Years of toxic waste dumping in a Jersey Shore community have resulted in at least $1 billion in damage to natural resources, according to an environmental group challenging a settlement between New Jersey and the corporate successor to the polluting firm.
Save Barnegat Bay and the township of Toms River are contesting a deal with German chemical company BASF, which involves a $500,000 payment and nine environmental remediation projects at the former Ciba-Geigy Chemical Corporation plant site.
The site, once a notorious toxic waste dump, raised concerns over elevated childhood cancer rates in and around Toms River.
Save Barnegat Bay argues that the settlement is insufficient and fails to address the full extent of pollution. The state Department of Environmental Protection, however, defends the agreement, emphasizing the importance of restoring damaged areas.
Documents dating back to 1958 reveal severe environmental impacts caused by Ciba-Geigy's activities, including fish kills, discolored waters, and toxic effluent. The environmental group asserts that a comprehensive assessment of damages would exceed $1 billion.
Former Toms River Mayor Maurice Hill criticized the settlement, stating that it does not adequately compensate the community for its suffering.
BASF, as the successor to Ciba-Geigy, has committed to fulfilling the terms of the settlement, which includes maintaining nine projects over 20 years to restore wetlands, create recreational areas, and establish an environmental education center.
Beginning in the 1950s, Ciba-Geigy discharged chemicals into the Toms River and the Atlantic Ocean, as well as buried toxic waste drums on-site, leading to widespread contamination that extended into residential neighborhoods.
A state health department study identified elevated rates of childhood cancers and leukemia in girls in Toms River, prompting legal actions and cleanup efforts that have cost millions of dollars.
The legacy of environmental damage and health impacts from the toxic waste dumping continues to be a significant issue for the community.
