Background and Investigation of Historic Pesticides in New Jersey
New Jersey Conference of Mayors Newsletter

Goal: To inform Mayors, Planners, and Open Space Preservation Groups about the occurrence and management of residual pesticides as per New Jersey Guidelines

Authors: Janelle C. Snyder, J.D., Environmental Scientist, (jsnyder@brinkenv.com) and
Laura A. Brinkerhoff,  President/CEO of Brinkerhoff Environmental Services, Inc., Manasquan, New Jersey (Lbrinkerhoff@brinkenv.com)

"Historic Pesticides: New Jersey Takes Action"

     "Historic pesticides" are arsenic, lead, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), Dieldrin and other pesticides used prior to the 1970s. Although these chemicals were very effective in pest eradication, they have since been banned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency due to escalating environmental risks. Scientists found that these pesticides bind to soil particles and that breakdown of these compounds is slow. Thus, many pesticides and their breakdown components persist in the Garden State's soils even though they have not been applied for thirty or more years.

     Depending on the type, quantity, and time the pesticides were used, some farmland soils contain only small traces of the pesticides. Yet, some farmlands continue to contain high levels of the pesticides, even after remaining fallow for forty years. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) recognizes that approximately five percent (5%) of New Jersey soils are currently impacted from the historical use of pesticides.

     These historic pesticides are of concern to the Garden State for two (2) reasons. First, historic pesticide exposure poses a human health risk. The NJDEP has stated that "the primary concern has to do with human health impacts resulting from long-term ingestion of contaminated soil, particularly by children." For example, long-term exposure to lead affects young children's developing brains and nervous systems, and may also cause kidney damage. Arsenic may cause skin, liver, bladder, kidney, or lung cancer in adults or children. DDT and its breakdown components, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD), are associated with liver and pancreatic cancer.

     These human health risks are translated by the economy of the State into environmental risks associated with property values. As New Jersey's agricultural lands continue to be developed into residential communities, the possibility of encountering historic pesticide contamination increases. Buyers and sellers, lenders and insurance carriers, are considering this environmental issue along with other environmental concerns, such as leaking oil tanks, radon gas and the quality of drinking water. Thus, a property impacted by historic pesticides will decrease in value unless the site is remediated.

     In response to these concerns, New Jersey took action by establishing the "Historic Pesticide Contamination Task Force" (Task Force). The Garden State is the first state to take action to control exposure from historic pesticides. NJDEP created the Task Force in 1997 after historic pesticides were found in soil at a housing development built on a former orchard in Burlington Township. The Task Force was comprised of lenders, realtors, environmental scientists, farmers, medical professionals, builders, and representatives from municipalities. The Task Force created its final report of recommendations in March of 1999. This report, titled "Findings and Recommendations for the Remediation of Historic Pesticide Contamination," can be downloaded from www.state.nj.us/dep/special/hpctf/.

     The Task Force set about creating the first historic pesticides Cleanup Criteria standards. This set of standards is a benchmark for the amount of pesticides that can remain in soil without requiring remediation of the site. The Task Force used the health-based risk management factor mandated by New Jersey Legislature.

     The Task Force determined that the primary "pesticides of concern" are arsenic, lead, DDT, aldrin, and their breakdown products. For arsenic, the Cleanup Criteria is set at 20 parts per million (ppm). The Cleanup Criteria for Lead in soil is 400 ppm. DDT and its breakdown product, DDE are set at 2 ppm, while another breakdown product, DDD, is set at 3 ppm. Lastly, aldrin is 0.04 ppm and its breakdown, dieldrin is 0.042 ppm. These standards are utilized by environmental scientists and professionals to determine whether cleanup is necessary for a particular site.

     The Task Force recommends a pesticide-sampling program if a particular property was once farmland or orchards, and the site is under consideration for development or open space preservation. In accordance with the NJDEP Guidance Manual, a minimum of two (2) soil samples are collected for analysis; one (1) sample for every two (2) acres up to ten acres. If the site is greater than ten acres, then one (1) more sample is recommended for each additional five (5) acres. Samples are collected from within former farm fields at or near the soil surface. If the boundaries of the fields or orchards cannot be determined, then samples are collected from the entire property. After the required samples are carefully extracted, they are transported to an NJDEP-Certified Laboratory for chemical analyses of pesticides, arsenic and lead. The results of the laboratory work are compared to the Task Force's Cleanup Criteria to evaluate whether site remediation is necessary, and to what extent.

     Although the Task Force created specific guidelines, New Jersey has not yet adopted these as official technical regulations. Local municipalities are beginning to realize the significance of historic pesticide impacts and are adopting ordinances requiring soil testing on farms and orchards before the sites are developed. For example, in Burlington County, the municipalities of Mount Laurel, Evesham and Moorestown have all passed historic pesticide ordinances. Yet, the Task Force addresses the need for consistent regulation throughout the State.

     Overall, the effects of historic pesticide contamination on human health and the economy is a nationwide issue. New Jersey has stepped forward and taken this environmental risk seriously by establishing technical guidelines. Local municipalities are leading the way by adopting these guidelines into local ordinances, and New Jersey-based environmental companies are incorporating the guidelines into their assessment methods. Awareness of this issue must be increased; more municipalities must adopt ordinances to protect their communities, and the State must ultimately move to adopt state-wide technical regulations.