By: Francis LeBubu

Residents of Greenpoint and nearby sections of Queens got a rare breath of fresh air this weekend after a long-criticized asphalt recycling facility abruptly shut down, easing the foul odors that have plagued the area for years, as the New York Post reported.

Green Asphalt, a plant notorious among locals for emitting eye-burning fumes and a chemical stench often referred to as the “Greenpoint Stink,” halted operations late last week after failing to meet a state-imposed deadline to modify its smokestacks. While the closure is expected to be temporary, neighbors say the difference in air quality was immediate and unmistakable, according to the Post.

“You notice the air right away,” longtime resident Tom Mituzas of the Blissville Civic Organization told the New York Post. He said residents experienced none of the usual coughing, throat irritation, or watery eyes that had become routine while the plant was operating.

Green Asphalt had been ordered by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to double the height of its smokestacks to 90 feet in an effort to better disperse emissions. When the company failed to complete the upgrades by the deadline, it announced it would suspend operations, describing the move as an attempt to act as a “responsible neighbor,” the Post reported.

In a statement to the New York Post, a company spokesperson said delays beyond its control prevented the project from being completed on time, adding that shutting down was the “prudent” course of action until the work is finished.

Air-quality data appeared to back up residents’ complaints. Within hours of the shutdown, pollution levels in the Blissville area dropped sharply. Readings that had previously reached a troubling score of 120 — considered unhealthy for people with respiratory conditions — plunged to a near-pristine level of 13 by midday Thursday, according to a monitor operated by the Blissville Civic Association and cited by the Post.

Despite the improvement, skepticism remains high. Green Asphalt has not explained why it missed the deadline despite entering into the compliance agreement with the DEC six months earlier, the Post reported. Records also show the company never filed the required paperwork with the city Department of Buildings to raise the smokestacks — a key step in meeting the mandate.

Even though the shutdown was voluntary, Green Asphalt could still face steep penalties, including a potential $99,500 fine for missing the deadline. That would be in addition to the $125,000 the company already owes the state for previously failing to submit air-monitoring data, according to the New York Post.

For residents like Kim Dossin, who has lived in the neighborhood for 25 years, the brief respite is welcome but bittersweet. Dossin told the Post that the air feels noticeably less “dank,” but said years of broken promises have left her doubtful the relief will last.