If you have questions, or of you find ash, brick, or glass (ABG) on your property or anywhere in the greater Corning, New York, area, please do not disturb the material and contact the DEC immediately:
Project Hotline: 833-770-1716
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the New York State Department of Health (DOH) are overseeing the investigation and implementation of remedial activities associated with the past disposal of glass manufacturing waste materials from former Corning Incorporated production plants in the greater Corning, New York, area.
Remedial activities have been focused to date on an area within the City of Corning known as the Study Area, but subsequent reporting and investigation have identified numerous glass waste disposal sites, and areas of concern (or AOCs) have been identified throughout the greater Corning area. The observed waste is collectively referred to ABG or ash, brick, and/or glass.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) along with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) have been overseeing the investigation and implementation of remedial activities associated with past disposal of waste materials from the historical glass producing industry in the greater Corning, New York, area.
This area has a long history of manufacturing, is world-renowned for glassmaking, and is home to the corporate headquarters of Corning Incorporated. The company, founded in 1868 has grown and evolved over the years. By 1944, Corning Glass Works (as it was known) had five industrial glass producing plants in Corning NY, including the Main Plant, Fall Brook Plant, Pressware Plant, Pot and Clay Plant, and Steuben Glass. Throughout its history, Corning Glass Works produced millions of tons of glass in the forms of thousands of different products. The current name, Corning Incorporated, wasn’t used until 1989.
Many samples were taken in various areas around Corning, New York, to determine where the waste was located. Although you might not consider ash, brick, and glass to be worthy of a cleanup, results from laboratory analytical testing indicate the presence of metals, including arsenic, barium, chromium, and mercury, and elevated concentrations of lead and cadmium.
In 2012, workers encountered ABG in excavations while completing facility improvement projects at Corning-Painted Post (CPP) High School. The ABG material they found was in fill that was historically used to fill in low-lying areas and to address flood impacts. The ABG waste represents a hazardous material, poses a potential human health hazard, and is considered a nuisance condition that requires evaluation per DEC’s Commissioner’s Policy (CP-51 ) (PDF), Section G.
After workers found ABG at the high school, properties in the Houghton Plot (also referred to as the Study Area) went through a process of investigation, evaluation, cleanup, and now monitoring. This work is in accordance with New York State's Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Site Program . This area is now under site management. Tour the below link for more information about work in the Houghton Plot.
View a fact sheet that provides more photos and detailed information about the ABG waste material.
Analysis of surface soil and subsurface soil samples indicate results above the New York State SCOs. Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons such as benzo(a)pyrene are the constituents of potential concern (COPC) in the Corning area.
Soil sampling serves three purposes: 1. To examine the nature and extent of the presence of ABG, 2. To see if contaminant levels in the soil exceed the applicable New York State soil cleanup objectives (SCOs), and 3. To see if the ABG meets the criteria that would make it considered hazardous waste.
Soil cleanup objectives are contaminant-specific soil concentrations that are protective of public health and the environment for specified uses of a property (e.g., residential, commercial). SCOs are used to guide decisions about the need to reduce exposure to environmental contaminants. The SCOs are contained in NYSDEC’s Environmental Remediation Program regulations and described in CP-51 Soil Cleanup Guidance (PDF).
The term hazardous waste is a regulatory designation. In New York State, hazardous wastes are defined by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and NYSDEC regulation. Soil and ash, brick, and/or glass has been tested to see if it should be designated hazardous waste by using a test known as the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP). TCLP is a soil sample extraction method employed to simulate leaching through a landfill and to assess the potential for contamination in the material being tested (soil) to get in groundwater.
Designation of the soil and/or ash, brick and/or glass as hazardous waste is not directly related to the potential for human exposure or health risks; rather, it tells us that the materials-- if removed-- require special handling and disposal in a hazardous waste landfill
The NYSDEC and the NYDOH are committed to supervising a careful and thorough investigation throughout the greater Corning, New York, area to determine the nature and extent of ABG. Some of the active ongoing work and investigations are being performed by Corning Incorporated under Consent Order with DEC, while other investigations are being led by DEC independently. Investigations are focused on determining the extent of impacts from Corning Incorporated's former plants' generated glass manufacturing wastes and addressing any potential exposure pathways.
Properties in the City of Corning, Town of Corning, South Corning Village, Riverside Village, and surrounding areas have been brought to the DEC’s attention due to the confirmed or suspected presence of ABG material. Property owners could potentially encounter ABG present in soils through routine house and yard maintenance and recreational activities. Workers may also be exposed to ABG present in soils during infrastructure repairs or upgrades. Exposure is possible through contact, incidental ingestion, and through breathing airborne dust.
The area-wide study boundary is the current area subject to investigation and is shown on this map as a black line. You can see that the area includes all or parts of the City and Town of Corning, the Village of South Corning, and the Village of Riverside. If you aren't sure if your property of a property of interest is located within the study boundary, please contact the DEC using the contact information at the top of this page.
Other properties in the City of Corning, Town of Corning, South Corning Village, Riverside Village, and surrounding areas have been brought to the DEC’s attention due to the confirmed or suspected presence of ABG material. Property owners could potentially encounter ABG present in soils through routine house and yard maintenance and recreational activities. Workers may also be exposed to ABG present in soils during infrastructure repairs or upgrades. Exposure is possible through contact, incidental ingestion, and through breathing airborne dust.
DEC is committed to supervising a careful and thorough cleanup of all impacted sites identified in Corning, NY. However, it is possible for a person to come into incidental contact with contaminants in the soil through home maintenance and recreational activities.
The following actions can reduce the risk of incidental contact:
The New York State Department of Health recommends best practices that can be followed to reduce the potential for exposure any time people are concerned that soil may contain human-made or naturally occurring contaminants.
To help reduce any exposures you might have from vegetable gardening:
As the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and its partners continue the important work of cleaning up legacy industrial waste in the greater Corning, New York, area, a parallel commitment guides each step of the process: protecting our urban trees.
Trees are more than just part of the landscape—they’re part of our shared heritage and future. They provide shade, support wildlife, reduce stormwater runoff, filter air pollutants, and help regulate local temperatures. They also enrich our parks, line our streets, and frame the places where we live, work, and gather. For these reasons DEC prioritizes tree preservation during all phases of cleanup and restoration work.
Corning boasts a rich variety of tree species that contribute to the city's beauty and ecological health. The city's approved list of street trees includes species selected for their adaptability to local conditions, resistance to pests and diseases, and overall contribution to the urban environment.
Some notable species found in Corning include red maple, sugar maple, northern red oak, honey locust, American sycamore, Eastern white pine, black cherry, and hackberry.
Whenever possible, remedial activities are planned and staged to avoid disturbing healthy trees. If cleanup activities are scheduled near a tree, DEC’s contractors work with arborists and field specialists to assess its condition, develop protective measures, and minimize root disturbance. In cases where excavation is required in close proximity, protective fencing may be used to establish a “tree protection zone,” and hand tools may be used instead of heavy machinery.
In rare cases where trees must be removed to ensure public health and safety, DEC works with property owners and local officials to replace them with appropriate native species, supporting the long-term health of the urban canopy.
For other specific questions or concerns about the cleanup in and around Corning, New York, please use the contact information below. You can also use the form at the bottom of this site to submit questions, concerns, and submit photos of any ABG you find. DEC wants to work with you to keep the environment safe for you and your families for generations to come.
You can use DECinfo Locator to learn more about the greater Corning area cleanup. The DECinfo Locator is an interactive map that lets you access DEC documents and public data about the environmental quality of specific sites in New York State. After launching DECInfo Locator, click Environmental Cleanup under DEC Information Layers and check Remediation Parcels. You can then type “Corning” into the “Search by Location” box to see all of the remediation sites in the Corning area. You can then select one of the sites to learn more.
You can also search by site number. For the Houghton Plot (Study Area), use 851046. For the Glass Manufacturing Waste Disposal Area use 851074.
Complete copies of the documents listed on the DEC web page - as well as other documents related to the cleanup - are available in hard copy for public review at the following locations:
DEC Region 8 Office Headquarters: 300 Nasser Civic Center Plaza, Suite 101; Corning, NY 14830; 607-936-3713
Southeast Steuben County Library: 6274 East Avon-Lima Rd.; Avon, NY 14414; For appointments, 585-226-5324
Additional information can be found using DEC's Environmental Site Remediation Database Search with site number 851046.
Division of Environmental Remediation
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233
