High Level Of Contaminant Found In Dewey Loeffel Water Sample

WAMC Northeast Public Radio | By Dave Lucas

Published May 23, 2014 at 3:26 PM EDT

Authorities have put a stop to releasing treated water from a tank at the Dewey Loeffel landfill into the Valatie Kill.

From about 1952 to 1968, approximately 46-thousand tons of toxic waste was deposited in the Loeffel Landfill area in Rensselaer County. That's more than twice the contamination of the notorious Love Canal.

Routine testing found a high level of the chemical compound 1,4-dioxane, a possible carcinogen, in a sample of ground water from Tank 18 at the Superfund site .

The Register Star reports United Neighbors Concerned About GE and the Dewey Loeffel Landfill (UNCAGED) are watching the situation closely. The paper says Environmental Protection Agency officials are exploring the possibility of incorporating an additional filtration mechanism at the plant.

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Dave Lucas

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.

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