Addressing Misinformation

Several false claims about Norlite and our operations in Cohoes have been made publicly. Our intent is to provide the public, elected officials and the news media with accurate information.

FALSEHOOD
Norlite is not operating under valid environmental permits because our previous permits expired at the end of 2020.

FACT
Norlite is operating under valid environmental permits. Environmental permits are, by law, valid and in effect while regulatory agencies review permit renewal applications that have been submitted timely, as Norlite has done.

FALSEHOOD
Norlite was not authorized to burn aqueous film forming foam (AFFF).

FACT
Norlite’s acceptance of AFFF was entirely legal. Our destruction of the material was performed in accordance with the strict emission limits in our permits. PFAS, the constituent of concern in AFFF, is not a regulated hazardous waste under state or federal law, and therefore was not prohibited from incineration under our permits.

FALSEHOOD
Norlite was required to seek a permit modification to burn AFFF.

FACT
No permit modification or test burn of AFFF was required. This statement, by former EPA Region 2 Administrator Enck, is a cynical attempt to frighten and mislead people. Ms. Enck was the Region 2 EPA administrator under President Obama when Norlite’s contract with the federal government to accept and incinerate AFFF was approved. Surely, she knows how the laws work and that no permit modification was required. 

FALSEHOOD
Norlite was secretive about its burning of AFFF.

FACT
Though under no obligation to do so, Norlite informed the DEC months before the matter received broad public attention. The matter received public attention because the contract between Norlite’s parent company, Tradebe Environmental Services, and the federal government was a public document. 

FALSEHOOD
The scientific consensus is that incineration of AFFF is unsafe.

FACT
There is no such consensus. In fact, EPA is studying this very question.

FALSEHOOD
Norlite is violating its environmental permits for mercury emissions.

FACT
Our emissions of mercury and other regulated compounds are in compliance with our federal and state permits. DEC’s own sampling, data reviews and visual analysis demonstrate that Norlite operates well within the limits that environmental regulators have set for emissions. Furthermore, DEC’s mercury emissions standards with which Norlite complies are significantly more stringent that those required by EPA. 

FALSEHOOD
Norlite views fines for noncompliance as “the cost of doing business.”

FACT
Norlite recently made a $30 million investment in environmental equipment and technology to ensure compliance with strict permit limits. This was an entirely private investment, made voluntarily and without any public money. 

TRUTH
One of Norlite’s opponents said Norlite can operate strictly by burning natural gas. That’s true. The destruction of hazardous waste, however, provides a non-carbon based source of fuel while simultaneously eliminating an environmental hazard – both of which are clearly in the public interest. It’s irresponsible for an “environmental advocate” to advocate for the burning of fossil fuels, instead of the safe recovery of energy value from alternative fuels that would otherwise be landfilled and some of which are required to be incinerated.