Description
Is anyone else sick and tired of Ross Valve polluting our neighborhood?
They'll tell you that their emissions are 100% legal but that's a lie.
The DEC is currently trying to force Ross Valve to clean up their emissions but Ross Valve refuses.
The DEC case against Ross Valve has been going on for years.
The Coke (coal by-product) they burn emits massive amounts of poisonous sulpher into the air of our neighborhood.
You've probably noticed that they almost only pollute at night now. This is because Seton Health and St Marys hospital are less active. Seton Health and St Marys hospital have both complained about Ross Valve but still, nothing happens.
What does it take to make Ross Valve stop sending poisonous fumes into our neighborhood?
76 Comments
had enough (Guest)
Hello fellow neighbors,
This is being written to inform all area residents of a potentially harmful contaminant in the air that we regularly breath. The contaminant is Sulfur Dioxide. It is regularly being produced by Ross Valve when they burn "coke" (a high performance type of coal) to melt metals in their plant.
I'm sure you've smelled the very strong sulfur in the air on many occasions. It has become so common place in this neighborhood that we've become used to the sulfur dioxide smell. We just assume it is something we must "deal with".
Nearby St Marys hospital and Seton Health have complained enough that Ross Valve has lessened their sulfur dioxide emissions during the day. I assume Ross Valve thinks that by emitting the sulfur dioxide at night, they will create less complaints because Seton Health and St Marys hospital are either closed or much less busy in the evening hours. I'm sure you're used to closing all your homes windows on a beautiful summer evening when Ross Valve starts burning Coke again.
The DEC has been trying to get Ross Valve to clean up their emissions for literally years. It is not as easy as you would think though. Apparently Ross Valve is operating under emissions laws from 1970! Imagine how much less stringent those 1970's laws are compared to what they are today?!
I believe that the reason the DEC is having such a difficult time getting Ross Valve to clean up their emissions is that enough of the neighbors aren't voicing their concerns. If we all stood together and complained to the "right" agency and people, we could help the DEC make Ross Valve comply with today's Sulfur dioxide emission laws.
If you're concerned about the potential health problems of long term exposure to the sulfur dioxide that Ross Valve is emitting into our neighborhood air or you're just sick of breathing in that nasty sulfur smell, you need to call the DEC immediately. The best person to call is Don at 518-357-2359. For details on the current DEC court case against Ross Valve call the DEC lawyer, Karen Avery at 518-357-2088.
One last thing... if you see sparks and thick smoke shooting out of the largest smokestack at Ross Valve, this means that they are not using their "control box". The control box is a filtering device that the emissions are supposed to travel through before being released into our neighborhood air. Unfortunately, it is more cost efficient and easier for Ross Valve to bypass the "control box" and send the sulfur dioxide directly into our neighborhood.
By not using their control box, Ross Valve is blatantly disregarding the emission laws, the environment and worst of all, the health of neighborhood residents and its employees.
If you see sparks coming from any smoke stack at Ross Valve, take digital photos (if possible) and email them to Don at dawelste@gw.dec.state.ny.us If you can't take photos, phone him at 518-357-2359 and let him know that Ross Valve is not using their "control box" again.
You may remember that not too long ago, OSHA came in and fined Ross Valve for blatantly disregarding safe work practice laws. OSHA fined Ross Valve and made them abide by OSHA laws. It is now time for the neighborhood to stand together and demand that the DEC & EPA come in and make Ross Valve abide by the emission laws. Ross Valve won't do it voluntarily so we need to act.
Below is some information on sulfur dioxide emission & laws...
What is sulfur dioxide?
Sulfur dioxide is a colorless gas with a pungent odor. It is a liquid when under pressure, and it dissolves in water very easily. Sulfur dioxide in the air comes mainly from activities such as the burning of coal and oil at power plants or from copper smelting. In nature, sulfur dioxide can be released to the air from volcanic eruptions.
How might I be exposed to sulfur dioxide?
* Breathing air containing it or touching it.
* Working in industries where it occurs as a by-product, such as copper smelting or power plants.
* Working in the manufacture of sulfuric acid, paper, food preservatives, or fertilizers.
* Living near heavily industrialized activities where sulfur dioxide occurs.
How can sulfur dioxide affect my health?
Exposure to very high levels of sulfur dioxide can be life threatening. Exposure to 100 parts of sulfur dioxide per million parts of air (100 ppm) is considered immediately dangerous to life and health. Burning of the nose and throat, breathing difficulties, and severe airway obstructions occurred in miners who breathed sulfur dioxide released as a result of an explosion in a copper mine.
Long-term exposure to persistent levels of sulfur dioxide can affect your health. Asthmatics have also been shown to be sensitive to the respiratory effects of low concentrations of sulfur dioxide.
Animal studies also show respiratory effects from breathing sulfur dioxide. Animals exposed to high concentrations of sulfur dioxide showed decreased respiration, inflammation of the airways, and destruction of areas of the lung.
How does sulfur dioxide affect children?
Children who live in or near heavily industrialized areas where sulfur dioxide occurs may experience difficulty breathing, changes in the ability to breathe deeply, and burning of the nose and throat It is not known whether children are more vulnerable to these effects than adults. However, children may be exposed to more sulfur dioxide than adults because they breathe more air for their body weight than adults do.
Long-term studies surveying large numbers of children indicate that children who have breathed sulfur dioxide pollution may develop more breathing problems as they get older, may make more emergency room visits for treatment of wheezing fits, and may get more respiratory illnesses than other children. Children with asthma may be especially sensitive even to low concentrations of sulfur dioxide, but it is not known whether asthmatic children are more sensitive than asthmatic adults.
How can families reduce the risk of exposure to sulfur dioxide?
Families living near heavily industrialized areas where sulfur dioxide occurs should limit their outdoor activities during times of high air pollution. By paying attention to news bulletins and air pollution advisories, families can control the amount of their exposure. People with respiratory difficulties should pay special attention to these warnings, and asthmatic children's outdoor exercise should be limited when high levels of sulfur dioxide are present in air.
Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health?
EPA has set an air quality standard of 0.03 ppm for long-term, 1-year average concentrations of sulfur dioxide. Short-term, 24-hour air concentrations should not exceed 0.14 ppm more than once a year.
had enough (Guest)
"EPA has set an air quality standard of 0.03 ppm for long-term, 1-year average concentrations of sulfur dioxide. Short-term, 24-hour air concentrations should not exceed 0.14 ppm more than once a year."
Look at the photo at the top of the page, read the EPA air quality standards (posted above) regarding sulfur dioxide pollution and then ask yourself if Ross Valve is adhering to the EPA standards. I think it's very obvious that they are not.
I think the Troy Record should make this a cover story in their newspaper. The only way Ross Valve is going to stop blatantly ignoring EPA emissions laws is if they're forced to. If this issue is made public, more people will notice and the wheels of change may finally start turning.
Ross Valve is a dinosaur of a business that would not be allowed to start up and operate under today's EPA air quality standards. Ross Valve needs to either close down or change their plant to methods of operation that are inline with the EPA standards of today.
I'm tired of breathing in this nastiness! I pity the people living on Sausse Ave. They get the brunt of the toxic smoke and pollutants.
Anonymous (Guest)
Health Hazard (Guest)
Yes, something does need to be done!
I don't understand how Ross Valve can continue to spew poisonous toxins into the environment with 2 hospitals so close by?! Those hospitals are treating people with breathing disorders and Ross Valve is spewing illegal toxins into the air on a daily basis?
How can the huge and powerful EPA and DEC allow this to go on? Have they no TEETH, no real power to stop a tiny little manufacturing company in Troy NY???
They don't even come out to Ross Valve and do air quality studies!
I'm sure if a reporter at the Gazette did some FOIL requests within Region 4, they'd find out just how bad the air quality is around Ross Valve and just how inactively the DEC has been dealing with this issue.
This is a BIG health & environmental issue that's been basically ignored for decades. Come on GAZETTE. Bring the story to light. Maybe then the DEC and EPA will finally take off their kid gloves and show Ross Valve who's boss.
HINT: The first step would be to contact Toni Galluzzo at the DEC 357-2046 for FOIL information.
andy (Guest)
Ross Valve is burning coke again tonight. 11:05PM 8/19/10
The whole neighborhood is forced to close their windows again on another beautiful summer evening.
Thanks Andy Ross! Thanks for NOT caring about the health of your employees, your neighbors or the environment.
Is anyone reading this that can help? EPA? DEC? Please post below.
ERR (Guest)
A Zlotnick (Guest)
Chris (Guest)
andy (Guest)
Almost as bad as the smoke is the contaminated sand (by-product of the metal melting process) Ross Valve dumps in their backyard.
They take this contaminated sand and spread it all over their property. Then, the rain leaches out all the poisonous contaminants into the earth.
Walk up Archibald street and look at the sandy hill behind the plant. It's amazing what Ross Valve is allowed to get away with in this "GREEN" day and age.
Andy Ross thinks he's being crafty and smart by polluting at night when Seton health and St Marys hospital are less likely to complain ...and the government DEC / EPA workers are home, snuggled in their beds. The neighbors are always effected and will complain!
ERR, consider yourself lucky that you can't smell it. It all depends on which way the wind is blowing.
Anonymous (Guest)
The "haze" you see around the lights and in the air... that's the massive amounts of dust they're pumping into the air. Sometimes it looks almost like its snowing on Archibald street!
How are they allowed to get away with this?
JIm (Guest)
Last night (9/2) ross valve was blowing huge amounts of fine dust into the neighborhood air from the square, low stack/blower thing. The dust is supposed to be caught by filters and not released into the air. Last night it was BAD! Just walking up Archibald street made your mouth full of the gritty dust. I can only imagine what it's doing to the neighbors lungs! I am sure they knew what they were doing was wrong because when I said something to a worker outside, he went inside the plant and quickly turned it off. He said he was going to
lock it out" meaning that no one could use the machine until it is repaired and working properly.
Ross Valve just doesn't give a damn about its neighbors or it's employees. They are the most non-neighborly and non-environmentally friendly business I have ever encountered.
OSHA and the DEC need to raid that place again.
neighborhood-watch (Guest)
More poison pumped into our neighborhood air.
DEC? Any update on the ongoing lawsuit against Ross valve? The neighborhood would love to know what's being done about this.
Don (Guest)
My god...! This is crazy! They're burning again today (9/21/2010) and tonight (see pics just taken at 5:20pm). Lately, their pollution has been smelling like burning plastic bags instead of millions of sulphur matches.
I wonder what they're burning now?! I'm sure it's not very healthy. I can't believe that their employees are in the middle of all that smoke for hours on end without breathing protection.
It's a beautiful summer day (70 degrees and sunny) but I have to close all the windows in my house to avoid Ross valves pollution. That's not right.
DEC have you done any air quality checks at Ross Valve recently?
Please look at the pics and help us! ! !
wilson (Guest)
Wilson (Guest)
They are burning again tonight. They just started burning at 11:10 PM. The entire neighborhood is smokey and smells like burning plastic bags.
Thanks Andy Ross for making us all close out windows on a beautiful fall evening.
You should be ashamed of yourself and your polluting business.
Wilson (Guest)
They are burning again tonight. They just started burning at 11:10 PM. The entire neighborhood is smokey and smells like burning plastic bags.
Thanks Andy Ross for making us all close out windows on a beautiful fall evening.
You should be ashamed of yourself and your polluting business.
Jessica (Guest)
Sam (Registered User)
No it absolutely has not be resolved yet. I surmise that it never will be resolved because the DEC has no "teeth". They are all bark and no bite. They ask Ross Valve repeatedly to lessen their pollution but Ross Valve politely ignores them.
To skirt most of the complainers, Ross Valve now does its polluting at night when most of the businesses are closed and the employee and customers have gone gone home for the evening.
This is a great strategy for Ross Valve because now the only complaints will come from the neighbors... and the neighbors are used to the pollution and just live with it without complaining.
Another bad thing about Ross Valve is that you absolutely cannot keep anything clean around the plant. The place emits constant dust and sand from the molding process. Walk up Archibald street and you'll see the dust and sand all over the gorund. That dust and sand is blown throughout the neighborhood. You cannot keep your vehicles clean and the dust permeates your home no matter how tightly you keep it closed up! it is disgusting.
Before you buy a home within a 1/4 mile of Ross Valve, come hang out while they're buring the coke and melting the scrap metal. You will most likely look elsewhere for a home.
Ross Valve is a terrible neighbor. I wish someone told me all this before I bought a home nearby.
Sam (Registered User)
http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/45353.html Scroll down to the month of January.
In January of this year Ross Valve was fined $9000 by the DEC for a single instance of operating without using the "control box". The emissions are supposed to be run through the control box before being emitted into the air. The control box removes some or or most of the contaminants. It must be cheaper and easier to not use the control box because they do this often.
The DEC actually has to catch Ross Valve in the act before it will issue a violation and a fine. In other words, the DEC would have to oversee every single burn that Ross Valve does (at least 2 burns a week) to assure they are not violating the minimum guidelines (from the 1970's!) that they are currently perimitted for & operating under. But please, keep an eye on the plant when they are burning. The DEC can't always be present but we neighbors are. If you see something that doesn't look "right", take pictures and email them to the DEC contacts earlier in this post.
The main problem with Ross Valves emissions is that because of their small size they are considered a "small emitter". Small emitters are not subject to the stricter EPA air quality standards that the bigger companies are. If Ross Valve wasn't operating in a residential neighborhood, they'd probably go unnoticed and be completely overlooked.
Ross Valve is not permitted under the most recent and more strict 1998 AFS (air facility system) act. They are permitted under the 6NYCRR "small jobbing foundries act" from the 1970's. Ross Valves current particulate limits (particles it can legally emit into the air) were set back in 1970 when the DEC & EPA were first founded!
That amazes me. Ross Valve is operating in a residential neighborhood under air quality limits set back in 1970! It's not funny but you really have to smack your forehead & laugh out loud at that! 1970?! Back when smoking cigarettes was the norm... the "stars" on at the TV game shows had ash trays next to them and most smoked on camera! You can still see Richard Dawson puffing away on "Match Game 74" reruns! Seatbelts weren't even put in new vehicles until 1975. PCBs were legally dumped into the Hudson. I could go on and on.
The DEC has recently asked Ross Valve to become permitted & compliant with the 1998 AFS standards. This will be costly for Ross as all their equipment is ancient and would have to be updated. Maybe they'll be forced to move to their other plant?
Sam (Registered User)
Ross Valve is considered an "environmental hazard" by homefacts.com
http://www.homefacts.com/environmentalhazards/New-York/Rensselaer-County/Troy/Ross-Valve-Manufacturing-Co-Inc.html
Do you still want to buy a home nearby?!
Ross vaulve former worker (Guest)
I hear all this talk about Ross vaulve, I would like to contact some one about this situation.
- former worker Ross value
A Zlotnick (Guest)
pjohnq363 (Guest)
Anthony Paone (Guest)
neighbor (Guest)
Ross Valve lets employees pout molten metal with zero safety gear?! WOW! That can't be too good for your respitory health?! As a nearby neighbor, I'm not happy breathing in all their pollution and silica dust. What can be done to stop them?
Have you contacted Don at dawelste@gw.dec.state.ny.us He's the DEC contact who is watching over the case at Ross Valve.
foundry pouring moulds (Guest)
foundry pouring moulds (Guest)
foundry pouring moulds (Guest)
foundry pouring moulds (Guest)
foundry pouring moulds (Guest)
foundry pouring moulds (Guest)
wow (Guest)
wow (Guest)
wow (Guest)
Anthony Paone (Guest)
foundry pouring moulds (Guest)
foundry pouring moulds (Guest)
Dust everywhere (Guest)
COPD (Guest)
COPD (Guest)
Anthony Paone (Guest)
WOW (Guest)
WOW (Guest)
anthony paone (Guest)
anthony paone (Guest)
guest (Guest)
anthony paone (Guest)
fora@aol.com (Guest)
hey anthony (Guest)
AirQualityTestNow! (Guest)
After being assured for years by the Ross' (and an employee at the Schenectady office of the DEC) that the air quality from the smokestack is within the guidelines set forth by the government... I did a FOIL request for the results of any air quality tests done at the Ross Valve foundry.
GUESS WHAT?! THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A SINGLE AIR QUALITY TEST DONE. Not ONE! The DEC knows this. Yet, they continue to renew the foundries 10 year registration.
This is government at its worst. The DEC needs to do a surprise air quality test while the foundry is melting metals. The employees and the neighborhood deserves to know what the Ross' are forcing us to breathe. I garauntee that when a test is done, the amounts of toxic pollutants will be shown to be much higher than current government thresholds allowed.
Everyone has to have the emissions of their vehicles checked anually but the Ross Valve foundry is allowed to spew "god know what" into the air on a regular basis, completely unchecked?
It's time the employees and the neighbors demand a surpsise air quality test be done. Anyone know how to make that happen?
Anthony paone (Registered User)
7-19-2013
Back in the hospital again....I never thought I would be in this condition at 59 yrs. old, with these occupational diseases silicosis , COPD , and lung cancer. Thank you Ross valve.
- Anthony Paone
to Anthony, (Guest)
to Anthony, (Guest)
meeshka (Guest)
silicosis (Guest)
I've NEVER seen it but... if St Marys hospital has ever burned anything, the nearby homes are not overcome with noxious fumes... like when Ross Valve burns on a regular basis. Their having been polluting the neighborhood for 100 years doesn't make it OK for them to coninue doing so. This is the "greener" day and age. This isn't the stone age. Ross Valve has been found guilty of violating the DEC air quality standards MANY TIMES. Do a FOIL request to see all the times they've been fined.
And you'll find out that if it wasn't for the complainging businesses and neighbors, Ross Valve wouldn't have spent the time & money to get their smokestack scrubber back in operation in 2009.
The DEC had to take Ross to court to FORCE them to repair and use their scrubber. For decades, they were simply letting ALL the noxious pollutants right out into the neighborhood air with no effort to lessen the emissions. They knew what they were doing was 100% wrong but in the interest of saving time and money, they kept polluting... until Seton Health, st Marys and concerned neighbors started to complain.
Now, it's time for the DEC to do an air quality study of the smokestack and see what's REALLY being pumped into our air.
If you live neaby, you know the dust that permeates everything... your house, your car, your outside areas? That's silca dust spewed from the factory. Breathing it over time causes the lung disease, "silicosis". http://www.silicosis.com/niosh/ Ask Anthony Paone about that. He has it and is in the hospital. You don't get silicosis from anything other than breathing silca dust. The only place that uses silca dust around here is the Ross Valve foundry.
If people think the foundry is operating within the emission thresholds set by the government, WHY NOT JUST TEST THE EMISSIONS? It would be pretty simple to shut up all the complainers.
Educate yourself meeshka. I have,
silicosis (Guest)
The homeowners at 1300 Sausse Ave are now selling their house and moving due to the pollution from the Ross Valve foundry. I bet they wished they'd seen this FIX-IT posting before they bought that home.
Ask anyone on Sausse Ave or at seton health or H&V about the silca dust and sulphur smell. You'll get an earfull. You ever try to paint a car with fine silca dust everywhere?
silicosis (Guest)
meeshka (Guest)
BREATHE IT IN How about a school next to Norton Company in Watervliet Nobody cares
everyone is still making money and you don't count ...REALLY
WeAll Count (Guest)
Let GE and Norton's neighbors worry about them. I don't own a home near those polluters... I own a home near Ross Valve.
And actually, I do count. Ross Valve is now using their "scrubber" and they're mowing their own lot on 10th street for the 1st time in decades. Yeah, I count. We all do. Speak up and you will count too.
One step at a time.
MEESHKA (Guest)
You don't care if GE or Norton pollutes So nobody cares in your
neighborhood either. See how it works Keep sucking it in
NOBODY CARES
lungcancer (Guest)
People get used to things being a certain way even if they things are health hazards. My neighbors care. If they knew they had a choice to either breath in toxic pollutants or not. They just don't all realize they have a voice and can make change happen.
Just the few voices so far have made a HUGE impact in the quality of life in this neighborhood. If no one spoke up, Ross Valves emissions wouldn't be running through a scrubber.
We'll all wish they cared more when we're laying in the hospital with all the lung diseases that former Ross Valve employee Anthony Paone now has.
misha (Guest)
Troy resident (Guest)
That's pretty nice...when the city of Troy is upset about taking down a building on king street next to bombers and there worried about the pollution in the air and people going into bombers air quality.... Whens Ross valve has been polluting the air for years and no body has done anything about it!
- if anyone wants to contact the Troy city councilman that handle the district do Ross valve his name is DEAN BODNAR his phone number is (518) 727- 6570. Or email him at. Bodnar@troycitycounsil.com.
HEY DEAN! (Guest)
Hey Dean Bodnar how about holding Ross Valve to the same codes as the rest of the city are held to?
Mainly, enforcing chapter 109 sections 2, 4, 5 and 6. Forget about the toxic pollutants they're releasing on a regular basis... their smokestack should have been capped decades ago due to the City codes mentioned above. Yet, Troy officials continually turn the other cheek... in the name of tax revenue maybe?
If I produced that amount of smoke from my backyard, I'd be shut down immediately and permenantly.
To Anthony (Guest)
Silicosis anyone? (Guest)
That last commenter was probably Andy Ross or one of the other Ross' posting anonymously. That's a low blow.
Does smoking also cause the serious lung disease "SILICOSIS"? No, of course not. Silicosis is caused specifically from breathing silica dust which he could have ONLY GOTTEN FROM THE ROSS VAVLE FOUNDRY. https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/crystalline-factsheet.pdf It's pretty much a given that all the workers in that foundry are going to end up with life threatening, serious lung diseases. You can't work in a place like that and not be effected eventually.
Look at this video and notice only one guy is wearing a cheap respirator. He's the smart one! The other works are all breathing in very toxic substances and will end up like Anthony sooner or later.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBvtPjqqtIo
OSHA & the DEC should come back to the foundry and witness the numerous operational & environmental hazards.
Silicosis anyone? (Guest)
Silicosis anyone? (Guest)
Fozzy (Guest)
Although you are correct that smoking can cause cancer and other health ailments I lived for 28 years in that area and now I have lung and other problems and I have never smoked anything in my life other than the air that came in from your plant at night while I slept. Yes it's hard to find a direct link to that smoke but it was a contributing factor and how many other people in that area have died from the so called safe smoke that Ross Valve puts out? Why do they seem to burn at night are they hiding something? When will we put peoples health and the Environment 1st while leaving corporate greed last. Maybe we need to picket the plant and get the media involved .
6 OnYourSide? (Guest)
I agree that the media needs to get involved. I find it appauling that the DEC has NEVER done a single air quality test at the ROss Valve foundry. Yet, the DEC gives the foundry a registration to operate (supposedly within the air quality guidelines set forth by the government) every 10 years. The DEC has no idea what that smokestack is spewing out into the neighborhood. No idea at all. They let Ross Valve police itself regarding its emissions. That is absolutely crazy!
Fozzy, call the DEC at 518-357-2359, demand a supervisor ...because Don, the guy that answers the phone is not interested in helping. Trust me I know. Ask the supervisor to come to your home and test the dust inside and outside your property. If they find silca dust in your home, you have good evidence that the Ross smokestack needs to be better filtered.
The reason they burn at night now is because seton health (right behind the foundry) complained about the emissions. Instead of stopping their toxic emissions, the Ross' decided to burn after seton health closes for the day. Pretty sneaky and it appears to be working. Too bad the neighbors still have to put up with the toxic air.
Troy resident (Guest)
record profits for ROSS (Guest)
The ross's had a banner year for profits in 2013 and expect even more in 2014. Great for them but not so good for the neighbors. Why won't the DEC do an air quality test at the foundry when they are burning? How hard would it be to do a simple test to see what the smokestacks are emitting into the neighboring children's lungs? Our residents and kid deserve better from our DEC.
Is anthony paone still alive? How many more people have to get cancer and other diseases that are directly related to the ross valve foundrys pollution before the government steps in and caps that smokestack?
silicosis (Guest)
KSchneid (Registered User)
Anthony Paone (Registered User)
. (Registered User)