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Heavy traffic in volatile materials at TCI
Aug 08, 2012 7:53 am
James M. Odato reports in the Times Union regulatory documents have surfaced that show frequent movement of substantial quantities of oil containing relatively high levels of PCBs from TCI Inc. in West Ghent. Odato spoke to the company's former controller, Francis Vecellio of Kinderhook, Tues., Aug. 7. Vecellio downplayed any possible health and safety concerns over the material. "It's like diesel fuel," he said. "It's not good to stand next to an idling school bus. It wouldn't be a good to be standing there and breathing the fumes from that fire, but it's not a hazard to anyone." The regulatory reports for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Conservation show TCI reported eight transactions involving about 50,000 pounds of transformers, fluids and other materials containing PCBs, including big shipments of petroleum oil or other liquid containing levels of 50 parts per million to 500 ppm, which is considered a hazardous concentration. The company also reported it transported 2,700 pounds of "solid waste that exhibits the characteristics of ignitability" this year. Vecellio said the TCI client list included National Grid, Nstar and municipal utilities. Read the full story in the Times Union.