DEC Announces Start of Cleanup Activities Related to Dzus Fastener Company Site

DEC and DOH to Hold Public Availability Session on Tuesday, Jan. 29, to Discuss Remedial Cleanup Plans

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will begin cleanup-related construction activities to address contamination in Willetts Creek and Lake Capri. The contamination is related to the Dzus Fastener Co. Inc., site, at 425 Union Boulevard, town of Islip, Suffolk County.

DEC and the State Department of Health (DOH) are holding a public availability session on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., at Beach Street Middle School, 17 Beach Street, West Islip. During the session, property owners and residents will have an opportunity to meet with DEC and DOH one-on-one to discuss construction details including sequencing, scheduling, controls, and other aspects of the cleanup. No formal presentation will be held and the public is invited to attend the session at any time between 6 and 8:30 p.m.

From 1937 to 2015, the site was used for the manufacturing of quarter-turn fasteners, quick acting latches, and panel strips using steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and plastic. Past activities at the site resulted in contamination both on-site and off-site, including Willetts Creek and Lake Capri.

The cleanup of Willetts Creek and Lake Capri involves the removal of sediments contaminated with cadmium and chromium. Contaminated sediment and soils in and along Willetts Creek and Lake Capri will be removed and disposed of to be protective of public health and the environment. The excavated areas will be backfilled with clean material to provide a suitable ecological habitat for native plants and wildlife.

In addition, cleanup activities will improve drainage along Willetts Creek and Lake Capri. Clearing fallen trees and reworking drainage will restore the movement of water in Willetts Creek and reduce flooding to the adjacent areas. Dredged sediment and soils will be transported to a processing area where they will be dewatered and/or stabilized for off-site disposal. Dewatered sediment will be loaded into trucks for transport to an off-site commercial landfill.

DEC, in consultation with DOH, will ensure engineering controls are in place to prevent the migration of dust beyond the limits of the work zone. These controls include conducting continuous air monitoring around the work zone perimeter. Work will shut down and corrective actions taken if the conservative air monitoring levels, including a requirement for no visible dust, are triggered. The moist nature of the dredged sediments also ensures that dust is minimized.

Cleanup activities are tentatively scheduled to start in April 2019 and be completed by August 2020. Preliminary details regarding work sequencing, scheduling, controls and other aspects of the work will be shared during the availability session. DEC is adaptively managing this project to ensure the remediation and restoration activities are completed expeditiously and efficiently. DEC will continue to keep the public informed throughout the cleanup of the site.

Project-related questions can be addressed to Sarah Saucier, project manager, at 518-402-9813 or by email sarah.saucier@dec.ny.gov. Health-related concerns can be addressed to Scarlett McLaughlin at the New York State Department of Health at 518-402-7860 or by email beei@health.ny.gov.

The project is being funded and conducted pursuant to terms of the State Superfund program. Additional site details, including environmental and health assessment summaries, are available on DEC's Environmental Site Remediation Database (by entering the Site ID, 152033).