Read the full article by John T. McDonald III – Member New York State Assembly (Times Union)
“Please find below an update on the fast moving PFAS incineration issue below for your information:
I first learned of the issue of PFAS firefighting foam being burned at Norlite on February 14, 2020. Since then, I have worked with my colleagues on the federal, state, and local level to learn more and to consider all of the options available to address our public health and safety concerns. After meetings engaging the various stakeholders and parties, we sought to take immediate action.
On February 20, Congressman Paul Tonko sent a letter to the U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper ‘requesting information on the transportation, storage, and disposal of materials containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and/or aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) generated by the Department of Defense by Norlite, LLC or its parent company Tradebe USA at the company’s facility in Cohoes, New York.’
On February 21, Senator Breslin, myself, Assemblymember Fahy, and Assemblymember Steck sent a letter to the Department of Environmental Conservation expressing our concerns and requesting an agency review of the activity that has occurred at Norlite regarding the incineration of PFAS firefighting foam.
On February 26th, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Defense asking the DOD to ‘immediately suspend the incineration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at the Norlite plant and other plants across the country’…”