Wallington residents sign petition opposing new concrete plant
WALLINGTON — Some residents are expressing concerns about the planned relocation of a Little Ferry concrete plant into the borough.
More than 300 people have signed a change.org petition opposing the move of Doka USA Ltd., which provides formwork used in concrete construction. The company plans to move out of its leased 24,000-square-foot headquarters in Little Ferry, where it has been for 49 years, because it needs more space.
According to the petition, neighbors are concerned about the company’s desire to “make money, at the expense of our property values and health.”
In 2016, when the company was weighing a move to Middletown, New York, the state Economic Development Authority stepped in with a Grow New Jersey grant and $3 million in incentives to stay in the Garden State.
Michael Lagace, the Northeast Area Manager for Doka, was surprised by the negative attention the move is getting.
“We have never had any issues with a negative campaign before,” he said. “We don’t produce anything. We just store materials. It has zero impact on the environment. We don’t make or store chemicals.”
Paula Cozzarelli, the borough administrator in Little Ferry, sent a letter to Doka in late August, which can be found on the Doka website, wishing the company luck. She thanked Doka for its support of the community and said it is her understanding that “Doka has always maintained a good relationship with the Borough.”
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The petition refers to potential environmental hazards that come from power-washing and storing concrete outside.
Lagace said the company is an “environmentally friendly conscious company” and that it is doing “nothing dangerous.”
Taylor Covington of the federal Environmental Protection Agency found no violations in the Enforcement and Compliance History Online database for Doka. Similarly, on the state level, Caryn Shinske, a public information officer for the Department of Environmental Protection had multiple experts confirm that there have been no violations.
“We are just looking to be a really good neighbor,” Lagace said.
Doka has said it will transfer more than 165 employees to Wallington and plans to add 50 more. The company purchased property along South Main Street, where the Farmland Dairy facility used to operate, in September 2017. It needs approvals from the town to start preparing the site, said Lagace.
“If the town was willing we would build our facility next week, but first we have to go through the process of getting approval for the work,” Lagace said before adding that the company is still getting things in order and has not approached the town about approvals yet. Once work begins, Lagace estimates that the construction will take one to two years.
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