NYC recycling center crop dusting neighborhood with ‘choking' stink that has state fuming: ‘Literally gag'
A Long Island City asphalt recycling plant is spraying a 'choking' stink along the Newtown Creek — leaving state regulators fuming and residents plugging their noses.
State regulators first raised a stink about the noxious fumes from Green Asphalt back in January 2024, when the company was accused of spewing emissions that 'unreasonably interfered with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property' in violation of the New York State Air Pollution Control Law.
7 New Yorkers living near Newtown Creek are calling on an asphalt recycling plant to stop releasing smelly, noxious fumes that 'choke' nearby residents.
X / Blissville Civic Association
7 The Green Asphalt recycling plant on Railroad Avenue in Queens.
Brigitte Stelzer
But locals said take a whiff of the air along the Newtown Creek and the chemical odor has only gotten worse since then.
'At first it was a choking smell – I'm talking about how you would literally gag when you go outside,' said Tom Mituzas, a longtime resident of the Blissville section of the neighborhood and member of the Blissville Civic Organization.
'Your eyes would tear because the smokestacks are so low,' Mituzas said of the plant, which opened in 2011. 'The smoke would stay at street level, and you'd go out of your house and you'd breathe [fumes] in, and you'd just choke.'
The resident told The Post he moved his 95-year-old aunt from her childhood home last summer because he was afraid 'she was going to die in the house' due to the fumes that seep indoors.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation has continued to receive 'numerous' complaints about the odor — and its potential health effects, officials wrote in a letter to the plant Wednesday.
'The department has continued to regularly receive numerous community complaints and inquiries regarding both the odor emanating from the facility and potential human health implications associated with emissions from the facility,' the DEC wrote in a letter issued to the plant Wednesday.
Regulators are now demanding the plant increase the height of its smokestacks from 45 feet to 90 feet by Dec. 11, its letter showed. The company will also have to test for air contaminants and an elemental analysis of the recycled asphalt materials it handles.
7 'Your eyes would tear because the smokestacks are so low. The smoke would stay at street level, and you'd go out of your house, and you'd breathe it in, and you'd just choke,' Mituzas said of the plant, which opened in 2011.
Brigitte Stelzer
7 Blissville, Queens resident Tom Mituzas told The Post he had to evacuate his 95-year-old aunt out of her home last summer due to the smelly emissions.
LinkedIn / Thomas J Mituzas
A rep for Green Asphalt told The Post it has been 'working diligently to address any odor complaints' and strives to be in 'good standing with the community as we have over the last 14 years, and we continue to engage with local stakeholders in Greenpoint and Long Island City to resolve this as soon as possible.'
Asphalt fumes can cause serious injury and permanent damage, including throat irritation, cough, fatigue and skin cancer, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
7 The Blissville Civic Association is calling on elected officials to help assuage the stinky fumes in Queens.
7 Billowing emissions from the Green Asphalt facility in Blissville, Queens.
X / Blissville Civic Association
7 Council member Julie Won said she is advocating for air quality testing near the plant site.
Stefan Jeremiah for New York Post
Green Asphalt in Long Island City once touted a $50,0000 sub-contract with the DOT and has helped pave major Big Apple roadways like the Whitestone Expressway. It recycles asphalt to be used in city sustainability projects, and brands itself as the first 100% recycled asphalt plant in Gotham.
The DOT stopped asphalt recycling operations with Green Asphalt 'around the time' the January 2024 violation was issued and has been waiting for a 'corrective plan before allowing operations to resume,' City Council member Julie Won's office told residents in an email shared with The Post.
Won told The Post she and state pols are now working to make sure the DEC regularly tests air quality near the plant site, as well as enforces state environmental regulations 'appropriately to improve the situation.'
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I traded alcohol for these infused drinks and haven't looked back
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Summer Solstice 2025 horoscopes for every zodiac sign
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This is the perfect time to make changes in your home, reframe relationships with family members, or even alter your living situation,' said Arutiunian. She told The Post the sun's standstill could dredge up long-buried fears, experiences, and emotions for Aries folk. Trust that whatever comes up is looking to change form — for the brighter and better. 12 KseniaKrop – For the bull brigade, the Summer Solstice lights up your third house of language, cognition, expression, and exchange. 'The Summer Solstice may highlight new beginnings in communication, Taurus. For some of you, this transit could bring up heartfelt conversations that will mark the start of a new cycle,' said Arutiunian. She advises Taurus folk to avoid arguments on this day — and focus instead on olive branches and peaceful bedrock. 12 KseniaKrop – Happy Solstice Gemini! The peaking sun shines a light on your second house of wealth and worth, encouraging you to bring your finances and the feelings they are tied to out of the dark. You're advised to avoid spending when you're feeling low or risking it all when you're feeling lucky. When you're trying to decide on the necessity of a bet or purchase, consider this Swedish proverb. 'He who buys what he does not need, steals from himself.' 12 KseniaKrop – Happy return of the sun to you, Cancer! 'The Summer Solstice is your time to shine. All your actions could lead to a new beginning for the next six months, so make sure you approach every precipice with confidence. It's a great time to start a new project, take on new work, or make a change to your appearance,' said Arutiunian. 12 KseniaKrop – The Summer Solstice lends light to your twelfth house of the unconscious, Leo — the domain of dreams, dissolution, and ghosts. 'This is truly a magical time for you. Hidden feelings and wishes may arise, possibly even from the past. It's time for deep self-reflection to separate your true desires from illusions,' said Arutiunian. She notes that big cats can get big downloads from their dreams during the days surrounding the Solstice. Pay mind to what catches light when you power down. 12 KseniaKrop – Ahoy, Virgo! The sun stands still and ingresses into Cancer, illuminating your tenth house of community. Your future is coming into focus and fruition. 'You have all the opportunities to start something new, especially in collaborative work projects, within your team, or in friendships. The most beneficial practice for you will be writing down all your plans for the next six months – this is your way to start a new cycle,' said Arutiunian. 12 KseniaKrop – 'The peak of the Sun's energy fills your 10th house, Libra. You might notice a new beginning in your career, public image, or even feel like your ambitions are growing,' said Arutiunian. 'This is the time to focus your forces on a work promotion, new job, or even an opportunity to move abroad — dream boldly and manifest broadly.' 12 KseniaKrop – Scorpions will feel a surge of exploratory energy in their ninth house of ideals and horizons. 'You might feel some fundamental changes in what you believe, even if those changes seem small at first, Scorpio. The Sun highlights the importance of higher education, your views, and values, and may even challenge them through emotional situations,' said Arutiunian. To paraphrase Denis Waitley, we don't find fulfillment in the pursuit of happiness — but in the happiness of pursuit. 12 KseniaKrop – Happy Solstice to you, Sagittarius. The sun is shining in your shadowy eighth house of sex, death, resources, and regeneration. 'This transit may shift your focus to what needs to change, especially in your business, work projects, or partnerships. Don't be afraid to invite deeper transformations,' said Arutiunian. To spur your metamorphosis, I offer you the words of Leon C. Megginson: 'It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.' 12 KseniaKrop – Arutiunian says the Summer Solstice and the onset of Cancer season will deepen relationships for Capricorn folk. With the sun beaming into your seventh house of trusted partnership, you can magnetize what you want by acting like you deserve it fully and trust wholly that it is on its way to you. Whether you're looking to call in a partner or cement a commitment, now is the hour. 12 KseniaKrop – Happy solstice, Aquarius! The energy of the solstice encourages you to turn your attention to bodily health, daily routine, and habitual rituals. 'It's a good time to start a new discipline or system in your routine, or even take on a new responsibility, like caring for a pet,' said Arutiunian. Whatever you initiate on or around the solstice is imbued with the fire power of the sun at its peak, a solar boon that bolsters success. Get to it! 12 KseniaKrop – 'You may experience a beautiful new cycle forming in your life, Pisces, especially when it comes to love,' shared Arutiunian. 'It's a great time to start an artistic project, go public with a pursuit, or even begin planning for children if that's your wish.' Regardless of how creation takes form for you under the standstill sun, Pisces, you are poised for a bountiful ROI. Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience. To book a reading, visit her website.
