Asbestos Cleanup Ongoing At Site Near Paterson Great Falls; New Park Is Yet To Open Nearby

PATERSON, NJ — Asbestos removal is underway at a former industrial site near the Paterson Great Falls, and the city's plans to open a new park nearby have been delayed to accommodate the cleanup.

The abandoned Allied Textile Printing site included several collapsed buildings and a deteriorating smokestack that contain asbestos and other harmful substances, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The complex is also part of the Great Falls National Historical Landmark District, where Paterson officials have been working on a brand-new park and river walk that would take visitors within 100 feet of the contaminated site, the EPA said.

This seven-acre property was used by several industrial companies since first opening in the early 19th century, including firearms manufacturer Colt's. It once contained up to 40 buildings, many of which have been razed since the complex was abandoned in 1943, the EPA said. And multiple fires and collapses, plus the asbestos contamination, have made the site unsafe for nearby residents and visitors to the Great Falls, officials said.

"As these structures continue to deteriorate, asbestos could potentially spread, posing a risk to the community’s health," the EPA said back in September.

A fence was put up around the property back in 2021 to keep people from getting too close to the contaminated site, the EPA said. Inhaling asbestos fibers can lead to various conditions, including mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Mayor Andre Sayegh unveiled the $7.6 million Quarry Lawn Park on Sept. 13, the same day that the EPA announced they would clean up the property. Federal officials had warned Sayegh and his administration last fall that the park should not open to the public until the toxic materials are removed, according to multiple reports. The EPA learned of plans for the park in January 2023.

Cleanup, which began Sept. 16, is expected to take several months. The EPA said they are working with the city, the National Park Service, and preservation experts to keep some of the historical buildings intact.

Quarry Lawn Park has not officially opened, with Sayegh telling NJ.com it will probably open next year.