Determing What to Do About Hazardous Metals

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Health showed a dozen people a plan about what do to with hazardous metals found at 1840 Falmouth Avenue during a discussion at the on Wednesday evening.

The building, which occupies less than a quarter acre, had cadmium, chromium and copper found near the site. The building, once home to Techem Inc., was occupied between 1969 and 1994 and then around 1995, containers filled with chemicals were removed from the building and 81 tons of contaminated soil was taken, according to Cynthia Whitfield of the DEC explained. The immediate health threat was removed in 1994, Whitfield said after the discussion.

Sidney Gewertz was the tenant who occupied the building until 1994, Whitfield said, and the current state of occupancy of the building is unknown. Approximately 34 soil samples and 20 air samples were taken from the site within the last few years.

Whitfield said the DEC considered digging up the whole area and taking the building down, but to do that it would cost taxpayers $2.6 million. The department decided that because there isn't a justifiable enough health or environment threat from these metals, which is mainly covered by concrete so people can't get at it and it won't get into the water supply, that digging out all this soil isn't worthwhile. Instead, the DEC recommends a plan that would involve regularly monitoring the area and doing much less invasive work to the tune of $99,000.

The comment period on this proposal is open until March 29.