Read the full article by Jackie Orchard (WAMC)

“Capital Region residents are suing the Norlite facility in Cohoes and its parent company, alleging hazardous dust is settling in their neighborhoods.

Environmental activist Joe Ritchie was born and raised in what he calls ‘the shadow of the Norlite plant’ in the Saratoga Sites public housing neighborhood in Cohoes, in Albany County. He’s lived there for 20 years, and says he starts each day by leaving the house and walking into a ‘dust storm.’

‘My cars are covered with dust daily,’ Ritchie said. ‘I go to people’s houses, their window sills are covered daily, they have to worry about their health daily because of this constant threat that is not going away.’

At a press conference in the Saratoga Sites playground Friday, Ritchie said the class action lawsuit is shaping up to be a David vs. Goliath story.

‘This facility has been safe-guarded by the state, by the local governments, and obviously they make a lot of money,’ Ritchie said. ‘So, they have the money to fight. But guess what? The residents of Saratoga Sites, the class representatives of 5,000 people – we’re going to fight.’

Attorney Philip Oswald says the lawsuit is ‘long overdue.’ He says dangerous dust is emitted from the Norlite facility and drifts into surrounding communities…”