On September 18, 2017, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) issued a Notice of Administrative Change impacting the soil remediation standards for 19 contaminants. The standards have been updated to reflect U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revisions to the toxicity data for the affected compounds, as listed in the EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System database. The updated standards became effective immediately upon issuance of the Notice.

The soil standard changes include less stringent residential and non-residential standards for several so-called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), typically found in historic fill here in New Jersey, including benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(a)pyrene and benzo(b)fluoranthene. For the compounds known as chlorinated volatile organics (CVOCs), notable changes include less stringent residential and non-residential soil standards for tetrachloroethene (PCE) and more stringent residential and non-residential standards for tricholorethene (TCE).

Public Health Statement for PAHs
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/PHS/PHS.asp?id=120&tid=25

CDC statement on tetrachloroethene (PCE), most commonly used in dry-cleaning

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/idlh/127184.html

A Notice of Administrative Correction to the Notice of Administrative Change was also published for two of the compounds, hexachloroethane and 1,1,1-trichloroethane.