HMM 12 – 19 – 22 Holiday Special on Norlite

In this holiday special of the Hudson Mohawk Magazine, producer Justin Shi reviews the past three years of community activism against the Norlite hazardous waste incinerator.

We begin with Professor David Bond of Bennington College discussing the dangers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — also known as PFAS or forever chemicals. Professor Bond has been a key individual in identifying the dangers of this range of chemicals and identifying its presence around Norlite.

Then, Jennifer Malinowski, who was at the time a resident of the Saratoga Sites housing project located next to the Norlite plant, discusses how the facility impacts her family and day-to-day life.

Later on, we hear segments from a climate rally held this past April at the Governor’s Mansion to raise awareness of Norlite. Alexis Goldsmith of Lights Out Norlite, Poet D. Colin, Tasheca Medina of Equality for Troy, and Kriti Sharma of the RPI Sunrise Movement speak at the event.

After that, Dave Walker, retired geologist from Columbia University, shows how to test air quality by collecting dust samples and explaining its importance, especially in the communities around Norlite.

Finally, we hear not just a story about Norlite, but about the Lafarge cement plant in Coeymans, which garners similar environmental concerns as Norlite. While not exclusively a Norlite piece, it highlights the battle for environmental equity that spans across the entire Capital Region.