Fumes From Queens Asphalt Plant Stir Health Fears in Greenpoint and Blissville
Residents near Green Asphalt's recycling plant report headaches, migraines, and worsened asthma as regulators order stack-height increases and monitor compliance.
More than 100 residents from eastern Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and Blissville in Long Island City packed a Greenpoint community center Tuesday to protest a city-contracted asphalt recycling plant near their homes, saying its fumes are noxious and seep indoors.
The Green Asphalt plant has operated at 37-98 Review Avenue in Queens since 2011. State regulators first cited the facility in January 2024 for emissions that unreasonably interfered with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property, a violation of the New York State Air Pollution Control Law. Maria Davis, a 59-year-old Long Island City resident, told The Post she can’t open the windows because she can taste the toxins, it’s like rubber burning in my mouth, and she said many neighbors with asthma have seen their symptoms worsen: “There’s a lot of people who have asthma that’s getting worse.”
Over the past several months, locals said the smell has intensified. Jesus Navarro, a Greenpoint resident, said the stench wakes him at night and that residents increasingly avoid outdoor spaces. “We can’t open our windows anymore: some nights it’s so strong it fills the room,” Navarro said. Other residents from Greenpoint and Blissville described migraines and respiratory issues that persist indoors.
City regulators disclosed a consent order with the state Department of Environmental Conservation that fined Green Asphalt $124,500 for several violations, including emissions injurious to life or property and failure to submit annual air quality monitoring reports since 2019. Regulators also ordered the plant to raise its smokestack height from 45 feet to 90 feet by December 11, when contaminant testing will occur. Councilman Lincoln Restler noted that a Department of Buildings permit has not yet been filed for the stack-raising project.
Capasso defended the site during the town hall, denying the emissions are hazardous and blaming social media for a perceived panic. “Whatever you are feeling, you’re put at ease to know we’re not killing you,” he said — minutes before the panel deferred questions about long-term health impacts to the Department of Health.
Residents and their representatives urged the city and state to remove the plant from ongoing DOT work and to take more aggressive action if the facility fails to comply. The DOT confirmed it is still reviewing a request to cease operations with Green Asphalt as of Thursday afternoon. Restler and others warned that if the issues aren’t fixed promptly, there could be serious consequences for the plant’s operators and regulators alike.
The plant, which reported about $10 million in revenue last year, remains under scrutiny as health complaints persist and regulators continue testing plans to widen dispersal of emissions. EarthJustice officials have been contacted about potential legal action to address community health concerns.
