What is the history of the PCBs in the Hudson River?
During a 30-year period ending in 1977, it is estimated that approximately 1.1 million pounds of PCBs were discharged into the Hudson River from two General Electric (GE) capacitor manufacturing plants located in Fort Edward and Hudson Falls, New York. Much of this PCB load adhered to fine sediments which accumulated behind the Fort Edward Dam. When the deteriorating dam was removed in 1973, the PCB-contaminated sediments were washed downstream. Studies conducted to evaluate the extent of the problem revealed that most of the contaminated sediments were in 40 hot spots which are situated in a 40-mile stretch of the river between Fort Edward and the Troy Dam.
