Bethpage-Tribune_1984-04-12

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BETHPAGE OLDBETHPAGE PLAIN¥IEW
^^ ^ 4 C 0 P I C S
BC T M P A G t L I B R A RY
47 POWELL AVE
B E T H P A G E NY II7I4
ISLAND TREES PLAINEDGE SEAFORD
VOL. 15 NO. 1 Week of April 12-18; 1984 20 cents per copy
Improper
Use Of
Incinerators
Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon today
announced the filing of 1^ counts of violations of the Envir­onmental
Conservation Law against the Energy Combus­tion
Corporation, located at 311 Winding Road in Old
Bethpage. Since September of 1981 Energy Combustion
Corp. has engaged in the business of di^osing of biological
and infectious wastes from hospitals by incineration. These
wastes include human limbs, tissues and organs, and mate­rials
used to treat herpes and AIDS patients.
Dillon said, "Energy Combustion has a permit from the
Department of Environmental Conservation to operate a
solid waste management facility. Since it began operation
the Corporation has repeatedly violated its permit provi­sions
and DEC regulations. Some of the violations represent
a danger to the health of the comrnunity."
The District Attorney gave the following summary of the
defendant's mis-conduct over the past year, as provided by
Department of Health Inspectors:
1. There were excessive emissions from the incinerator
stacks observed on fourteen occasions, from April 2,1983 to
February 22, 1984. Excessive emissions are caused by the
presence of particles in the effluent. The existence of these
particles^indicates that the incinerators are not operating at a
high enough temperature, 1400 degrees Fahrenheit is
required, to fully destroy the biologial and infectious wastes
being placed into them.
2. Various incinerators were operated without a permit
on four occasions, from May 17,1983 to November 29,1983.
3. Refuse was charged in the incinerators after 4:00 PM
on three occasions from January 26,1984 to March 7,1984.
The last of these observations was at 1:00 AM.
4. The incinerators were operated after 5:00 PM on
May"~29, 1983 and March 7, 1984.
5. Flames were emitted from an incinerator stack on
May 29, 1983 and March 7, 1984.
6.Incinerators were operated without properly func­tional
temperature sensors on three occasions, from August
15, 1983 to November 10, 1983.
7. Bags of infectious waste were left torn and open at the
site on January 7, 1984.
8. Bags of infectious waste were kept outside of desig­nated
areas on five occasions, from September 27, 1983 to
October 23, 1983.
9. Wastes were being transported by a truck without the
necessary periiiit on January 7, 1984.
10. Wastes were stored from more than twenty-four
hours without incineration on three occasions, from
October 21,1984 to December 7,1984. On several occasions,
bags of wastes were stored five to six feet high.
11. Unburned vials of waste were found in incinerator
ash on January 26, 1984..
12. Incinei-ator ash was stored in containers without lids
on twenty-three occasions, from April 5,1983 to December
7,1983. On August 15,1983, the contents ofa container were
on fire; on September 1, 1983, they were smoking.
13. The facility was in operation without an attendant
on May 17, 1983 and November 29, 1983.
Energy Combustion Corp. will be arraigned on the
charges on Monday, April 9th in District Court. If con­victed,
the Corporation faces substantial fines. The law calls
for fines no less than $250.00 nor more than $10,000.00 for .
each violation. Each day a violation occurs constitutes a
separate violation.
Bethpage Visits Capitol
More than 90 students from Bethpage High
School received a brief .history "lesson about the
United States Capitol from their Congressman,
Norman Lent, during a recent visit to Washing­ton;
Mr. Guido Agostini, Bethpage High School
teacher (far left, third row from top), and fieth-page
studen!spose here with Congressman Lent
(far right) on the steps of the Capitol. Group tours
of the U.S. Captiol and other national historical
sites can be arranged by contacting Congressman
Lent*s office in advance.
Germany Visits Bethpage
^""^
Mr. George McElroy, BH^I Principal,
receives gift from Mr. Karl Reuil, a
teacher visiting from Germany.
On April 3, a group of German
exchange students were greeted by host
families at Kennedy Airport. The fol­lowing
morning, a reception was held
at the Administration Building of the
Bethpage School District to welcome
these students and their teachers.
Greetings were expressed by Mr.
George McElroy, BHS Principal; Dr.
John B. Sommi, Supt. of Schools, and
Mr. Silvio Muschere, Foreign Lan­guage
Supervisor.
Gifts were presented to our school
district by Mr, Karl ReuU, a teacher
from Germany on behalf of the visiting
students.
Mr. Roy Wolff, language teacher at
Bethpage High School was responsible
for coordinating this program. The
German students then were given a
tour of Bethpage High School and
issued student identification cards. The
next day they took a walking tour of
our town.
Mr. Roy WoMT, BHS tcadier welcomes
German students and their teachers,
Mr. Karl Reull (center) and Ms. Mar-itaKordes.