Banned pesticides, petroleum products and metals in Veteran’s Way Soil
Islandia, NY - June 10, 2014 - Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota today announced results from tests samples of soil taken from the cul-de-sac in Islandia where six affordable homes were built for returning veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.
The soil samples gathered and tested by EnviroScience showed levels of pesticides, metals and petroleum by-products which are hazardous or acutely hazardous. Among the contaminants found at the Veteran’s Way development: petroleum byproducts, pesticides including DDT and chlordane, and metals such as chromium, cobalt, lead, nickel, and zinc.
“The highest levels of contamination were found to be in the berm on the property and that means the fill in the berm has to be removed,” DA Spota said. “We have called in the Suffolk County Water Authority and the County Health Department to review these results and develop plans for well testing and other measures to ensure the safety of the drinking water for this development.”
“Whoever put this contaminated fill on this site did so with the knowledge that war veterans and their families were going to live in these homes,” District Attorney Spota said. “Their deceit is astonishing, leaving these heroes, and their families, in harm’s way.”
Specifically, from samples taken and tested from around the houses, the soil tested positive for the banned pesticide chlordane, but at levels far below state standards, and positive for low levels of cobalt.
Like the samples taken at Clemente Park and the Route 111 sites, these contaminants were found to exceed state limits making them hazardous or acutely hazardous. “This is similar fill with the same contaminants found at the other sites,” District Attorney Spota said.
The district attorney personally met with the homeowners Tuesday evening and explained the new results to them. Recent testing for asbestos at the six-home development showed none present.