Environmental workers found between four and five barrels that were abandoned decades ago and buried in concrete while digging six 55-gallon barrels full of chemicals at a Long Island park.
An environmental firm hired by Northrup Grumman is working to clean up contaminants near an old ballfield at Bethpage Park. They had already found six enormous barrels encased in concrete on April 1, but when they started digging them on Monday, they found more barrels that they were unaware of.
“We are not pleased we found this but we are doing the proper investigative work,” said Sean Maher, acting commissioner of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), as reported by NBC New York. The agency is “making sure there was no release to the environment and getting these drums removed as quickly as possible”, according to Maher.
In order to find any more barrels that they might be unaware of, the DEC stated that they are forcing Grumman to employ ground penetrating radar. The new examination will now cover the whole 18-acre park, not simply the ballfields.
Grumman Aerospace used to dispose of chemical waste in the region where the drums were discovered. Constructed atop hazardous terrain, the corporation later donated the site to the community in the 1960s for use as a park.
“We remain committed to protecting the health and well-being of the community as we address environmental conditions in Bethpage,” a Northrup Grumman spokesperson said. “We are working closely with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and other stakeholders as we continue to conduct our ongoing remediation activities in Bethpage.”
