When was Hudson River PCB contamination?
Between 1947 and 1977, General Electric dumped an estimated 1.3 million pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls into the Hudson River. The source of the PCB discharges was two GE capacitor manufacturing plants located in Fort Edward and Hudson Falls, New York, about 50 miles north of Albany.
How did PCBs get into the Hudson River?
Between approximately 1947 and 1977, GE released 1,300,000 pounds (590,000 kg) of PCBs into the river. The PCBs came from the company’s two capacitor manufacturing plants at Hudson Falls and Fort Edward, New York. The plant used about 1 million gallons of water per day, which was returned to the river as waste.
Why did GE dump PCBs in the Hudson River?
5/28/93 GE says that PCBs have probably been leaking from the ground at its Hudson Falls plant since at least the early 1980’s. In 1991 a sudden increase in water flow through the abandoned Allen Mill structure between the GE plant site and the river is blamed for the high PCB levels.
When did the Hudson River become a Superfund site?
1984
The entire 200 mile stretch of river and the sediments were designated a superfund site in 1984. Due to continuing lawsuits and resistance from General Electric, no decision was reached pertaining to cleaning up the river until 2000.
Are PCBs still in the Hudson River?
For 30 years ending in the late 1970s, the General Electric Company (GE) discharged as much as 1.3 million pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the Hudson River from its capacitor manufacturing plants in Hudson Falls and Fort Edward, New York. The PCBs remain in the river sediment.
How long did the initial contamination of the Hudson River last?
30 years
Hudson River pollution by the numbers 1.3 million pounds of PCBs dumped into the Hudson River by General Electric over the course of 30 years. 310,000 pounds of PCBs dredged from the Hudson by General Electric from 2009 to 2015, in a court-mandated effort to clean up the river.
Do sharks swim up the Hudson River?
“Saltwater is not the only turf for a shark…. it’s been reported of sharks swimming up to 100 miles up rivers for a long time. Bull sharks have been reported in the past swimming in the Hudson. The DEC told the New York Post, while its rare, smooth dogfish sharks have been found in the Hudson River in the past.
Who dumped PCBs in the Hudson?
the General Electric Company (GE)
For 30 years ending in the late 1970s, the General Electric Company (GE) discharged as much as 1.3 million pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the Hudson River from its capacitor manufacturing plants in Hudson Falls and Fort Edward, New York.
What does PCB stand for?
printed circuit board
A printed circuit board, or PC board, or PCB, is a non-conductive material with conductive lines printed or etched. Electronic components are mounted on the board and the traces connect the components together to form a working circuit or assembly.
What did GE use PCBs for?
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are a group of synthetic oil-like chemicals of the organochlorine family. Until their toxic nature was recognized and their use was banned in the 1970’s, they were widely used as insulation in electrical equipment, particularly transformers.
Is the Hudson River clean to swim in?
After you get out of the water, you should wash off river water and dirt. Despite environmental and health officials saying it’s mostly safe to swim in the Hudson, Paysepar says she probably wouldn’t jump in the water again because the water was “gross.”
Did GE dredge the Hudson?
In 2015, GE completed dredging in New York’s Upper Hudson River — an engineering and logistical feat more than a decade in the making that removed twice as many PCBs as originally anticipated, and an accomplishment the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency called “a historic achievement.”
Where did PCBs come from in the Hudson River?
Hudson River PCBs. Between 1947 and 1977, General Electric (GE) dumped an estimated 1.3 million pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the Hudson River. The source of the PCB discharges was two GE capacitor manufacturing plants located in Fort Edward and Hudson Falls, New York, about 50 miles north of Albany.
Who is involved in the Hudson River cleanup?
(See Investigating the Floodplain for more information.) EPA is the lead agency for cleanup of the Hudson River PCBs Superfund site. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) is the support agency for this project.
• In 1983, the EPA classified the 200-mile stretch of the Hudson River, from Hudson Falls to the Battery in New York City, as a Superfund site under the Superfund law. • Under the Superfund law, a polluter is liable for the cleanup of its environmental contamination (see more in About Superfund on the EPA site).
How long has the Hudson River been studied?
Today the Hudson River exists as one of the most extensively studied rivers in the country, having been monitored almost continuously for a period of more than 25 years.