NuHart Superfund Site
Brooklyn, NY
The Former NuHart Plastic Manufacturing Superfund Site is part of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation State Superfund Sites program. Environmental Stewardship Concepts serves as the Technical Assistant to Neighbors Allied for Good Growth (NAG). NAG is a community group that advocates with and for the people who live and work in the North Brooklyn neighborhoods of Greenpoint and Williamsburg. NAG developed out of the neighborhood’s desire to recapture its waterfront, reduce local environmental hazards, and advocate public policies promoting healthy mixed-use communities. The group is founded on the principle that the entire community is entitled to be involved and participate in the decision–making and negotiation process.
The NuHart Site is located on Dupont Street in north Greenpoint, adjacent to the Greenpoint waterfront and across the street from an existing public park, playground, and a proposed public school. Approximately 40,000-60,000 gallons of phthalates lie underneath the site and have also migrated off of the site. Additional contaminants include the carcinogen trichloroethylene (TCE) and petroleum compounds present both on and off site. In the next 10 years, the NuHart site and other nearby sites are proposed for residential development for thousands of residents within a few block radius. Residents are concerned about the safety of the site, given that the toxic plume underneath the NuHart Site has been documented as reaching near the border of the public park and into the street bed adjacent to the proposed public school and potential development sites.
ESC assists NAG with reviewing reports under the State Superfund Program, developing detailed technical documents and outreach materials, and coordinating outreach events in order to educate and empower local stakeholders.
The site’s Feasibility Study is anticipated to be released in early January 2016. Once released, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will review the report and release a Proposed Remedial Action Plan.
Click on the following links for more information on the NuHart Superfund Site:
TCE and Phthalate factsheets
ESC’s Remedial Investigation Review Newsletter
ESC’s Review of the Remedial Investigation; Presentation at the NAG community meeting, Nov 2, 2015
NuHart Supplemental Remedial Investigation Report
NuHart Final Remedial Investigation Report
Presentation on NuHart by Mike Schade – Greenpoint citizen, resident, and chemical expert
Q & A: Mike Schade talks toxins at NuHart Plant
NuHart ESC Presentation on 7/27/15
NuHart ESC handout 7/27/15
NAG webpage