Concrete Dumping – more than a local Hudson nuisance

Thanks to GossipsOfRivertown for the image.

Carole Osterink reported in her post “Unbelievable” on May 3rd about the dumping of waste concrete by F.H.Stickles Concrete on a site off north 2nd Street adjacent to a small stream that drains into the Hudson River perhaps a hundred yards away. 

This practice is in violation of state and Federal regulations of concrete washouts of concrete trucks and other equipment used to deliver concrete at constructions sites. A quick internet search found EPA guidelines as well as NYS regulations about the handling of this hazardous waste.

Here is more from engineers in Wisconsin: “Why concrete washout is harmful to the environment

Here is how a concrete industry website described concrete washout waste: “Concrete or cementitious (mortar, cement, slurry) washout wastewater is caustic and considered to be corrosive with a pH over 12, essentially the same as Liquid Drano®, Ammonia or other household cleaning detergent”  ((http://www.everything-about-concrete.com/concrete-and-trees.html accessed 5/4/2017))

Even though I have walked by this 2nd St. site numerous times and noticed the construction debris and other trash dumped there I had never stopped to really look it over. Today I did. It is clear that the dumping of concrete waste has been going on for a long time.

This is a case of companies doing what all companies do in the capitalist system, get someone else to pay for as much of the cost of their business as possible. This is why we have government regulations. But, words on paper are not regulations until they are enforced. Since we have photographic evidence that R.H. Stickles has violated the law who in the Hudson city government, county or state perhaps,  is going to take them to task and enforce the regulations?

The stream running into the Hudson River is at the base of this mound of concrete.

The stream running into the Hudson River is at the base of this mound of concrete.