteriorated. And my father grabbed the new guy and just threw him back onto the platform. I'm pretty sure that was my father's last day on that detail because I think he told his supervisor, like, "Look, you know, I have a family. I'm not doing this. Like, this is not, no."

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

HER HOPE IS THAT THESE PONDS WILL BE CLEANED UP SOON.

Jenny Ketrow

Just turn it back into nature. And maybe that'll help with some of the flooding that's coming through because that area it still floods. Pretty much anytime we have a nor'easter hurricane, remnants of tropical storms, it floods. So let nature have it back.

Jordan Gass-Poore' Host

ALL OF THIS LAND... KNOWN AS THE HILL PROPERTY... WAS REMOVED FROM THE SUPERFUND LIST IN 1998.

THE REMAINING 435 ACRES OF THE SITE WERE BOUGHT BY PFIZER IN 2009.

THAT COMPANY'S NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEANING IT UP.

Mark Schmidt -- EPA Remedial Project Manager

You know, we learned a lot through Irene. Ida, we learned even more, so there's still quite a bit of resiliency work that's going to go into the next phase of work.

Jordan Gass-Poore' -- Host

SECURING THE AMERICAN CYANAMID SITE MEANS A FEWS THINGS.

AFTER HURRICANE IDA DEVASTATED THE NORTHEAST IN 2021...

SOME FACILITIES WERE RELOCATED TO AREAS NOT WITHIN A FLOODPLAIN... OTHER PARTS WERE MOVED TO HIGHER GROUND... AND AN ON-SITE WEATHER STATION WAS PUT ON THE PROPERTY.

THE TOXIC ACID TAR IN IMPOUNDMENTS 1 AND 2 HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND ARE BEING TREATED OFFSITE BECAUSE THEY'RE AT RISK OF BEING FLOODED.

CLEANUP AT AMERICAN CYANAMID HAS DRAGGED ON FOR DECADES.

SINCE BEING DESIGNATED A SUPERFUND SITE NEARLY 40 YEARS AGO... ONLY ABOUT 80 ACRES HAVE BEEN CLEANED UP.

IT'S EXPECTED TO TAKE FIVE-TO-TEN MORE YEARS FOR CLEANUP TO BE COMPLETE.

HAZARD IS A SPACE NOT JUST FOR LEARNING ABOUT SUPERFUND SITES... BUT FOR ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITIES IN CONVERSATION AROUND THE CLEANUP OF THESE TOXIC PLACES.

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT SUPERFUND SITES IN NEW JERSEY? DO YOU LIVE NEAR ONE? IF SO... I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. SEND ME A TWEET USING #HAZARDNJ.

OR LEAVE ME A VOICE MEMO AT... HAZARD@MYNJPBS.ORG.

WE MAY PLAY YOUR COMMENTS IN A FUTURE EPISODE.

HAZARD NJ IS AN NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS PRODUCTION.

Credits

Hazard NJ is written, edited and hosted by Jordan Gass-Poore’

Executive Producer – Jamie Kraft

Executive in Charge of Production – Joe Lee

Associate Producer – Michael Sol Warren

Production Assistant – Chris Pandza

Production Manager – Chloe Motisi

Additional research by Betsy Laikin

Sound Designer & Engineer – Mark Bush

Audio Recording Engineer – Frank Brown

Music composed by Nick Pennington

Artwork by Matthew Fleming

Animated trailer created by Everest Strayer