Norlite says it's temporarily closing its manufacturing and waste burning plant in Cohoes.
A statement from the company says it is "temporarily shutting down its core operations as it looks to reduce its inventory as well as inspect and repair its equipment." The company also says it's re-evaluating operations in New York.
According to Norlite, 28 employees are affected by the shutdown.
Norlite's Cohoes plant has been the subject of controversy in recent years; the state attorney general and DEC filed a lawsuit against Norlite in 2022 seeking to force the company to curb emitting harmful substances into the air. A DEC study of soil and water samples, released in 2021, found no indication that its prior burning of firefighting foam poses negative health risks to residents.
"The furlough of ... Norlite employees is unfortunate and hopefully temporary. That said, it seems the company continues addressing the environmental concerns I’ve raised over the past four years," Cohoes Mayor Bill Keeler said in a statement. "The pending shutdown should result in the reduction of towering stockpiles of shale that have been the main concern of nearby residents for decades.
"I'm hopeful this closure will also provide an important opportunity to inspect the company's two kilns on the property. All in all, the shutdown could serve the longer term good of all involved."
Assemblymember John McDonald, whose district covers Cohoes, said he's concerned for Norlite workers' well-being; Cohoes citizens and the effect of the temporary closure to the city's tax base; and the company's impact on the environment.
"The news announced by Norlite to temporarily shut down its core operations should not come as a surprise to anyone," McDonald said in a statement. "As one who has worked with the community, the regulator NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Norlite for the last 25 years, I can confidently say that the site is a complex facility that has had challenges to be compliant when we look at today's environmental standards."