Cleanup complete of InmanSports Center waste drums

EDISON — According to the state Department of Environmental Protection, approximately 75 empty steel drums that once held contaminants were recently removed from behind a fence on the property of the Inman Sports Club. The drums were dug up as part of an effort to clean up the site, located at 990 Inman Ave.

"The soil stockpile still remains onsite and the state is currently identifying where to take those materials," DEP spokesman Larry Hajna said.

Even with the cleanup of the drums, Robert Spiegel, executive director of the Edison Wetlands Association, a nonprofit organization, said that the DEP was not aggressive enough in its efforts to alleviate the problem sooner.

"This really is a disgrace at this point," Spiegel said. "Why are they even collecting a paycheck? The environment and people are at risk here in Edison, and really, this should have never been an issue in the first place. It really is a disgrace. To me, it's obvious that they are having problems over there [at the DEP]."

Spiegel also said that legal options are being reviewed regarding the matter.