This factory was built in the 1860s and was used by the Arkell and Smith company until 1952. This plant made the first packages for sugar and flour from paper rather than cotton or other fibers. In the 1870s, Arkell and Smith's made the first modern sugar bag. A fire in the 1880s destroyed some of the plant, but after that time, the building was changed very little.
Contact: Larisa Romanowski, romanowski.larisa@epa.gov, 518-407-0400
(New York, N.Y. – Sept. 22, 2016) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working to stop the potential spread of asbestos at the former Arkell and Smiths Sack Co. facility in Canajoharie, N.Y. Exposure to asbestos can lead to lung cancer and mesothelioma.
“At the request of the local government, the EPA sent staff and federal resources to stop the potential release of asbestos,” said Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. “EPA will make sure that the buildings are taken down properly and that asbestos is not spread into the community.”
The EPA was notified by Mayor Francis Avery of Canajoharie in November of 2015 about hazardous conditions posed by the dilapidated and collapsing buildings at the complex located at the intersection of Hill and Mill Streets. The original factory was built in the 1860s and was once home to the manufacturer of the first flat-bottom paper sack. The property was sold in 2007 and fell into disrepair. The site is 2.6 acres and contains seven interconnected buildings covering 65,000 square feet.
In February of 2016, the EPA took building and debris samples and determined that the asbestos from badly deteriorating structures on the site has the potential to impact the surrounding area. The buildings are falling apart and the asbestos within the building deteriorated to a point it could spread beyond the property. Homes are located within 30 feet of the site.
The EPA will demolish the buildings and asbestos-containing materials will be either removed or secured at the site, and disposed of properly at permitted facilities. Materials containing asbestos will be kept adequately wet until they are collected and properly disposed of. The air will be monitored during operations to ensure that asbestos is not spreading.
The EPA is coordinating with the Village of Canajoharie and local police to minimize disruptions during the work. Throughout the EPA’s work, the community will be kept informed and any member of the public that has questions or concerns may contact the EPA’s Community Involvement Coordinator, Larisa Romanowski, at 518-407-0400 or romanowski.larisa@epa.gov.
While this site is not on the Superfund National Priorities List, the Superfund program operates on the principle that polluters should pay for the cleanups, rather than passing the costs to taxpayers. The EPA will seek to hold any liable parties accountable for the costs of the investigation and cleanup.
For more information about asbestos, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/asbestos
Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/eparegion2 .
This factory was built in the 1860s and was used by the Arkell and Smith company until 1952. This plant made the first packages for sugar and flour from paper rather than cotton or other fibers. In the 1870s, Arkell and Smith's made the first modern sugar bag. A fire in the 1880s destroyed some of the plant, but after that time, the building was changed very little.