DEC: Delay in test results on soil, drums found at Bethpage park caused by technical issues at Grumman lab

The DEC said initial results from six chemical drums and soil found petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents, which environmental experts say is toxic.

Jon Dowding

Apr 27, 2024, 12:39 AM

Updated 172 days ago

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The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Town of Oyster Bay confirm to News 12 that test results delayed on the blue soil and chemical drums discovered in Bethpage Community Park are due to technical issues at the Northrop Grumman lab.
The DEC said initial results from six chemical drums and soil found petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents, which environmental experts say is toxic.
Final results from the drums and soil were expected on Tuesday.
The delay isn't sitting well with Town of Oyster Bay residents.
"We really care about the community here in Bethpage and for a corporation to come in here and just think that they can do whatever they want to and treat our environment the way they want to, it's disgusting," said Ernest Lasen, of Bethpage.
The Town of Oyster Bay also says it's frustrated by the delays and has hired its own independent consultant to test the soil and the drums' contents.
The state DEC says preliminary results of the soil and drums found petroleum hydrocarbons and chemical solvents like trichloroethylene, also known as TCE.
The state DEC says preliminary results of the soil and drums found petroleum hydrocarbons and chemical solvents like trichloroethylene, also known as TCE.
Citizens Campaign for the Environment executive director Adrienne Esposito says these chemicals are carcinogens.
"These toxics, TCE in specific, are classified as a known carcinogen, which means they are known to cause cancer in humans,” she said. “They're linked directly to liver cancer, kidney cancer."
Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino expressed his frustration over the continued delays.
“Grumman has failed to provide test results from both the second and third layer of drums, as well as the surrounding soil and expects us to believe that their lab's 'broken machinery' is to blame,” said Saladino in part in a statement to News 12.
Back at the park, crews cleared the other end of the baseball field for the use of ground penetrating radar to see if anything else is buried in the park.
News 12 reached out to Grumman for comment but has not yet heard back.