Environmental Cleanup Dzus Fastener Company

Latest Updates:

Monthly Updates on site activities will be posted below and announced via the DEC Delivers email list for Suffolk County.

November 2024: Pre-Design Investigation Report review is complete, and a revised Site Management Plan is in review.

DEC Community Update on Current Site Conditions at Dzus


Most Recent Fact Sheet: Community Update on Site Conditions - April 2024 Community Update (PDF).

DEC Previous Update on Conditions and Remedial Approach at Dzus 

Ongoing Cleanup of Historical Contamination is Priority for New York State.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), in coordination with the State Department of Health (DOH) is committed to ongoing monitoring of the Former Dzus Fasteners site, Willetts Creek, Lake Capri, and the surrounding properties while keeping the West Islip community informed.  

DEC detected increased levels of cadmium in groundwater on and around the former Dzus Fasteners property as well as increased levels of cadmium in the sediment and surface water of Willetts Creek. This is attributed to the release of contaminated groundwater from the former Dzus Fasteners property. This contaminated groundwater allowed cadmium to bind to creek sediments. 

DEC issued a Notice of Hearing and Complaint against Island Associates, Inc., the owner of the former Dzus Fasteners property and the party responsible for the illegal removal of the asphalt cap preventing offsite migration of the cadmium on site. DEC has previously requested that the owner perform a cleanup (Interim Remedial Measure or “IRM”) under DEC and DOH oversight, and any necessary further investigation and cleanup to ensure full protection of public health and the environment. The owner has repeatedly refused to comply with this request, so New York State is implementing these actions.

Schedule 

The schedule to design and implement the IRM is as follows: 

In spring 2024 DEC, in coordination with DOH, carried out a pre-design investigation (see June 2024 update) that provided information necessary to design the IRM. This IRM will be designed to prevent contaminated groundwater from continuing to reach Willetts Creek. The investigation involved sampling groundwater monitoring wells and some small-bore drilling in the area between 425 Union Boulevard and the west bank of Willetts Creek. 

During 2024, the IRM will be designed and then the IRM will be presented for public comment in the first quarter 2025. The public comment period will include an in-person availability session. When this availability session is scheduled, the date will be announced in a subsequent Community Update. 

Following design and the public outreach, the IRM will be installed. The exact nature of this work, including its spatial extent and schedule, will depend on the results of the IRM design. These details will be shared publicly when they become available. 

Once the IRM has been installed, DEC will carry out additional investigations to confirm the effectiveness of the IRM, as well as to determine the need for further remedial actions addressing impacted Willetts Creek surface water and sediment. 

Health Exposure Assessment 

People can be exposed to sediment and surface water contaminants such as cadmium if they get sediment particles or water on their hands and ingest through hand-to-mouth activity. Exposure may also occur by ingesting fish caught in Lake Capri. According to the Long Island Region Fish Advisories published by DOH, women under 50 and children under 15 should not eat any fish from Lake Capri. Men over 15, and women over 50 are advised to not eat more than 1 meal per month of American eel or carp, and to follow the statewide advisory for all other species. People are not drinking site related contaminants in groundwater because the area is served by a public water supply that is routinely monitored to meet the State’s stringent drinking water standards. 

Based on recent concentrations detected by DEC, no immediate health effects are expected from exposure to cadmium or other contaminants in the Willetts Creek sediment or surface water. However, the chances for exposure to these contaminants can be reduced by taking reasonable and practical steps to minimize direct and repeated contact with creek sediment and surface water, particularly by young children. Unnecessary digging and wading in the creek should be avoided, and children and adults should wash hands after outdoor activities. The use of doormats and periodic damp mopping of floors can help reduce exposure to sediment that might be tracked indoors. It is important to note that all soils and sediments contain metals and microorganisms, and therefore it is always a good idea to minimize getting soils and sediments into the body whether it is contaminated or not. 

Recent Site History 

Buildings and foundations at the on-site former Dzus facility were demolished in 2020-2021. The site was redeveloped into a commercial space. Sometime before April 2021, the owner illegally removed the asphalt cap at the eastern end of the former facility. This asphalt cap was an engineering control put in place to prevent stormwater infiltration and minimizes the off-site transport of contamination through groundwater. DEC took enforcement by issuing a Notice of Violation in September 2021 for the removal of this important engineering control. 

DEC and the owner entered into an Order on Consent in December 2021 with the required steps to address the cap removal. After those terms were not met, DEC issued a second Notice of Violation in September 2022 immediately requiring a temporary cap, which was installed in October 2022. As of February 2024, the new permanent cap was installed by the owner. 

In accordance with the Site Management Plan, monitoring of groundwater, surface water, and sediment was performed following completion of the remediation project. Ongoing monitoring showed increasing cadmium concentrations in groundwater downgradient of the former Dzus facility. It is important to note that groundwater at the site is not a source of potable water and is not being used for irrigation purposes.  

Increasing cadmium concentrations in sediment and surface water of Willetts Creek were also observed in the area behind Captree Plaza. DEC believes the increases are attributable to cadmium-impacted groundwater discharged to the creek when the asphalt cap was removed. 

In addition to the sampling of groundwater, surface water, and sediment, fish samples were collected in June 2023 from Lake Capri and upstream of the lake in Willetts Creek. Results from the fish sampling show that elevated concentrations of cadmium remain present in most of the species sampled. Additional rounds of sampling will be needed to determine if changes to the existing DOH-issued fish consumption advisory for Lake Capri are warranted.

DEC's Latest Dzus Fastener Company Cleanup Community Updates: 

November 2024

In October, DEC and DOH finished reviewing the Pre-Design Investigation Report mentioned in earlier Dzus Fastener Company Cleanup Updates (see below). This report will be finalized and available on DECinfo locator this November.

DEC and DOH are continuing to review updates to the Site Management Plan (SMP). This site document details all the sampling, inspection, maintenance, and reporting activities required to protect the cleanup work that has been performed across the site. The updated SMP will include more frequent site inspections, more extensive maintenance of cleanup physical components (“engineering controls”), and an expanded site sampling schedule. This update will be made publicly available when finalized.

DEC and DOH have been reviewing 2023 Annual Monitoring and Inspection Report. This report will be finalized and is expected to be available to the public this November.

Prior Dzus Fastener Company Cleanup Updates:

October 2024

Please note the DEC Project Manager change to Gavin Vlainich. His contact information can be found under the Project Management Contact Information section of this website.

In September, DEC and DOH continued reviewing and revising the Pre-Design Investigation Report mentioned in earlier Dzus Fastener Company Cleanup Updates (see below). It is now expected this report will be finalized and made publicly available in November.

DEC and DOH also began reviewing updates to the Site Management Plan (SMP). This site document details all the sampling, inspection, maintenance, and reporting activities required to protect the cleanup work that has been performed across the site. The updated SMP will include more frequent site inspections, more extensive maintenance of cleanup physical components (“engineering controls”), and an expanded site sampling schedule. This update will be made publicly available when finalized.

September 2024

In August, DEC and DOH began reviewing a draft of the Pre-Design Investigation Report, mentioned in Dzus Fastner Company Cleanup Updates (below). It is expected this report will be finalized and made publicly available in October. 

A sampling summary report is now available for the second round of 2024 quarterly environmental sampling performed on June 17-18. This report can be found below under "Document Access Information" and on DECinfo Locator. The report summarizes the sampling work and results and explains how to interpret the results for each environmental medium through the use of standards, criteria, and guidance values (SCGs). Overall, the concentrations of total and dissolved cadmium observed in groundwater, surface water, and sediment are consistent with concentrations observed from previous quarterly sampling events in late 2023 and earlier 2024.

August 2024

In July, DEC continued work on the Pre-Design Investigation Report, which will summarize the investigation work carried out in May and June – see the prior Dzus Fastener Company Cleanup Updates below for more details. This report will be made publicly available when completed.

July 2024

In June, the DEC completed the Pre-Design Investigation that began in May by carrying out a groundwater flow study in a series of groundwater monitoring wells near the site. A summary of the investigation work and results will now be compiled into a Pre-Design Investigation Report, which will be made publicly available when completed.

DEC completed its second round of 2024 quarterly environmental sampling on June 17-18. These sample results require processing and data validation, which likely will be complete by the fall. Sampling included 15 groundwater monitoring wells, 14 Willetts Creek sediment sample locations, and 6 Willetts Creek surface water sample locations. 

A sampling summary report is now available for the first round of 2024 quarterly environmental sampling performed April 1 through April 3. This report can be found below under “Document Access Information” and on DECinfo Locator. The report summarizes the sampling work and results and explains how to interpret the results for each environmental medium through the use of standards, criteria, and guidance values (SCGs).

DEC has updated a Frequently Asked Questions document for Dzus, which is now available below under “Document Access Information”. The FAQs were developed by DEC and DOH to address project-related questions on investigation, remediation, and health.

June 2024 

In May, the DEC initiated the Pre-Design Investigation. The investigation work completed to date includes sampling existing groundwater wells, small-bore drilling for collection of additional soil and groundwater samples in the area between the former Dzus Fastener facilities and Willetts Creek, as well as a drone survey of a section of the Creek. A groundwater flow study is the last remaining field work planned for this investigation and will be performed in June. Once this work is complete, a Pre-Design Investigation Report will be made publicly available later this summer which will summarize the results of the work performed. 

The second round of 2024 quarterly environmental sampling will be performed in June. Sampling will include 18 groundwater monitoring wells, 19 Willetts Creek sediment samples, and 12 Willetts Creek surface water samples. Results from the previous quarterly sampling event in April are being summarized in a report that will be made publicly available in July. 

DEC has updated the Dzus Community Liaison Plan, which is now available below under “Document Access Information” and on DECinfo Locator. This plan contains a full site project contact list, details on site document repositories, and summaries of community and site history. Additionally, DEC and DOH are currently developing a Frequently Asked Questions document to address project-related questions on investigation, remediation, and health that should be available this summer. 

May 2024 

DEC completed its first quarterly environmental sampling April 1 through April 3.  Results are pending data validation. Sampling included 15 groundwater monitoring wells, 12 Willetts Creek sediment sample locations, and 6 Willetts Creek surface water sample locations.  

 DEC issued a Notice of Hearing and Complaint to Island Associates, the company responsible for illegally removing the cap (or “cover”) on the former Dzus property, on April 2, 2024.  

DEC held a virtual community availability session on April 24, 2024.  For the recording of the meeting see below under “Document Access Information”.  

Additional sampling is ongoing in May 2024 as part of the Pre-Design Investigation work to support a cleanup measure that will prevent the contaminated groundwater from reaching Willetts Creek. The Pre-Design Investigation work will include sampling groundwater wells, a groundwater flow study, and small-bore drilling for soil and groundwater samples in the area between the former Dzus Fastener facilities and Willetts Creek.  

DEC will be holding in-person community meetings and availability sessions at major cleanup milestones going forward, including when the design for the groundwater cleanup measure is complete and before construction of the cleanup measure begins. Meeting information will be shared in future community updates when it becomes available. 

Summary of Site Operable Units and Previous Work

The Dzus Fastener Company, Inc. site was divided into six operable units (OUs). An operable unit represents a portion of a remedial program that can be addressed separately to investigate, eliminate, or mitigate a release, threat of release or exposure pathway resulting from site contamination. Operable units OU1 through OU5 have been previously addressed through remedial action. OU6 addresses the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) closure of the Dzus Fastener's facility.

Detailed description of the OUs and remedial work completed at each:

  • OU1 originally encompassed the entire four-acre Dzus facility, consisting of leaching pools (the source) and areas of soil contamination at the former facility. In 1991, an Interim Remedial Measure (IRM) was performed consisting of excavation of soils in the area of the former metal plating shop, associated leaching pool system and major leaching bed system. A Record of Decision (ROD) was issued for this OU1 by NYSDEC in March 1995. The selected remedy was implemented in 1996, and consisted of in situ stabilization/solidification for onsite soils containing cadmium at concentrations greater than 10 parts per million (ppm) and installation of a final topsoil/asphalt cover to protect the area. In 2016, a boundary modification reduced the site to only the one-acre stabilized area, since the balance of the former facility was determined to meet cleanup objectives.
  • OU2 was comprised of the offsite contamination including sediment and surface water contamination in a section of Willetts Creek and all of Lake Capri, and groundwater downgradient of the facility. A ROD for OU2 was issued by NYSDEC in October 1997. The selected remedy was implemented in 1999 and included dredging, dewatering, and offsite disposal of contaminated sediments from Lake Capri, and excavation and offsite disposal of sediment from a 1,000 foot stretch of Willetts Creek exceeding 9 ppm. A long-term groundwater monitoring program was implemented to evaluate the remedy. The extents of OU2 are now encompassed within OU3 and OU4.
  • OU3 encompasses the area of offsite impacted wetlands located behind a strip mall on Union Boulevard and is inclusive of the Willetts Creek channel up to approximately 700 feet upstream of Lake Capri (north of the West Islip High School footbridge), West Islip School properties, and low-lying residential property. A ROD for OU3 was issued by NYSDEC in 2017. The remedy was implemented between May 2019 and May 2020 and included removal of Willetts Creek bank soil that exceeded cadmium and chromium Unrestricted Use soil cleanup objective (SCOs), removal of sediment above Class A sediment guidance values (SGVs) from Willetts Cree, restoration of Willetts Creek to a stable riparian corridor with stream and floodplain wetlands, and restoration of upland areas with topsoil, grass seed, and plantings.
  • OU4 includes the southern 700 feet of Willetts Creek, adjacent and to the south of OU3, and Lake Capri. OU4 includes sediments within the southern portion of Willetts Creek, Lake Capri, and residential property surrounding the lake. A ROD for OU4 was issued by NYSDEC in 2018. The remedy was implemented between August 2019 and May 2020 and included removal of Willetts Creek and Lake Capri bank and floodplain soil that exceeded cadmium and chromium Unrestricted Use SCOs, removal of sediment above Class A SGVs from Lake Capri and Willetts Creek, restoration of Willetts Creek to a stable riparian corridor with stream and floodplain wetlands, and restoration of upland areas with topsoil, grass seed, and plantings.
  • OU5 was established to include the tidal area of Willetts Creek downstream of Lake Capri and south of Montauk Highway. The remedial investigation of OU5 concluded the past disposal of hazardous waste and hazardous material at the site does not pose a threat to public health and the environment. A ROD of OU5 was issued in 2022 and no action is selected for the remedy.
  • OU6 documents the RCRA closure of the DFCI Solutions, Inc. facility for the closure of regulated waste activities associated with the former Dzus Fastener Co. site. The general closure procedure for the DFCI facility included the decontamination and washing of the building floors, excavation and removal of contaminated soils, installation and operation of a soil vapor extraction system, and remediation and closure of contaminated leaching pools. The RCRA closure has been completed and the property is ready for development.

In January 2017 an IRM was conducted to excavate and remove impacted soil and sediment from adjacent to the Edmore Lane, West Islip High School and the Burling Lane, Beach Street Middle School footbridges. The areas of the footbridges were restored with certified clean topsoil, seeded, and the stream banks were covered with soil erosion blankets. These blankets provide soil erosion protection and assist in the establishment of vegetation on moderate slopes or low-flow creek applications.

Site Description and History

Site Location and Features

The Dzus Fastener Co. site is a one-acre site located in a mixed residential, commercial, and industrial area. The site is bounded by Union Avenue to the south, the former Dzus facility and Beach Street to the west, and Long Island Rail Road tracks to the north. The nearest residence is approximately 150 feet north of the site.

The site is triangular in shape and relatively flat, and is defined as the portion of the former four-acre Dzus facility where leaching pools were located. There are no buildings located on the site, but a new commercial building is being constructed on the west end of the site. Immediately to the east of the site is Willetts Creek which drains south into Lake Capri, an eight-acre man-made lake. Lake Capri drains into the tidal portion of Willetts Creek through a culvert located under Montauk Highway. There are no areas of exposed surface soils on the site.

Site History

The Dzus Fastener Co. Inc. produced fasteners and springs from 1932 to 2015, and moved operations to 425 Union Boulevard in 1937. Operations included the design and manufacture of quarter-turn fasteners, quick acting latches and panel strips using steel, stainless steel, aluminum and plastic. The products were used by the military and commercial aerospace industries. The fasteners were also used in the transportation, electronics, air handling, refrigeration, motor control and computer industries to secure access panels, covers or detachable components.

Wastes from metal plating, tumbling, electroplating, chromic acid, anodizing, and special finishing operations consisted of oils, heavy metals, and salts. Leaching pools on-site were used for the disposal of wastes. These operations led to soil and groundwater contamination at the Dzus facility and downstream groundwater, sediment, and surface water contamination of nearby Willetts Creek and Lake Capri, an eight-acre man-made lake.

Fish Advisory

Elevated levels of chromium and chlordane have been found in certain fish species within Lake Capri and NYSDOH has issued a fish advisory for Lake Capri to ensure residents do not consume the contaminated fish. It is recommended that women under 50 years old and children under 15 do not eat fish from Lake Capri. Men over 15 and women over 50 are advised to eat no more than one meal per month of American eel and carp and to follow the statewide advisory for all other species. Information about DOH fish consumption advisories is available.

Documents Access Information

Documents and recordings from public meetings:

Fact Sheets prepared by NYSDEC:
Sampling summary reports:
 
Other resources:
 
Receive fact sheets about the Dzus Site by email:

Sign up at the "DEC Delivers" web page to have fact sheets and other updates about the Dzus Site delivered right to your email inbox. Be sure to sign up for "Suffolk County".
Additional Information and Other Documents Pertaining to the Site

The large size of some documents prevents them from made being available on this web site and can be downloaded from the DECinfo Locator: https://www.dec.ny.gov/data/DecDocs/152033 . These include:

  • Remedial Investigation OU4 (PDF, 133 MB)
  • Feasibility Study Report OU4 (PDF, 24 MB)
  • IRM OU3A Construction Completion Report (PDF, 37 MB)
  • Site Management Plan (PDF, 45 MB)
  • January 2018 Periodic Review Report (PDF, 25 MB)
  • RCRA Closure Certification Report (PDF, 62.3 MB)
  • Remedial Investigation OU3 (PDF, 13.3 MB)
  • Feasibility Study Report OU3 (PDF, 14.8 MB)
  • Final Engineering Report OU3 and OU4 (PDF, 1 GB)
  • Remedial Investigation OU5 (PDF 115 MB)

These and other documents are available for public review at the following location, or upon request of the NYSDEC project manager:

West Islip Public Library
Attn: Maureen Heuer
3 Higbie Lane
West Islip, NY 11795
(631) 661-7080
[email protected]

Project Management Contact Information

For DZUS project investigation-related questions, contact the NYSDEC Project Manager:

Gavin Vlainich
NYSDEC
Division of Environmental Remediation
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233
(518) 402-9665
[email protected]

For project-related health questions, please contact THE NYSDOH Project Manager:

Mark Sergott, P.G.
NYSDOH
Bureau of Environmental Exposure Investigation
Empire State Plaza, Corning Tower, Room 1787
Albany, NY 12237
(518) 402-7860
[email protected]

Contact for this Page

Division of Environmental Remediation
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233

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