Brooklyn Elected Officials and Residents Escalate Demands to Shut Down Columbia Waterfront Concrete Recycling Facility

News24USA.Com Desk, NY, January 15 — This morning, Council Member Shahana Hanif led a second rally and picket alongside State Senator Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon, and local residents outside the Columbia Waterfront SIMS Concrete Recycling Facility, demanding its immediate shutdown. The officials were joined by Columbia Waterfront residents, #Save63Tiffany, and the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Neighbors Alliance.

Despite unified demands from elected officials to close the facility by the end of 2024, the Mayor’s Office and NYC DOT have refused to act. The administration cited plans to implement new dust mitigation systems and suspend operations when temperatures drop into the 30s and during high-wind days (over 30 mph). However, these commitments have not been fulfilled. Dust emissions persist, and operations continue despite high winds and low temperatures, fueling frustration among residents and local leaders. At the picket, officials and residents spoke about the facility’s poor operations, the DOT’s empty promises for community improvement, and the long overdue need for its closure.
For nearly a year, residents and officials have raised alarms about the harmful effects of the facility, including dust emissions, noise, and vibrations—with conditions worsening on high-wind days. These persistent issues have caused significant concerns about air quality and public health risks. Since June, Council Member Hanif’s office has repeatedly urged NYC DOT to implement environmental protections, but the agency has failed to take meaningful action, creating an untenable situation for the community. Originally intended as a temporary site, the Columbia Waterfront Concrete Recycling Facility remains in operation with no clear timeline for its relocation.
See photos from the rally here. Attribute to Office of Council Member Shahana Hanif.
“I’m deeply disappointed in the DOT and Mayor’s Office’s failure to respond meaningfully to our demands to shut down this poorly operated facility, which continues to coat our neighborhood in dust and endanger public health,” said Council Member Shahana Hanif. “We have repeatedly attempted to work constructively with the DOT, yet our concerns have been ignored. The agency’s lack of action and follow-through on their commitments have left residents and local leadership frustrated and exposed to ongoing environmental hazards. It’s time for the City to stop delaying and shut this facility down once and for all.”
“For far too long, the Columbia Waterfront community has been bearing the brunt of toxic dust emissions, noise, and vibrations from DOT’s concrete crushing facility,” said Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon. “As everyone knows, the prevailing winds are from the west, blowing the concrete particulate matter directly onto the community. This has happened before. They should have learned from experience. The Mayor and DOT must recognize that this site’s activities are simply incompatible with a residential neighborhood. It’s time to relocate these operations to a more suitable site and demonstrate a real commitment to protecting the families and businesses who live and work here.”
“We’ve been sounding the alarm on this for a year: it’s just unacceptable to force Brooklyn residents to breathe in toxic dust,” said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. “There’s no reason we should have to choose between sustainable recycling and the health of our communities. It’s past time for the Department of Transportation to listen, and it’s way past time for this facility to move.”
“No one – not anyone affiliated with the DOT, not any of our local elected officials, nor anyone in the neighborhood – can make a valid argument for why this concrete plant should be located where it is,” said Molly Pearson, Columbia Waterfront Resident. “No one has dared to vouch for its safety, and no one disputes that it endangers our collective health and quality of life. The city, our officials, and the DOT need to shut this plant down immediately. It is inexcusable to have it in the middle of a residential neighborhood.”
“I’ve had grey dust in my home daily since February 2024,” said Geraldine Pope, Columbia Waterfront Resident. “I needed to install air purifiers in every room. I wake up in the morning with a dusty cough. I cannot open my windows anymore because the air is now toxic to me. How could our city betray the safety of our homes?”
“We are sick and tired of having our well-being and homes disrespected by the city,” said Jana Weill, Columbia Waterfront Resident. “On top of toxic dust, relentless construction noises, and dangerous traffic conditions, we are now being fed a string of lies by the DOT supported by Mayor Adams. This is a residential community — we have endured enough and demand the concrete recycling facility be shut down immediately.” Press Release