Residents near a western New Jersey chemical plant reportedly want the company's environmental consultant to provide additional information about possible pollution near the facility.
NJ Advance Media reports that MEL Chemicals' Kingwood, N.J., plant was blamed for six chemical spills in the past 23 years and prompted long-standing questions about contamination of local soil and groundwater.
MEL, based in the U.K., primarily makes zirconium-based chemicals; four of the spills since 1994 involved radioactive materials. Thirty-five individuals signed a petition earlier this year demanding a meeting with Ramboll Environ, which oversees environmental remediation at the plant site.
Richard Malgran, a local resident and attorney, told the publication that his home's well contained high levels of arsenic and "who knows what else," while members of Kingwood's environmental commission said their concerns stretch back decades.
Deborah Kratzer, the commission chairwoman, alleged that the firm provided insufficient updates to authorities and indicated that Environ prompted MEL to discontinue regular testing of home wells near the plant in 2013. It's also unclear whether the company continues to provide drinking water to nearby residents.
"Our priority is the protection of groundwater and public health, and we have been very frustrated by what we perceive as the company's lack of transparency," Kratzer said.
Environ spokeswoman Jeanne Bezerra said the firm hopes to hold the meeting in coming months but added in a statement that numerous investigations "have produced no evidence that chemicals at the MEL site have migrated off-site onto or under adjacent properties."
