NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — There is major concern that the cancer-causing chemical emitting from the Goodyear plant in Niagara Falls is much worse than what the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation says is worst-case scenario.
One of the biggest concerns is that the chemical plume may be hovering over a nearby elementary school.
This new theory is forcing the Niagara Falls Superintendent to take action.
Goodyear Niagara Falls is emitting a cancer-causing chemical, ortho-toluidine, at up to seven times the current standard.
It's a plume that hovers above Niagara Falls and stretches into the community. Despite the state producing this map in September, it later said the mapping is worst-case scenario.
But new modeling paints a picture that is worse than worst-case scenario.
"That's absolutely correct," said Steven Wodka, a New Jersey-based attorney.
Wodka has represented several Goodyear workers, in workers' compensation cases, who've been diagnosed with bladder cancer after exposure to ortho-toulidine.
In his retirement, Wodka said he's most concerned about the community. He said the state, in doing its initial mapping, never considered other sources of emissions of this chemical from the Goodyear plant. Those other sources are called fugitive emissions.
Fugitive emissions are leaks of the chemical from points inside and around the plant.
Wodka put a plume map together, based on data from the EPA, on his own.
"...the area that's impacted by these emissions is much larger," Wodka said, "impacting many more people and many more institutions."
Wodka's plume mapping builds on what the DEC had already modeled, along with fugitive emissions, showing the cancer-causing chemical looms large over Cataract Elementary School.
"I said to myself, 'This is terrible,'" Wodka said.
Drantch: So do you think the children, the staffers at Cataract Elementary School, are at risk here?
Wodka: There's absolutely no question.
Niagara Falls School Superintendent Mark Laurrie said he's been operating under the premise that the school has been outside the chemical plume.
"I want to tell you that I believe our schools are safe," Laurrie said.
He acknowledged there is a big difference between what the DEC map shows and what Wodka's map shows.
Drantch: Is the disconnect concerning?
Laurrie: Well, we wouldn't be having this conversation if I didn't have that, as we said, 1/1000 of a percent of concern. I'm not going to take that chance.
This new mapping is forcing Laurrie to immediately hire an independent environmentalist, get some "independent guidance" and "independent observation."
"So anytime you get more information, you have to take it seriously," Laurrie said. "We are taking it seriously. I believe the DEC, but it never hurts to verify and check for yourself."
Drantch: Knowing that there's a disconnect between the two studies here, does that at all diminish your faith in the DEC?
Laurrie: Not at all. I still have to believe that the guidance we were given was the best guidance, the safest guidance.
The DEC is responding to Wodka's projections:
It is important to note that ortho-toluidine routed through the facility via piping is in liquid form. Thus, any ortho-toluidine leaks from valves or connections would be visible. Inspections of the facility confirm the minimal visible presence of liquid leaks. Also, Goodyear implements a voluntary leak detection and repair (LDAR) protocol to identify whether any equipment components are leaking and in need of repair. The minimal number of potentially leaking components identified through the LDAR protocol indicates the facility has a high level of mechanical integrity and demonstrates that the fugitive emissions reported in the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) are overstated compared to what is actually being emitted.
Fugitive emissions reported by Goodyear to the EPA TRI are based on default engineering calculations, per published U.S. EPA protocol. The protocol assumes all valves, connectors, pump seals, agitator seals, compressor seals, and pressure relief valves, (more than 3,700 equipment components), are leaking, which generates a grossly overestimated fugitive emission rate.
TRI is not real-time monitoring data and only reflects releases of chemicals – NOT exposures of the public to those chemicals. Further, additional information – beyond strictly emissions/chemical release estimates – is needed to determine exposure or to evaluate potential adverse health impacts. TRI is a tool, similar to the air dispersion model used by DEC, to determine if a company requires further evaluation based on conservative estimates of potential releases from a facility.
Wodka fired back, explaining Goodyear's own studies show a quarter of total leak sources are leaking vapor and cannot be seen.
"They know precisely where each leak is," Wodka said.
DEC requested a more detailed explanation of the modeling and the modeling files to review and will also closely review all additional information from Goodyear’s fugitive testing to determine if any additional actions to protect public health and the environment are needed.
"My concern is that there is just no sense of urgency to bring this problem under control," Wodka said.
"As a citizen and as a school district representative, I'm concerned," Laurrie said. "This has to be remediated as soon as possible."
The superintendent did not provide a timeline for when this independent analysis would be complete. He did not provide a total cost, but says the cost of not doing anything would be far greater than the cost of acting fast.
A Goodyear spokesperson told the 7 News I-Team:
At Goodyear, the health and safety of our associates and the communities in which we work is our top priority. The DEC and New York State health authorities have publicly stated that historical emission limits are “currently protective of the surrounding community’s air quality” and “there is no risk to the community” based on their modeling.
