MASSENA -- The Department of Environmental Conservation has classified an Alcoa parcel on county Route 42 as presenting a “significant threat to public health and the environment.”

The former continuous mill inside the building 131/140 complex is not listed on the DEC registry of inactive hazardous waste disposal sites.

DEC says it is contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls “above applicable standards, criteria and guidance.”

Groundwater and likely soil vapor are also contaminated with trichloroethene and cis-1,2-dichloroethene.

PCBs are a group of man-made organic chemicals that were widely used in industry from 1929 until their manufacture ceased in 1979. They were favored due to their non-flammability, chemical stability, high boiling point and electrical insulating qualities, DEC said.

Trichloroethene is a chlorinated organic solvent, also widely used in industry. Cis-1,2-dichloroethene is an associated degradation product of trichloroethene, according to DEC.

“Additional investigation is necessary to determine the nature and extent of contamination on and off of the site and to evaluate potential human exposures to the contaminated area,” DEC said in a news release, adding that they will release updates on the site’s cleanup.

Comments on the proposed cleanup can be sent to Lincoln Fancher, Project Manager

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Region 6, 317 Washington Street Watertown, New York 13601 or Lincoln.Fancher@dec.ny.gov or 315-785-2513

Site-related health questions can be sent to Kiran Mall, Project Manager, NYS Department of Health Bureau of Environmental Exposure Invest., Corning Tower – Room 1787, Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12237 or BEEI@health.ny.gov or 518-402-7860