July 20, 2020
Press Release from NoBurnBroome.com
For more information
Paul Connett, 607-217-5350 or
John Ruspantini, 607-206-8312
NoBurnBroome says SungEel battery plant is worse than first thought – calls on Gov Cuomo to take immediate action.
TONIGHT: Endicott Village Board holds a Public Hearing to repeal a Zoning Law on Recycling Facilities.
Today, the science team of NoBurnBroome.com (NBB) sent a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo providing further scientific information on the serious public health dangers posed by the SungEel facility proposed for Endicott, NY.
Paul Connett and John Ruspantini of the NBB science team called upon Governor Cuomo to
“Require the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to rescind the air discharge permit granted for the proposed facility pending a comprehensive environmental and public health impact review (EIS) conducted in strict compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements.”
They also indicated that such a review
“should take into account the special vulnerabilities of the Endicott community because of previous industrial pollution from IBM and others and should examine alternative ways of recycling the valuable metals in lithium-ion batteries which do not involve dangerous high temperature and burning processes.”
While the current air permit has been placed on hold by the DEC because they have been told that at least one PFAS compound has been used in some of these lithium-ion batteries, the NBB science team has pointed out to the Governor that this is just the tip of the iceberg of potential problems.
The PFAS will be extremely difficult to completely destroy in SungEel’s kiln and afterburner and the complicated chemistry there will produce many products of incomplete combustion which could include the formation of other PFAS species and other hazardous fluorinated by-products. What is worrying is that many of these pollutants will not be removed by the wet scrubber used by SungEel.
In addition, the binder used in these batteries, PVDF, a fluorinated polymer like Teflon, also has the potential to produce other PFAS.
The science team found studies that have identified many fluorinated by-products produced by heating PVDF, as well as evidence that heating the cathode materials from lithium-ion batteries can produce nanoparticles containing metal oxides.
Nanoparticles are not regulated by the DEC but they have the potential to pose profound health problems to local residents. Except for hydrogen fluoride, SungEel has provided no emission data, analysis or discussion about these fluorinated by-products or nanoparticle emissions.
According to Paul Connett, a member of the science team, “it was staggering to us that despite the claims of SungEel’s president in a July 2 meeting that their South Korea plant has been operating “safely” for 10 years, they have offered very little little scientific data to support such claims.
John Ruspantini added, ” I am anxious to see if Governor Cuomo will show a sense of urgency in this matter akin to the aggressive steps he took on fracking. The people of Endicott are losing faith in all levels of government on this matter. We invite the Governor to travel to Endicott to see the proposed site for himself, to meet with those directly affected and listen to their concerns.”
TONIGHT: Endicott Village Board of Trustees will hold a Public Hearing to repeal a Zoning Law on Recycling Facilities
Tonight, the Endicott Village Board of Trustees is holding a Public Hearing via Zoom to repeal a zoning law on recycling facilities. NoBurnBroome agrees and wants the zoning amendment repealed and off the books because:
- The zoning amendment was not strong enough and should be completely repealed so that protections can be put in place.
- We don’t want recycling facilities that will cause harm to the environment and the health of people living in our community.
- The passage of the zoning amendment was procedurally flawed.
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NoBurnBroome 