Ammo illegally dumped at police training site threatens water for thousands

MAHWAH - Spent ammunition found at a county-owned firing range for police and public safety officers has raised concerns about lead contaminants leeching into the Ramapo River and the township's drinking water.

"Waste generated by the bullet fragments at the range require specific procedures for handling and cleanup," said Councilman Rob Hermansen, adding the debris had been there for about a year.

An unnamed person recently discovered old bullet fragments and shell casings at the Bergen County Law and Public Safety Training Center on Campgaw Road. They brought their findings to the Township Council and an environmental group, which held a joint press conference on Friday outside the municipal building on Corporate Drive.

"There needs to be a full investigation into the dumping, including identifying toxins such as lead that are present as well as possible other locations of dumping," Hermansen said.

Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, said some of the old ammo has oxidized, meaning the debris has broken down in the soil.

"We know there is contamination at the site," Tittel said. "We don't know the level of contamination or how widespread it is, but testing is being done."

Tittel and Hermansen said the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is testing the soil and debris for lead, metals and contaminants.

The debris is in an area rich with wetlands and streams that drain into the Ramapo River, which is a water supply source. More than 80 percent of Mahwah's drinking water is drawn from wells linking to the Ramapo River, officials said.

"There have been tons of mounds of contaminated piles dumped under tarps and other areas," Tittel said. "If there are indeed toxins such as lead in the waste, they will be washed away in the rain. This will lead to contaminated groundwater and drinking water."

Lead in drinking water has long been known to cause serious health problems in humans.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports children, infants and fetuses are most vulnerable to lead, even at low exposure. Lead exposure is linked to damage to central and peripheral nervous system, leading to learning disabilities and impaired hearing and formation, according to the EPA.

According to its website, the Bergen County Law and Public Safety Institute trains police, fire and emergency medical services workers. The site on Campgaw Road contains a 32-position outdoor firing range, along with training areas a smoke tower. Private corporations, public and non-profit organizations use the facility.

Bergen County officials could not be reached for comment on Friday. A message left in the administrative office of the law and public safety center was not returned on Friday.

Hermansen declined to speculate who dumped the old ammo, saying only, "We're not going to point fingers."

"This should never have happened," Tittel said. "And we need to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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