Six large drums filled with toxic chemicals encased in concrete were found buried under a Long Island park that was once the Northrop Grumman Aerospace dumping ground for decades. This discovery has reignited concerns among residents about cancer rates in the area. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation stated that there is no immediate threat to public health from the drums but residents are demanding a full excavation of the soil to ensure safety.
The town of Bethpage has a history of contamination due to Northrop Grumman’s hazardous waste dumping, which led to a 6-square-mile underground toxic plume. Some of the drums found were punctured and contained flammable chemicals. The situation is alarming, as the park where the drums were discovered had an abandoned baseball field that has been closed for 20 years due to contamination concerns. The town supervisor is calling for a complete soil cleanup of the park and a removal of the contaminated soil from Long Island, citing previous costs to taxpayers and ongoing health risks.
Northrop Grumman, the successor of Grumman Aerospace, has been involved in legal battles over the contamination. The supervisor filed a lawsuit against the company a decade ago to be reimbursed for cleanup costs, and a new lawsuit was filed in December to push for the removal of all contaminated soil. Northrop Grumman has stated that they are working with the DEC to address the situation and are committed to protecting the health of the community. The DEC is using radar to assess the extent of contamination, with preliminary testing revealing the presence of chlorinated solvents and waste oil/petroleum in the drums.
The Bethpage park is located on land that was once used by Northrop Grumman for chemical dumping, and PCBs were first discovered in the soil in 2002. An underground carcinogenic chemical plume was later found, stretching over 4 miles long, 2 miles wide, and 900 feet deep. Numerous personal injury and class-action lawsuits have been filed against Grumman, alleging that the company contributed to illnesses, including cancer. One family from Bethpage filed a $300 million lawsuit after three out of four family members were diagnosed with cancer within a short period.
Despite assurances from authorities that Bethpage’s water is safe, residents remain skeptical. A 2013 DEC study found no higher overall cancer rates in the area surrounding the park, but residents continue to voice concerns about the long-term health effects of the contamination. The discovery of the buried drums has once again brought attention to the ongoing environmental and health risks faced by the community. Efforts are being made to address the situation and ensure the safety of residents in Bethpage.
