Science and Technology in NYC

Ever since the entrepreneur Neziah Bliss purchased majority of the land in Greenpoint in the 1830s, Greenpoint has never been the same: ferry services were established, public turnpikes were opened, and industrialization by the waterfront began. Greenpoint soon thrived with shipbuilding industry and petroleum refineries. Oddly enough, after hundred years, what has brought wealth into Greenpoint became the source of major health concerns.

The petroleum industry can date back to 140 years ago when petroleum-refining operations began with kerosene as the major product. By 1870, 50 refineries were built and few decades’ later, gasoline and fuel oils became the dominant product refined. Some of the refineries were recorded to have the capacity to refine 33,000 barrels of crude oil.¹ All the refining of oils brought business and workers to Greenpoint, but in return, the environment was sacrificed.

The refineries were juxtaposed alongside the Newtown Creek, a core area of the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary. During 1978 the United States Coast Guard reported seepage of petroleum into Newtown Creek. Further investigation found that approximately 17 million gallons of contaminants were released into the Creek.²The released products were mixture of oil, kerosene, and gasoline. This mixture is known as a free product: any petroleum based product that does not mix with water and floats on top of the water due to its lighter weight. While some residents still enjoy their recreational activities such as fishing and kayaking, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated that various water samples showed “potentially harmful” substances for people. Riverkeeper, New York’s clean water advocate, identified the environmental threats of the spill: the water supply beneath Greenpoint is destroyed due to the presence of carcinogenic hydrocarbons in the aquifer, the growth of aquatic life is hindered, and the oil soaked-soil produced a fire hazardous area.

Michael Heimbinder, founder and executive director of HabitatMap (an environmental health justice organization), emphasized the crucial reasons why the conditions of Newtown Creek should not be neglected. He stated that as an estuary boarding Queens and Brooklyn, Newtown Creek is “the center of New York City.” He explained that Newtown Creek has the largest sewer system that dumps everything into the river including toilet water and garbage, oil and gas from the infrastructures, and ethanol. In result, the water is contaminated creating a public health hazard. Mr. Heimbinder, therefore, underscored the need for the EPA to add Newtown Creek to its Superfund List, which will provide government funding to perform a long-term, clean up programs.

The toxic plume also contaminated nearby soil and underground water, which rests about 30 feet below the ground surface in residential areas. The soil vapor intrusion data summary prepared by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) determined the current BP property as the source of the petroleum free product plume. They stated that chlorinated solvents such as tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) were found in soil vapor, soil and groundwater. The indoor air concentration of PCE ranged from 0.73 µg/m3 to 12 µg/m3 and the indoor air concentration of TCE ranged from not detected to 13 µg/m3. Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment stated the TCE level of 1.6 µg/m3 or higher is enough amount to require the responsible party to provide an adequate ventilation, but the level of TCE found in some area far exceeded that amount indicating the health risk of the residents who were exposed to toxic air for many years. In contradictory, a recent Department of Environmental Conservation report tested indoor air of residential area above the oil spillage and concluded that it does not have dangerous vapors. Although no hard data is provided, TCE is concluded as ”highly likely” toxin to cause cancer, birth defects and infertility.³ Michael Heimbinder linked the air pollution with an increase in asthma rate in the vicinity of industrialized area.

Despite the variance among test results on the effect of contaminants, every environmental organization, advocate groups, and alliances are pursuing consistent cleaning up of Newtown Creek. Major project is a petroleum remediation project aimed to remove any untreated petroleum products and purify contaminated water. As of January 2009, approximately 10 million gallons of petroleum product has been recovered and over 3.5 billion gallons of groundwater has been treated.⁴ExxonMobil Terminal, former Paragon Terminal, and BP Terminal are main focus of the remediation project. As for TCE and PCE, Spic and Span Cleaners and Dyer, Klink Cosmo Cleaners and Acme Steel are accused of polluting soil and groundwater. These polluters will be hunt down by New York State to either fund the cleanups or reimburse New York State for our costs to perform these cleanups.⁵

Greenpoint residents also demand an increase in clean up projects. Laura Hofmann believes that it was more than a coincidence that her mother developed a brain cancer and that her father had degenerative brain disorder. ⁶ Her epiphany came when she realized that the grey ashes on her tomatoes every morning were from former Greenpoint Incinerator. She concluded that her children have been eating food from soil contaminated with cancer causing toxins. Similar stories of Laura are currently recorded as part of the Newtown Creek Community Health and Harm Narratives. This study aims to document the public health concerns of Newtown Creek area residents.⁷

A massive oil spill said to surpass the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska. New York City’s largest wastewater treatment plant. One of the top polluted waterways—What other neighborhood can boast such an impressive track record and history?

On the northern end of Brooklyn lies Greenpoint, a mainly Polish neighborhood that has also begun to feel the effects of gentrification as young “hipsters” spill over from Williamsburg. However, underneath the quiet neighborhood and chic shops lies a legacy of industrial activity and operations that has left the area a string of health and environmental problems.

Greenpoint is home to Newtown Creek, one of the most polluted waterways in the Northeast. Once a green and luscious 4 mile stunner is now stagnant water accumulating gallons of rainwater runoff, domestic sewage and industrial garbage.

Driving over the JJ Byrne Memorial Bridge, the modernized digester “eggs” of the Newtown Creek are unmistakable as well as the mired creek it overlooks. Its surroundings are nothing but a scrap iron yard, construction sites and lots.

The plant processes millions of gallons of residential and commercial waste from East Manhattan, Northern Brooklyn and parts of Western Queens. In 2003, the plant upgraded to the 8 aesthetically pleasing “eggs” that are engineered to process up to 1.5 million gallons of sludge everyday yet have a capacity of about 3 million gallons in the event of flooding. Even with the reputation of this infamous structure, it is quite a vision at night when its professionally designed blue light display illuminates the plant.

Now, imagine living in the neighborhood that overlooks these majestic (and ironic) waste treatment structures. In such a heavily populated city, you’re looking most of the city’s waste just a few skips away from home.

“I’m only around here in the morning and at night but, every once in a while, you catch a whiff of something”, said Hector Melenedz, who works at the Department of Health and Department of Transportation building across the street from the plant.

While the obvious problem that comes up when you have a wastewater plant anywhere is foul odors, let’s look at what other issues arise.

In November 2008, the state Department of Environmental Conservation settled for $27.5 million in fines that were brought against the Newtown Creek sewage treatment plat for a history of violations of federal environmental standards.

For example, the city’s combined sewage overflow system (CSO) is a major contributor to the creek’s pollution as well. The CSO generally collects wastewater from storm runoff and buildings. however when it rains, the system gets overloaded and all this excess sewage spills over into the Creek.

Now, upgrades and expansion plans are in tow to bring everything in compliance with the new law as well as to amend for past mistakes.“There’s a lot of trucks coming in and out…construction for expanding the plant. But we’re talking about a lot more air pollution with all the construction and garbage trucks that are already going to the storage facility”, said Hector Melenedz, who works at the Department of Health and Department of Transportation building across the street from the plant.

Double score….wastewater and waste.

Even though the new plants were supposed to put an end to the awful stenches, courtesy of the sewage system, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Long time Greenpoint resident and Newtown Creek Wastewater Plant neighbor, John Shareiko, said in an interview, “The odors are definitely there but what’re you going to do about it? Those things aren’t going anywhere.”

Greenpoint residents aren’t the only ones feeling the effect of the sewage plants as Williamsburg locals recently filed complaints on sewers emitting foul odors.

In the September 12^th issue of the Brooklyn Eagle, it was reported that these unmistakable smells were wafting out from the sewers along Graham Ave. The residents’ complaints were never directly addressed until the DEP took cosmetic measures and placed deodorizers to cover the smell.

Yet, how long will these temporary solutions last?

With the biggest facility and largest processing capacity of the 14 wastewater treatment plants in NYC comes great responsibility. Not only is the Newtown Creek plant the source of gag-worthy smells, its also one of Brooklyn’s biggest air polluters, according to the Habitatmap.org data.

The plant releases thousands of pounds of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides and more. Carbon monoxide poisoning in either low or high levels are toxic if exposed to. Nitrogen oxides, when combined with volatile organic compounds, can potentially cause lung damage while sulfur dioxide can be attributed to respiratory symptoms.

Not surprisingly, asthma, emphysema and bronchitis are 25% higher in this part of Brooklyn than the rest of the city, as reported by Congresswoman Nydia M. Velasquez in a statement to the House of Representatives.

When someone in the Big Apple flushes the toilet, it ends up here. When the lights and glamour of Times Square lights up, the generators here get working.

When garbage is tossed out, trucks carry them to the Department of Sanitation storage right next to the plant.

The allure of the big city doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon as thousands of tourists still flock to the city every year. However, what does this mean for the overburdened neighborhood that houses a polluted waterway and a massive sewage dome? The community has had its fair share of disasters and risks.  The city owes it to this neighborhood to make amends with the issues at hand and find long term solutions. It’s certainly a favor and duty long overdue.

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