Learn more about the action taken by
Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics in Hoosick Falls, New York

A MESSAGE FROM TOM KINISKY

A message from the President and CEO of Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics

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HOW DOES THE GAC SYSTEM WORK?

As the New York Department of Health announced in February, the full capacity GAC filtration system is operating effectively.

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WATER'S JOURNEY FROM THE SOURCE TO YOUR HOME

How water makes the journey into your home depends on many variables. For more information on this process, please watch the video above.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Upon learning there was PFOA in certain groundwaters in Hoosick Falls, Saint-Gobain, along with Honeywell, made it a top priority to provide potable water to residents.

From the early and extensive bottled water program, to the installation of an interim- and long-term granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration systems for the Village’s municipal water supply, as well as the installation of point-of-entry treatment systems (POETs), Saint-Gobain funded various options because we are a member of this community.

To this end, because of the GAC systems, the Village has had potable water for more than three years; and in that time, GAC was also recognized by New York state as the best-in-class technology for removing PFAS compounds from water.

We have fully cooperated with the authorities in investigating the sources of PFOA and remain committed to working with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) in this regard. Additionally, we are working with the NYSDEC to prepare a feasibility study to evaluate continued use of GAC filters and potential alternate water supplies for the Village of Hoosick Falls.

The answer is simple—we are committed to this community. Even before investigations into the source or sources of PFOA, we made bringing potable water to the residents of Hoosick Falls a top priority. As the largest employer in the area, the wellbeing of our employees and the broader community is top of mind. We want to remain an important and positive part of this community, and to see all aspects of this community continue to flourish and thrive.

According to the New York State Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation, the long-term granular activated carbon (GAC) system for the municipal supply is operating effectively and removing PFOA from the drinking water. In fact, according to the State Health Commissioner, the filtered drinking water in the Village of Hoosick Falls is “probably the cleanest water in the entire nation.” Prior to this, the interim system also effectively removed PFOA from the water.

For those Village residents not on the municipal water supply, the point-of-entry treatment systems (POETs) that have been installed work in the same way as the GAC on the municipal supply and effectively remove PFOA from the water.

The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) is conducting ongoing tests of the drinking water in Hoosick Falls.

For those in the Town with private wells using point-of-entry treatment systems (a single home version of the GAC) the NYSDEC is also responsible for ongoing testing taking place.

As for the municipal GAC system, Saint-Gobain and Honeywell have been funding the operation, maintenance and ongoing testing of the full-capacity GAC filtration system in the Village, which has been effectively removing PFOA from the drinking water for the Village of Hoosick Falls since February 2017. The companies also funded the interim system, which came online in Spring 2016. Testing of these systems is performed by an independent contractor funded by the Companies and results of this testing are provided to NYSDEC, NYSDOH, Rensselaer County, and the Village of Hoosick Falls.

The companies have worked closely with the NYSDEC and the NYSDOH throughout this process to develop operation and maintenance plans for the water treatment facility. This year the Village of Hoosick Falls will incorporate maintenance of the GAC filtration system into their overall maintenance plans for the municipal water treatment facility and, per the companies’ Consent Decree, the companies will continue to fund the operation, maintenance and ongoing testing of the GAC filtration system.

We are a part of the Hoosick Falls community and have been for more than 17 years. We are the largest employer in the Village, with approximately 200 employees. Manufacturing in general in Hoosick Falls is not what it used to be, and many of these operations have sold, shut down, downsized, or moved away. But when others sold or shut down, we stayed, and Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics intends to remain as an important member of the overall Hoosick Falls community. The high technology products manufactured by our employees in Hoosick Falls compete on a global basis, and they are proud of the quality of our products and the impact they have on enhancing the industries we serve.

We are committed to this community in many ways, and it is in our collective best interests to see Hoosick Falls flourish.

From an environmental standpoint, we set extremely rigorous standards for ourselves in connection with things like energy and water conservation, as just two examples. Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics strives, globally, to be a leader in sustainability and in the environment. This is a collective and continuous effort as we all work to improve our environment. In addition, we adhere to applicable laws and follow industry best practices when it comes to the management and disposal of materials used in our various facilities.

ACTIONS TAKEN IN HOOSICK FALLS

COMMON USES OF PFOA

RESOURCES

COMMENTARY: BASE WATER QUALITY RECOMMENDATIONS ON SCIENCE

The Business Council of New York pens op-ed ahead of the Drinking Water Quality Council’s October meeting.

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TIMELINE OF EVENTS

Timeline of events in Hoosick Falls, December 2014-February 2017.

Download Timeline

VILLAGE OF HOOSICK FALLS FAQ

Click here for a link to the Village of Hoosick Fall's Frequently Asked Questions.

View FAQ

EPA PFOA FACT SHEET

Click here for a fact sheet on PFOA from the EPA.

Download Fact Sheet

GUEST VIEW: Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics responds to recent letter

Saint-Gobain pens Letter to the Editor in the Niagara Gazette.

Read the Article

TIMELINE OF PLANT OWNERSHIP

1961-1962

Original building constructed for a division of Dodge Fibers

1967

Sold to Oak Industries

1986

Sold to AlliedSignal (now Honeywell)

1996

Sold to Furon

1999

Furon’s Stock Acquired by Saint-Gobain

IS THIS INFORMATION HELPFUL TO YOU?

Saint-Gobain, the world leader in the habitat and construction markets, designs, manufactures and distributes building and high-performance materials, providing innovative solutions to the challenges of growth, energy efficiency and environmental protection.