Lafarge Cement Plant
Draft Health Assessment Completed
The New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH), in partnership with the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, has completed a health assessment for communities near the Lafarge Cement Plant in Ravena, New York. NYS DOH completed the health assessment in two phases as described in the section Site Chronology. Results from this health assessment are available in two reports – Final Phase One Report and Public Comment Draft Phase Two Report. Both reports together complete the health assessment of the cement plant.
Draft Phase Two Report
Public Comment Period ends May 17, 2013
The Public Comment Draft Phase Two Report was released in March 2013. The Phase Two Report uses information summarized in the Phase One Report to assess the likelihood that contaminants or dust released from the cement plant might harm community health. The draft health assessment for the cement plant found that:
- Breathing the ground-level air concentrations of metals (e.g., mercury), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, carbon monoxide, lead, particulate matter, dioxins, furans, hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds and ammonia released in kiln stack emissions is not expected to harm people's health.
- For the general public, breathing ground-level air concentrations of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen dioxide released in the kiln stack emissions is not expected to harm people's health.
- Touching, breathing or accidentally eating dust that originated from the Ravena cement plant and other sources is not expected to harm the health of people who reside, work, or attend school in the community.
- There is no evidence that the health status of communities near the cement plant has been impacted by their proximity to the cement plant.
NYS DOH is currently seeking the public's review and comment on the Public Comment Draft Phase Two Report. The 60-day public comment period will end on May 17, 2013. After this date, the NYS DOH will develop a final Phase Two Report that will include consideration of public comments.
- Public Comment Draft Phase Two Report (PDF, 1.24MB, 61pg.)
- Comment Form (PDF, 17KB, 3pg.)
Final Phase One Report
The Final Phase One Report was released in January 2013. It summarizes everything that is known about contaminants released from the cement plant over its 50 years of operation and describes how people might have been exposed to them. This report also includes the NYS DOH responses to comments received during the public comment period which ended in February 2011. The Phase One Report concludes that people may be exposed to dust and contaminants released to air from the cement plant. The possible harm to health from these exposures is evaluated in the Phase Two Report.
Site Chronology
See the Site Chronology for a list of NYS DOH activities at the Lafarge Site.
Information Sheets
A brief summary of results and conclusions from the Lafarge Cement Plant health assessment is also available in a series of three information sheets:
- Information Sheet #1: Project Overview (PDF, 119KB, 1pg.)
- Information Sheet #2: Phase One Summary (PDF, 553KB, 2pg.)
- Information Sheet #3: Phase Two Summary (PDF, 138KB, 2pg.)
Additional Information
For additional information, please contact Bettsy Prohonic at (518) 402-7530 or email ceheduc@health.state.ny.us.
