Mt. Salt Grows in Red Hook

There's been chatter of a giant salt pile growing over at the Red Hook Marine Terminal, and word is there's an emergency meeting regarding the nuisance tonight. A reader residing on the Columbia Street waterfront in Brooklyn told us, "Salt is flying all over the neighborhood as trucks ride on top of it 24hrs a day. Everyone's cars, apartments (if your windows are open), bikes, and yards now have a salty film on them. Breathing in our neighborhood cannot be healthy, and many neighbors have developed a cough and talk about the constant salty taste in their mouths." Allegedly no one addressed the community about the pile, and now 311 has been bombarded with calls complaining about it, especially after the tarp was removed in recent months.

The NY Times talked to an employee of American Stevedoring, the company responsible for the salt, who said it's only being temporarily stored at the terminal before being shipped throughout the state. He told them, “We’re taking every safety measure. There’s no harm from the salt.”

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By Jen Carlson in News on April 27, 2009 1:03 PM

Comments [rss]

Brooklynsf

Well, I live across the street too. I'm on the ground floor with no view to worry about, and I'm very bothered by it. Thursday night was particularly bad with the wind blowing, and the trucks kicking it up. A number of people in my building (also without views) have been having problems as well. I don't think any of us are imagining it.

rbeshenk

I live across the street. It doesn't bother me. No salty taste. I call bullshit on all this. They're just causing a fuss because the terminal is between them and their manhattan view. If there's anything the salt is doing to them, it's making their eyes sore.

Brooklynsf

Road salt floating around the neighborhood is a health hazard. From Wikipedia:

Calcium chloride is an irritant, particularly on moist skin.

Dry calcium chloride reacts exothermically when exposed to water. Burns can result in the mouth and esophagus if humans or other animals ingest dry calcium chloride pellets. Small children are more susceptible than adults (who generally have had experience trying to eat hot food, and can react accordingly) so calcium chloride pellets should be kept out of their reach.

Imagine this irritant 4 stories high next to your window. Having an uncovered, and blowing pile of salt right next to houses and a walking/bike path doesn't seem like taking "taking every safety measure."

pete

You would be dead without salt, its a precious commodity around the world, and your getting it for free.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_lick

hashashin

Inhaling salty air is hazardous to the health? Time to sell that beachfront property!

BongoBoy

There's a huge pile of MSG at West 33rd St between 7th and 8th Avenues in Manhattan. It's been there 41 years and no one has given a lick about it. Guess we like our flavor enhancers here in the Rotten Apple.

CR

I'm not sure this salt is for eating... unless you lick it right off the road before or after icy, wintery conditions...

mrguy

i'm sure the representative from the stevedoring company that is profiting from this salt can be trusted to give a scientifically sound, unbiased answer.

Trilby16

Yikes! Imagine living as close to that pile as some people obviously do, from that picture. I'd be pretty unhappy, Fleur de Sel notwithstanding.