ALBANY – A manufacturing plant at the center of Hoosick Falls’ water contamination problem was designated as a federal Superfund site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday.
The agency decision to add Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics on the federal Superfund: National Priorities List means that federal resources can be used to clean areas of the village that have been contaminated with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a man-made chemical used to coat nonstick cookware and stain-resistant fabrics, that has been found to persist in the environment and the body and to have adverse health effects. The chemical has been found in the village’s water supply, along with trichloroethylene (TCE), a chemical used as an industrial solvent. The designation by the EPA means that the federal government can also seek reimbursement from the companies responsible for the contamination.
