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Information, Resources, and Accountability
Upcoming Community Events:
Rescheduled Date Coming Soon - Rutgers Cancer Institute Patient Navigator Sessions: Free one-on-one consultations to help residents understand which screenings they may be eligible for, connect with healthcare resources, and navigate next steps for care.
Latest Updates:
NJDEP Presents Investigation Results at Town Hall
On September 22, the NJDEP presented the results of its investigation, reporting no indication that contamination from the Aeromarine site is affecting surrounding neighborhoods. However, the DEP's soil-gas sampling found benzene, a known carcinogen, above residential screening levels at the two Union Beach locations closest to the landfill. The DEP described these results as inconclusive and says it will conduct additional sampling.
Residents packed the meeting, and many raised questions about the DEP's findings. Several asked why the DEP did not sample closer to the landfill, where many cancer cases have been reported. Residents also raised concerns about contamination spread by Superstorm Sandy. Families affected by cancer shared their experiences and, citing independent testing that found elevated contaminant levels at some properties, asked the DEP to test their homes directly, since the DEP's sampling was limited to sidewalks and streets. Community members also presented research on the site's decades-long history and asked the DEP to use its authority under the Spill Act to require cleanup of the site. The DEP agreed to review the research and issue a written determination.
Read the DEP Investigation Summary Report
Watch CBS New York's coverage
Residential Testing Finds Contaminants Above EPA Screening Levels
On August 16, independent testing expert, Scott Smith, shared preliminary test results from soil samples collected at residential properties. While PFAS (forever chemicals) were not detected, several results exceeded EPA residential screening levels, including benzo(a)pyrene, dioxins, and toxic metals such as arsenic and lead. After the meeting, Scott conducted his third round of testing in Keyport, which includes air testing, vapor intrusion testing, and additional soil and water testing.
View the August 16th presentation, including test results, here
NJDEP Expands Testing Beyond the Aeromarine Site
After months of public pressure, NJDEP expanded its investigation beyond the Aeromarine site, collecting soil-gas and groundwater samples in Keyport and Union Beach neighborhoods. The testing will help determine whether contamination has migrated off-site and whether it could pose a vapor intrusion risk to homes and other buildings.
Read more about DEP-led testing
View the testing map
August 13 Special Council Meeting
On August 13, SESI Consulting Engineers, Excel Environmental Resources, and NJDEP Commissioner Ed Potosnak presented updates on the ongoing investigation into the Aeromarine site. The meeting included preliminary findings from Excel and SESI, a Q&A with council members and the environmental consultants, NJDEP's plans for additional testing, and public comments.
July Community Meeting Unites Residents
More than 150 residents gathered in Sal Liguori's backyard for a community meeting focused on sharing information and resources, and strengthening the community's push for answers and accountability. Residents heard from community advocates, Sierra Club NJ, Waterspirit, Rutgers Cancer Institute, and elected officials including Mayor Araneo, Congressman Pallone, and Assemblyman Scharfenberger. Following the meeting, Congressman Frank Pallone sent a letter to the EPA requesting expanded testing and federal involvement.
What We Know About Aeromarine
What We Know About Aeromarine
The Aeromarine site, an industrial property and former municipal dump along Raritan Bay, has been the subject of environmental concerns for over four decades. The landfill, an unlined toxic waste pit, was never properly closed and has a long history of violations.
Earlier this year, residents began documenting an unusually high number of cancer cases in the surrounding community. More than 400 cancer cases have been identified in an area of roughly 3,000 households, prompting calls for an investigation into whether the area may constitute a cancer cluster.
Recent testing has found that many of the same contaminants identified at the site in 2010 are still present. Independent testing reported by NJ.com found elevated levels of metals in the surrounding community. Separate independent testing found dioxin levels at the landfill and a nearby residence nearly 6.5 times the EPA's trigger threshold.
NJDEP's Investigation
As recently as July 2026, NJDEP stated that its review of existing and new data did not indicate a pathway for human exposure to contamination. That conclusion came despite decades of documented concerns about landfill material entering nearby waterways and before any testing had been conducted in surrounding neighborhoods. Following months of public pressure, NJDEP conducted off-site testing to determine whether contamination had migrated into the surrounding area. NJDEP reviewed its 2026 testing results at their September 22 town hall.
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