BRIEF HISTORY AND CURRENT STATUS OF FORD PAINT SLUDGE CLEANUP PROJECT

In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, a Ford Motor Company waste hauler dumped tons of toxic paint sludge from Ford’s Mahwah, New Jersey auto manufacturing plant into and around Ringwood’s abandoned iron mines.

Since that time, the EPA designated the disposal area a hazardous waste Superfund Site. Then, after directing a major cleanup by Ford, EPA de-listed the site in 1994. Despite that effort to close the site, EPA has required Ford to return several times to remove more toxic sludge that was not removed earlier. That additional work has still not cleaned up the site. Ford left so much paint sludge behind that local citizens, through legal representation and a strong endorsement from Borough officials, petitioned the EPA to initiate yet another cleanup effort in 2004. This current cleanup effort will most likely continue through 2006 and beyond.

· The paint sludge was dumped at several locations covering perhaps 100 acres of a 900-acre Ford owned tract in the extremely northwestern corner of Ringwood.

· The approximate 100 acre disposal area, representing a very small fraction of Ringwood’s 18,000 acres, is underlain by thick bedrock, a natural geological formation that inhibits the spread of groundwater contamination.

· Ringwood’s closest well that provides city water is nearly two miles away from the sludge disposal area. Our public well water tests, which detect and measure very minute quantities (parts per billion) of many contaminants, have not shown any evidence of contamination from the dumped sludge. More frequent water testing may also be undertaken as appropriate.

The above facts should allay many of our fears and concerns, but they should not make us complacent. We have, for example, employed a highly regarded law firm, Maraziti, Falcon, & Healey, L.L.P., and engineering firm, H2M Group, to work for the best interest of the Borough and its residents with regard to the Ford cleanup.

We will continue to insist that the Ford cleanup be thorough, that the residents in the immediate area of the sludge be examined for possible health effects and provided with appropriate medical attention and treatment, and that Ford, not Ringwood, be held responsible for the costs associated with the cleanup.