Immediate Release
Contact: Jeff Tittel, NJ Sierra Club, 609-558-9100
Falls Township officials will held a special meeting relating to the proposed Elcon hazardous waste treatment facility. The special meeting is expected to lead to the Supervisors considering the controversial land development application. Elcon has proposed building on a 22-acre portion of a 33-acre property in the Keystone Industrial Port Complex. The facility has been expected to process 150,000 to 210,000 tons of chemical and pharmaceutical waste that would be transported to the facility every year. Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club released the following statement:
“This is big victory. Falls Twp. rejected the Elcon Application because of the impact to public health, safety and the environment. It is incompatible with the zoning of the community because this is a hazardous waste facility, not an industrial facility. This toxic Elcon facility is completely inappropriate and should be rejected. The air and water pollution from Elcon will send toxic chemicals into the Falls River as well as surrounding areas in New Jersey. The facility would turn industrial liquid waste from chemical and pharmaceutical companies into clean water. It is a dangerous facility that puts people around the Delaware River at risk. Because of the potential of spills, accidents, and potential impact on public safety and the environment, was voted down.
“Fall Township Supervisors did their job and voted to protect the public from this dangerous facility. The Delaware River and the drinking water for 6 million people in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Our rivers belong to all of us. Across the country we are opening up our riverfronts for people and instead this toxic incinerator could push away not only people, but residential and commercial development. This project is dangerous to our environment and communities was stopped.
“The transportation and storage of hazardous materials with the chance of an accident or spill is enough to deny this application. Trucks will be moving in or out of the site, 17-25 a day, bringing in toxic chemicals to be burnt or toxic ash to be sent to a land fill. If just one of them were to spill it could have a disastrous impact on the neighborhood and water resources in the area. The Philadelphia Water Co. said that any spill would be “catastrophic.”
“They voted to protect us in NJ because the prevailing winds would send toxic chemicals through the air into the community as well as in New Jersey. The waste from this facility will end up as vapor that we breathe in. When you burn hazardous waste like nail polish removers, pesticides and other toxic chemicals, you don’t get rid of it. Instead it is just changing forms releasing pollution and some toxins into the air polluting our environment. It is critical that the Township Supervisors protect our clean air and environment by rejecting Elcon.
“Fall Township voted to prevent a toxic nightmare for Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We would be playing Russian Roulette with hundreds of toxic chemicals that can pollute our clean air and water. It could also hurt the economy by chasing away potential businesses and residents who don’t want to be located next to this facility. This is the opposite of smart growth. Elcon is really a con. Their technology doesn’t really work. Why would we turn the people of Falls Township into lab animals? They’ve already had serious environmental problems with their facility in Israel. Communities from both sides of the River have been speaking out against this proposal, it’s time the township listens. Fall Township Supervisors did their job and vote down this dangerous and unnecessary facility.”