NEW YORK — Frustrated residents in Brooklyn are rallying against a concrete plant in the neighborhood, saying it’s a bad actor that’s polluting their community.
“This is being a bad neighbor”
Ever since DKN Ready Mix opened in Greenpoint nearly a year ago, neighbors began describing issues with breathing, puffy eyes, itchy throats and loud noise.
“We’ve seen cracks in the facades of neighboring buildings. We’ve seen a slurry of this kind of cement dust that’s showing up on people’s windows,” said Brooklyn Councilmember Lincoln Restler, who represents the neighborhood.
“I’ve been walking around with my inhalers today just because I could see I feel raspy. I already have asthma,” said Laura Hofmann, a longtime resident of Greenpoint.
Community groups like North Brooklyn Neighbors began setting up air quality monitors.
“Yesterday, there was an incidence of a spike that was higher than the wildfires from last year. So that was some of the worst air quality that we’ve had in New York City in decades, and this is even worse,” said Lael Goodman, Environmental Justice Program Manager at the organization.
Leaders at the Newtown Creek Alliance joined in sounding the alarm. The nonprofit acts like a watchdog group to protect the health of the eponymous waterway, a highly polluted site awaiting federal Superfund cleanup.
“We have all these industrial areas around Newtown Creek. And so it’s not that this is anti-business. This is being a bad neighbor,” said Willis Elkins, Executive Director of the Alliance.
Company issued violation for excessive dust
Elected officials on the city, state and federal level expressed their frustration, citing repeated efforts to meet with representatives from the company.
“This neighborhood has a long history of being wronged by fossil fuel companies, wronged by companies that have more interest in maximizing their profit than protecting the health and livelihoods of people here,” said New York State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez.
“They are refusing to acknowledge that they are part of a community that they have to be responsive and respectful to,” said Assemblymember Emily Gallagher.
A spokesperson for the City’s Department of Environmental Protection says the agency issued a violation to the company for excessive dust this summer.
Since then, inspectors found that the company installed sprinklers, and workers were cleaning the sidewalks around the facility.
A spokesperson for DKN Ready Mix sent a statement that reads in part: “DKN has responded to and successfully addressed air particulate issues that have been raised by the Department of Environmental Protection.”
The city received additional reports of excessive dust in August, but says the most recent inspection found the company to be in compliance with regulations.
The area is zoned for heavy industrial use, so neighbors are used to a certain level of noise and pollutants, but they point out homes where windows are feet away from the plant.
Officials also point to the decades-long history of environmental pollution in this area.
“We have more sites in our neighborhood that are subject to state and federal cleanup than any other community in New York City. This is the epicenter of environmental justice in New York,” said Restler.
The Department of Buildings says it inspected one of the neighboring homes, which had cracks in the facade, and issued a summons to that building owner. DOB also found that the concrete plant was operating under the wrong Certificate of Occupancy, and issued a violation.
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