EPA finds high levels of lead in Raritan Bay

EPA finds high levels of lead at Raritan Bay sites

by Aliyah Shahid/For The Star-Ledger

OLD BRIDGE — Tests on mussels, clams and foraging fish near the Laurence Harbor Sea Wall in Old Bridge, have revealed high levels of lead, the Environmental Protection Agency reported today. The amount of lead found in ribbed mussels ranged from 3 to 8.6 parts per million. In softshell clams the amount ranged from 3.4 to 17 parts per million and hardshell clams from 1.7 to 3.1 parts per million. In foraging fish or bait fish the amount of lead found ranged from 0.49 to 0.92 parts per million. Currently, there is no standard for safe levels of lead in these marine animals, said Calliope C. Alexander an environmental scientist for New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. However, Sharon Kubiak, a program specialist from the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, said there is no safe level of lead in a child’s body. “This is very dangerous,” said Peter Defur, a biologist and environmental consultant for Environmental Stewardship Concepts based in Richmond, Va., who works on contaminated sites. “I’ve never seen such high numbers in the 30 years I’ve been doing this.” Robert Spiegel, executive director of the Edison Wetlands Association, a nonprofit environmental organization said the numbers are alarming. “This is just the tip of the iceberg. We don’t know how far up the food chain this goes.” … In the earlier tests, the EPA said the western jetty near Cheesequake Creek revealed lead levels of 198,000 parts per million-nearly 500 times the residential limit of 400 parts per million. Average lead levels in the area were 52,399 parts per million. At the Laurence Harbor sea wall area, the range of lead found was as high as 142,000 parts per million. At the half-acre beach area in Sayreville, just north of the Cheesequake Creek jetty, lead was also 142,000 parts per million. …