Corinth: Proposed Waste-to-Energy Facility

UPDATE: After tremendous community opposition to the project, American Ref-fuel has withdrawn their proposal for a Corinth incinerator. We will continue to monitor development on the former International Paper property, as well as any other incinerators proposed by American Ref-fuel within the Hudson River’s watershed.

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American Ref-fuel (AR) is proposing a waste-to-energy facility – the modern version of an incinerator – on a portion of the site of the former International Paper plant in Corinth, New York. This site, in a small upstate community, sits on the banks of the Hudson River, near the edge of the Adirondack State Park. According to American Ref-fuel, the facility would receive about 4000 tons per day of municipal trash from NYC (1/3 of its waste production) via rail each day, reduce that waste to 10% its incoming volume, and bury the remaining ash in an existing on-site landfill.

While incineration technology has progressed significantly in the past decade, reducing resulting air pollution, incinerators still impact their surrounding environment. This, as well as the proposed site’s proximity to the Hudson River raises several concerns:

Existing Contamination
Due to the pulp and paper mill previously located on this property, it is likely that the facility site is contaminated. Pulp and paper mills are known to create a wide range of contaminants, including acids, PCBs, dioxins, VOCs, and waste sludge. The site was home to over a century of paper production at the site, and the on-site disposal of production waste. The site’s close proximity to the Hudson River means leachate from existing (and future) contamination on this site can easily reach the River’s banks, contaminating a section of the Hudson above Fort Edwards that as remained essentially free of PCBs and other pollutants. Any existing contamination would demand remediation before a new plant could be installed on the site.

Ash Disposal
American Ref-fuel proposes to dispose of the waste ash from the plant in existing on-site landfills. While AR and the EPA claim that the ash is non-toxic, other studies have found that, depending on the ash’s treatment prior to disposal, it may contain metals, dioxins, and other toxics. This alone may present a threat to the Corinth community and the Hudson.

Currently, two landfills exist on the International Paper site. An older, unlined capped landfill on the site has presented groundwater contamination problems in the past. The newer lined landfill was built in 1995 and would be the likely receptacle for incinerator ash. Today, only half of this permitted landfill has been built, and that half is less than 50% full. This landfill has not yet had groundwater contamination problems.

Airborne Contaminants
On-site disposal carries with it the possibility that wind-blow dust and ash from the facility and the landfill may blow into the Hudson, contaminating its waters. In addition, any particulates and other airborne pollutants released by the facility have the potential to precipitate out into the Hudson as well. While incinerators have gotten cleaner over the past decade, with the inclusion of scrubbers and other technologies, there is question as to whether they are “clean enough” or whether the current levels of mercury, dioxin, and other contaminants released remain too high. Members of the local Corinth community have also expressed concern over any airborne pollutants, as well as the potential garbage odor from waste transport trains and the plant.

Community Support
Riverkeeper supports the rights of the local Corinth community to have a strong voice in planning for the usage of its waterfront. Public involvement in the planning process is key, and the proposed project should only proceed with widespread community approval. Both the town and the village of Corinth have rescinded their previous letters of interest in the project, in response to widespread community opposition to proposed facility. Previously, American Ref-fuel had stated they would only move forward with the support of the community; Riverkeeper encourages them to stand by that promise.

New York City Waste
The proposed facility is designed primarily to receive waste from New York City. While it is understandable that the City is pursuing new disposal options, it has done an egregious job reducing the volume of its waste. New York City must increase its focus on waste reduction through recycling and other means. For too long, New York City has imposed its problems on smaller communities, exporting its wastes and importing their resources, without working rigorously to reduce these needs. New waste disposal options must be paired with redoubled waste reduction efforts and the creation of more local recycling industries.

The Corinth proposal is not yet a detailed plan, but rather a general conceptual proposal. Riverkeeper will be closely following this project’s development to ensure the Hudson is not harmed by any proposed projects on the International Paper site.