Greenpoint residents have been told they will soon be able to remove their nose plugs, but some critics say the promise will give them a “bull” odor.
The burning chemical odor that has plagued this trendy neighborhood for more than a year will be eliminated in the coming months, local politicians announced this week, but residents wonder if the smell will go anywhere. I doubt it.
Long Island City Green Asphalt is working to adjust waterways to keep so-called “Greenpoint odor” from wafting into residential areas, said Councilwoman Emily Gallagher.
The Long Island City plant, the nation's first 100% recycled asphalt plant, estimates its hip neighborhood will be odor-free by mid-2025.
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” one resident, who chose to remain anonymous, told the Post.
He worked at Greenpointer for four years and likened the smell of asphalt to that of “burning tires” and “raw chemical waste,” a putrid mixture that he and his girlfriend dubbed “Greenpoint odor.” It was.
The couple rarely open the windows of their Kingsland Avenue apartment, directly across Newtown Creek from the smelly factory, for fear of letting in polluted air. They have also invested in air purifiers, which they say are running almost all the time.
“Our air quality is not that good. We know what it is and I used to work in the area too, so I've seen several mornings where the sky doesn't rise. ” he said of the asphalt plant.
The stench first hit the area late last summer, quickly adding more odors to an already notoriously stinky neighborhood. Greenpoint routinely battles polluted air from waste treatment plants, plastic manufacturing sites, and toxic Newtown Creek.
More than 200 residents complained to Gallagher about the burning odor, and an investigation led the state Department of Environmental Protection to point the finger at Green Apartment as the culprit.
The problem isn't just the odor. Asphalt gas can cause serious injuries and permanent damage, including skin cancer, the report says. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Health effects of exposure to asphalt gas include headaches, skin rashes, sensitization, fatigue, loss of appetite, throat and eye irritation, coughs, and skin cancer.
“We started receiving complaints about the odor last year,” Gallagher told the Post in a statement.
“We tracked and mapped them and shared the data with state and local agencies that helped identify the source,” Gallagher added. “The symptoms are not getting worse and are occurring intermittently.”
He said Green Asphalt plans to reduce odors through a new air dispersion model that adjusts cylinders to direct smoke away from residential areas.
However, it is still unclear where the “bad odor'' will be diverted to.
Company representatives could not explain the details of the plan or how it would avoid impacting other communities in densely populated areas of the city, but said the issue would be resolved by early 2025. I said no.
“Green Asphalt is currently working with the New York State Department of Environmental Protection to determine the most effective course of action to address the community's concerns,” Green Asphalt told the Post in a statement. .
“Green Asphalt's goal is to maintain a positive relationship with the community, as it has been for the past 13 years, and we will continue to work with local stakeholders in Greenpoint and Long Island City to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.” I will go.”
Robin Rogers, a sociology researcher and professor at Queen's University, suspected the plan was simply an attempt to appease Greenpoint residents.
“That's the biggest bull,” Rogers, who has lived in Greenpoint for 25 years, said of his plan to deflect the smell.
Mr Rogers described the smell as “acidic” and like burning metal, although rough plans are often presented to fix ongoing problems in the area. He said the issue was being left unaddressed without a concrete solution. She pointed to City Hall several years ago about water quality testing in Newtown Creek, but organizers balked when asked for specifics.
“I wouldn't say it's new,” she said of the asphalt smell. “You'll get used to it.”
Carey, who has lived in Greenpoint for 16 years, also said she is skeptical that the problem will be resolved, especially in such a short amount of time.
“I trust anything they do here. I mean, look at what they did to McGuinness,” Carey said, referring to the recent controversy surrounding the bike lane plan. “No one is doing anything for this area. It's great that they say they will, but I doubt it.”
Ms Carey claimed that the stench was usually worst in the morning and that she had been forced to completely change her puppy's daily walking route.
They almost completely avoid McGorrick Park and the east side of the neighborhood, where the smell is thought to be the worst.
“I don't feel good walking her,” Carey said of her dog. “The only time I smell this is when I'm walking with my girlfriend, but it's disgusting when she smells it even more strongly.
“[Greenpoint] It was not originally intended as a residential area. It used to be all industrial, but obviously it's changed over the years, but no one is doing much about it. ”
