Grumman Responsible For Bethpage Toxic Plume

Grumman Contamination & The Bethpage Toxic Plume

It was recently uncovered that Grumman, the aerospace and defense technology behemoth once based in Nassau County, Long Island, knew for decades that toxic chemicals from its property were contaminating local groundwater and hid the truth. According to a groundbreaking Newsday investigation.

The company, which holds a once-600 acre site in Bethpage, Long Island, “made public statements that directly contradicted the alarming evidence it held, as it avoided culpability and millions in costs”.  Furthermore, government officials knew about the pollution and enabled the company’s behavior.

Newsday launched a nine-month investigation and combed through thousands of pages of records to reveal the secret history of the company’s alleged poisoning of entire communities’ groundwater.

Confidential documents “show that the problem could have been addressed more aggressively at many points over the past 45 years. But instead, foot-dragging, resistance and grossly inaccurate projections took hold — not only for the company but also for decades by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, the lead regulatory agency.”

The poisonous “plume” is 4.3 miles (6.92 km) long, 2.1 miles (3.38 km) wide and as much as 900 feet (0.27 km) deep. Moreover, the plume is located in an aquifer that is the only drinking water source for the densely populated Long Island region.

The contaminants in Long Island drinking water in the area contain about two dozen contaminants, some of which cause cancer. According to the report, the most significant danger is the metal degreseaser, trichloroethylene, or TCE, which is present in the groundwater at levels thousands of times above New York State drinking standards. Grumman had used TCE to clean aircraft parts at its property for 40 years. Once TCE was known to be spreading from the property, the company misled the public about its practice of using the dangerous chemical, per Newsday.

The toxic plume has doubled its sized since the mid-1980s and has traveled south from Bethpage, recently crossing below the Southern State Parkway. It continues to move at about a foot a day towards the ecological sensitive Great South Bay.

While New York State has announced a plan to clean the area, near-total eradication of the plume will not come for 110 years under current estimates.

The full health ramifications for Long Island residents is not yet known. However, according to another report by Newsday, an average of more than 18,000 cases of cancer per year occurred on Long Island from 2012 through 2016, per the New York State Department of Health.

Indeed, the media has reported on the high rates of breast cancer among Long Island women for decades. As the New York Times put it in 1992, “[t]o the women of Long Island, it remains a medical mystery that defies their most dogged investigations, even as it claims more and more of their friends and family.”

Key Takeaways

• The Bethpage toxic plume contains dangerous chemicals like trichloroethylene (TCE) that exceed New York State drinking water standards by thousands of times.
• Grumman knowingly contaminated Long Island groundwater for decades while misleading the public about their use of toxic chemicals for aircraft part cleaning.
• Complete cleanup of the contaminated area is estimated to take 110 years, leaving residents potentially exposed to cancer-causing contaminants.

Get Legal Help for Toxic Exposure Claims

If you or a loved one has been affected by the Bethpage toxic plume contamination, you may be entitled to compensation. Our experienced personal injury lawyers understand the complexities of environmental exposure cases and have successfully handled toxic contamination claims throughout New York. Contact us for a free consultation.