After analyzing the NYS DEC's 449-page report on the results of soil and water sampling around Norlite, researchers and community leaders wrote a letter to DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos strongly disagreeing with the study's conclusions. The DEC study concluded "no clear link to Norlite's operations, no indication of human health risk" as a result of Norlite burning millions of pounds of PFAS-containing AFFF fire fighting foam.
The 449-page report was delivered to the community and officials 5 months after the study was announced. The press release from the DEC reads, "DEC's Comprehensive Study of PFAS and Metals Finds No Clear Link to Norlite's Operations, No Indication of Human Health Risk."
Read the DEC Report Here March 9, 2021Dr. Dave Walker, PhD Geologist retired from Columbia University, examined dust samples taken from Saratoga Sites and the attic of Ed Sokol, who lives across the street. The samples resembled volcanic glass and matched a sample of Norlite aggregate. Volcanic glass is known to cause silicosis, a progressive and deadly lung disease. Norlite's Material Safety Data Sheet shows that Norlite's aggregate product can cause serious respiratory disease.
A plume of black smoke could be seen from 787 after a fire broke out at the Norlite hazardous waste incinerator in Cohoes on Monday. Hours after the fire had been contained, a heavy, noxious chemical smell, described as something like a dry-erase marker or paint, lingered in the air at Saratoga Sites. This is the second fire at Norlite in under a year, since another fire occurred in February of 2020.
Norlite's state permits officially expired, but they are allowed to continue burning via "Administrative Extension" through the State Administrative Procedure Act.
December 31st, 2020The measure, proposed by Mayor Bill Keeler, imposes a 4% tax on Norlite's receipts for accepting hazardous waste. It is not yet clear what that amount will be. The first tax payment will be made in March of 2020. Community members at the meeting called for a local law to ban the burning of hazardous waste in Cohoes.
Read about the tax in the Times Union December 31st, 2020Cohoes Mayor Bill Keeler proposes a Local Law to tax the income received by Norlite LLC for its treatment and disposal of hazardous waste. Norlite makes annual property, water, and sewer tax payments to the City of Cohoes. In addition, beginning in 2012, Norlite had paid a monthly voluntary contribution totaling $100,000 annually to the City of Cohoes. Norlite stopped making those payments in March 2020, having paid a total of $16,667 in 2020. Mayor Keeler said that the proposed tax wouldn't affect his decision on the potential for a local law to ban the burning of hazardous waste in Cohoes.
Hear HMM's interview with Mayor Keeler on the proposed tax December 31st, 2020This document details 30 years DEC's enforcement actions against Norlite starting June 21, 1990. The actions total $826,000, $727,000 in penalties and $99,000 in "environmental benefit projects."
Read about why Norlite incurred decades' worth of penalties. November 24 2020The NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation is working to gut the McDonald-Breslin bill by making it a statewide moratorium. To the normal person that might sound great. But it actually means it gives the DEC the authority to regulate the toxin which is something that we cannot trust.
Residents of Cohoes learned in February that a hazardous waste incinerator owned by Norlite LLC, had been burning shipments of toxic firefighting foam. In response to public concern about the health risks, a bill banning the incineration of the foam in Cohoes passed the Senate and Assembly unanimously in June. (DEC's) on-site monitor said that he was aware that the foam was being burned in 2018. But DEC said it was not aware the foam was being burned until “late 2019.”
"The state DEC wants to gut the McDonald-Breslin bill by making it a statewide moratorium. To the normal person that might sound great. But it actually means it gives the DEC the authority to regulate the toxin which is something that we cannot trust."
Read more October 2020Covered by The Albany Times Union in "Neighbors plan on taking Norlite to federal court"
Read the Intent to Sue June 2020Covered by The Albany Times Union in "Navy says it will halt all PFAS shipments to Cohoes' burn plant"
May 2020
Covered by The Albany Times Union in "State tells Norlite no foam incineration, as federal contract done"
May 2020
Covered by wnyt.com in "Bill passed prohibiting burning of firefighting foam at Cohoes facility"
See the Bill February 2020Covered by The Albany Times Union in "Activists file lawsuit over Cohoes Norlite plant burning, storing PFOA for Defense Department"
Covered by The Troy Record in "Norlite facility in Cohoes accused of burning firefighting foam for DOD"
February 2020Covered by The Daily Gazette in "State fines Cohoes company $90K for hazardous waste violations"
2010Covered by The Albany Times Union in "A foul mix into our air"
2009Covered by The Troy Record in "Meeting sheds little 'lite"
2003Covered by The Troy Record in "State cites Norlite Corp. for more violations"
December 2002Covered by the New York State Office of the Attorney General in "Cohoes Company Pleads Guilty To Environmental Crimes"
May 2002Norlite's state permits officially expired, but they are allowed to continue burning via "Administrative Extension" through the State Administrative Procedure Act.
December 31st, 2020The measure, proposed by Mayor Bill Keeler, imposes a 4% tax on Norlite's receipts for accepting hazardous waste. It is not yet clear what that amount will be. The first tax payment will be made in March of 2020. Community members at the meeting called for a local law to ban the burning of hazardous waste in Cohoes.
Read about the tax in the Times Union December 31st, 2020Cohoes Mayor Bill Keeler proposes a Local Law to tax the income received by Norlite LLC for its treatment and disposal of hazardous waste. Norlite makes annual property, water, and sewer tax payments to the City of Cohoes. In addition, beginning in 2012, Norlite had paid a monthly voluntary contribution totaling $100,000 annually to the City of Cohoes. Norlite stopped making those payments in March 2020, having paid a total of $16,667 in 2020. Mayor Keeler said that the proposed tax wouldn't affect his decision on the potential for a local law to ban the burning of hazardous waste in Cohoes.
Hear HMM's interview with Mayor Keeler on the proposed tax December 31st, 2020This document details 30 years DEC's enforcement actions against Norlite starting June 21, 1990. The actions total $826,000, $727,000 in penalties and $99,000 in "environmental benefit projects."
Read about why Norlite incurred decades' worth of penalties. November 24 2020The NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation is working to gut the McDonald-Breslin bill by making it a statewide moratorium. To the normal person that might sound great. But it actually means it gives the DEC the authority to regulate the toxin which is something that we cannot trust.
Residents of Cohoes learned in February that a hazardous waste incinerator owned by Norlite LLC, had been burning shipments of toxic firefighting foam. In response to public concern about the health risks, a bill banning the incineration of the foam in Cohoes passed the Senate and Assembly unanimously in June. (DEC's) on-site monitor said that he was aware that the foam was being burned in 2018. But DEC said it was not aware the foam was being burned until “late 2019.”
"The state DEC wants to gut the McDonald-Breslin bill by making it a statewide moratorium. To the normal person that might sound great. But it actually means it gives the DEC the authority to regulate the toxin which is something that we cannot trust."
Read more October 2020Covered by The Albany Times Union in "Neighbors plan on taking Norlite to federal court"
Read the Intent to Sue June 2020Covered by The Albany Times Union in "Navy says it will halt all PFAS shipments to Cohoes' burn plant"
May 2020
Covered by The Albany Times Union in "State tells Norlite no foam incineration, as federal contract done"
May 2020
Covered by wnyt.com in "Bill passed prohibiting burning of firefighting foam at Cohoes facility"
See the Bill February 2020Covered by The Albany Times Union in "Activists file lawsuit over Cohoes Norlite plant burning, storing PFOA for Defense Department"
Covered by The Troy Record in "Norlite facility in Cohoes accused of burning firefighting foam for DOD"
February 2020Covered by The Daily Gazette in "State fines Cohoes company $90K for hazardous waste violations"
2010Covered by The Albany Times Union in "A foul mix into our air"
2009Covered by The Troy Record in "Meeting sheds little 'lite"
2003Covered by The Troy Record in "State cites Norlite Corp. for more violations"
December 2002Covered by the New York State Office of the Attorney General in "Cohoes Company Pleads Guilty To Environmental Crimes"
May 2002This document details 30 years DEC's enforcement actions against Norlite starting June 21, 1990. The actions total $826,000, $727,000 in penalties and $99,000 in "environmental benefit projects."
Read about why Norlite incurred decades' worth of penalties. November 24 2020The NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation is working to gut the McDonald-Breslin bill by making it a statewide moratorium. To the normal person that might sound great. But it actually means it gives the DEC the authority to regulate the toxin which is something that we cannot trust.
Residents of Cohoes learned in February that a hazardous waste incinerator owned by Norlite LLC, had been burning shipments of toxic firefighting foam. In response to public concern about the health risks, a bill banning the incineration of the foam in Cohoes passed the Senate and Assembly unanimously in June. (DEC's) on-site monitor said that he was aware that the foam was being burned in 2018. But DEC said it was not aware the foam was being burned until “late 2019.”
"The state DEC wants to gut the McDonald-Breslin bill by making it a statewide moratorium. To the normal person that might sound great. But it actually means it gives the DEC the authority to regulate the toxin which is something that we cannot trust."
Read more October 2020Covered by The Albany Times Union in "Neighbors plan on taking Norlite to federal court"
Read the Intent to Sue June 2020Covered by The Albany Times Union in "Navy says it will halt all PFAS shipments to Cohoes' burn plant"
May 2020
Covered by The Albany Times Union in "State tells Norlite no foam incineration, as federal contract done"
May 2020
Covered by wnyt.com in "Bill passed prohibiting burning of firefighting foam at Cohoes facility"
See the Bill February 2020Covered by The Albany Times Union in "Activists file lawsuit over Cohoes Norlite plant burning, storing PFOA for Defense Department"
Covered by The Troy Record in "Norlite facility in Cohoes accused of burning firefighting foam for DOD"
February 2020Covered by The Daily Gazette in "State fines Cohoes company $90K for hazardous waste violations"
2010Covered by The Albany Times Union in "A foul mix into our air"
2009Covered by The Troy Record in "Meeting sheds little 'lite"
2003Covered by The Troy Record in "State cites Norlite Corp. for more violations"
December 2002Covered by the New York State Office of the Attorney General in "Cohoes Company Pleads Guilty To Environmental Crimes"
May 2002