NOTE:
Site links are also
available at the
bottom of all pages.
John
E. Conover, Jr., P.E.
Wholistic Environmental Consulting, Ltd.
Post Office Box 246
Stony Brook, Long Island, New York
11790-0246
U.S.A.
Phone: (631) 428-6473
email: jconoverjr11790@yahoo.com
Please note that we cannot work in New
York State. Anyplace else in the world is OK!
return to the home page
The Garbage Barge
The Long Island Garbage Barge
anchored offshore of Key West, Florida.
| In 1983, there was a state law passed
that required the closing/ phasing out of landfills on Long Island, New York. As the law
was implemented, landfills started closing and resource recovery plants started being
built. (Resource recovery plants are garbage incinerators that use the energy from the
burning trash to make electricity) For awhile, there were not enough resource recovery
plants and the prices for the disposal of garbage was going up. In 1987, some enterprising individuals decided to ship some garbage to North Carolina- however when it got there, there was public outcry and concern that the garbage from New York might contain hazardous waste and they did not want it. The barge was turned away. The barge and its tugboat went down the coast looking for another place to take the cargo. |
| Johnny Carson would talk about the
barge every night. He had a map of the coast and had a line showing the journey of
the trash. At that time, I was a Solid Waste inspecting engineer for the NYSDEC in Region 1 Long Island. When the barge reached Key West Florida, one Friday afternoon, my boss asked me if I would be willing to fly to Florida to inspect the garbage barge. I said, "well I guess so, if you really need me to". So boss said I should call the Commissioner and get all the details. I called Hank, the commissioner and he gave me the scoop. I should fly to Miami, meet up with the USEPA Tactical Assistance Team, and travel to Key West with them - and take a look at the garbage - look for hazardous stuff in the trash. So that’s what I did. After I inspected the garbage barge, I wrote a memo to Hank- I told him- "It looks like regular trash." |
John E. Conover, Jr. on the front deck of the garbage barge Mobro
| After Key West, the Barge sailed
around some more, and then they got permission for it to come back to Long Island, where
the trash went to an incinerator. I have attached photos and stories from newspapers and magazines and my letter from Hank. |
Duffy St. Pierre, Captain of the Break of Dawn
| Additional Information: |
The Disappearing Landfill
Home w
Introduction w
Services w
John's Resume w Carl's Resume
Experience w
Chloroform Incident w
Garbage barge w
Tungsten Mill
Radio Transmitter w
Perc Plume w Jimmy the Dry Cleaner
The Exploding Drum w
The Case of the Missing Screwdriver
w The
Parathion Spill w More Photos
cadmium & radiation
Rhode Island Dry Cleaner Self Audit
links for dry cleaners