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The Hudson River has been polluted with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), cadmium, and other toxic compounds. This was caused by the many factories that produced transformers, capacitors, and electric motors that used PCBs, dumping waste directly into the river. Between 1947 and 1977, General Electric Company released 1.3 million pounds of PCBs in the water from manufacturing plants at Hudson Falls and Fort Edward, New York. Between 1896 to 1996, General Motors emptied industrial waste such as painting and cleaning materials into the river.

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As a result of this pollution, there has been a disturbance in the ecosystem of the Hudson River. The fish in the river have been contaminated by the PCBs. This triggered mutations in fish, especially the Microgadus tomcod, a species of cod. The cod has been exposed to PCBs for over 50 years and developed a two amino acid change in one of its receptor genes. This led to changes in feeding relationships because of biomagnification. The cod passes the PCBs on to their predators, such as striped bass. Thus, their predators will become contaminated after ingesting contaminated organisms. Humans can also become contaminated with PCBs as a result of drinking water from the Hudson River or eating the aquatic life found in the river. This can lead to neurological disorders, birth defects, and a multitude of diseases.

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In 2001, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created a plan to clean the river by removing over 100,000 pounds of PCBs with a process called dredging, which is the excavation of materials from a water environment. This plan was difficult because millions of cubic yards of contaminated sediment needed to be removed and it costed General Electric 460 million dollars. However, this plan was fairly successful. During Phase One of the cleanup, about 300,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment was removed. Phase Two targets 2.4 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment and will take 5 to 7 years to complete. After these environmental efforts, whales have been spotted in the Hudson River due to the improved water quality.

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Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) - man made industrial products or chemicals

Disturbance - A temporary change in environmental conditions that causes a pronounced change in an ecosystem

Contamination - The process of making something impure by polluting or poisoning

Biomagnification - The system of passing contamination on to organisms as a result of it ingesting other organisms

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The Hudson River Valley is separated into three regions: Upper, Middle, and Lower. Rockland County is located in the Lower Hudson Valley.

The Tappan Zee Bridge links Rockland and Westchester together across the Hudson River.

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Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment

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Dredging the Hudson River - A Benchmark for Environmental Cleanup

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The Hudson River has poor water quality due to the pollution it has undergone. This causes the water to be brown and dirty.

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Hazardous Waste Site | Hudson Falls, NY | 1947 to Present

What Happened?

Beginning in 1947 and continuing for approximately 30 years, General Electric (GE) Company released more than a million pounds of PCBs polychlorinated biphenyls; a class of chemicals previously used in manufacturing that remain in the environment for many decades, accumulate in living creatures, and pose health hazards to humans, wildlife, and fish. into the upper Hudson River. These chemicals were a byproduct of GE's industrial operations at Fort Edward and Hudson Falls, New York. Since then, ongoing discharges of PCBs have continued from sediments and underground sources. Over time, PCBs have contaminated nearly 200 miles of the Hudson River and beyond into New York/New Jersey Harbor, making it the country's largest Superfund site.

The Hudson River is a unique and nationally significant ecological, cultural, and economic resource. The river has been designated as an American Heritage River, essential fish habitat, and contains 40 Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitats, and four National Estuarine Research Reserve coastal wetland sites.

What Were the Impacts?

Surface and ground water, river sediments, floodplains, and associated fish and wildlife have all been heavily contaminated by PCBs for decades. Bans and advisories limiting the consumption of fish have existed for different sections of the river since 1976; consumption bans and advisories are also in place for waterfowl and other wildlife. In addition, the contamination has closed or severely restricted important commercial fisheries.

Concentrations of PCBs in surface waters continue to exceed federal and state water quality criteria. Navigational dredging of the Champlain Canal has been restricted. Significant amounts of highly contaminated sediments will not be dredged in the cleanup, meaning that fish advisories and contamination of wildlife will continue for decades after the cleanup is complete. The ecological impacts due to cleanup actions are also being evaluated.

What's Happening Now?

The Hudson River PCBs site was proposed as a Superfund site in 1983 and listed in 1984. NOAA and other trustees Government officials acting on behalf of the public when there is injury to, destruction of, loss of, or threat to natural resources. initiated a natural resource damage assessment in 1997.

In 2002, EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; federal agency with the mission to protect human health and safeguard the environment. approved the dredging of approximately 2.65 million cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment from the upper Hudson River. Between 2009 and 2015, more than 2.75 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment (~ 310,000 lbs of PCBs) were dredged. Habitat reconstruction work and investigation of PCBs in the floodplain continues.

Beginning in 2001, the trustees released the first of several reports documenting injury to recreational fishing, waterfowl, surface waters, groundwater, and navigational resources, and are currently assessing other natural resource injuries. Once the assessment is complete, the trustees will evaluate potential restoration projects. The trustees continue to invite the public to submit restoration project ideas.

In November of 2020 the Hudson River Natural Resource Trustees released two data reports presenting findings on freshwater mussels in the Upper Hudson River in support of the Hudson River Natural Resource Damage Assessment. One report features the findings of a population assessment, while the other reports results for age determination.

In February of 2021 the Natural Resource Trustees for the Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site released a Remedial Injury Determination Report. The Trustees determined that dredging to remove polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from the upper Hudson River between Fort Edwards and the Federal Dam at Troy caused injuries to natural resources such as wetlands, aquatic vegetation beds, freshwater mussels, and shoreline trees. A final quantification of the injury, including interim losses, will be provided in a subsequent report.

The full report is available for the public online: D etermination of Injury to Natural Resources from Remedial Activities on the Hudson River: Riverine Fringing Wetlands, Aquatic Vegetation Beds, Shoreline Trees, and Native Freshwater Mussels. A fact sheet is also available.

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Hudson River | Hazardous Waste | Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program

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Hazardous Waste Site | Hudson Falls, NY | 1947 to Present What Happened? Beginning in 1947 and continuing for approximately 30 years, General Electric (GE) Company released more than a million pounds of PCBs polychlorinated biphenyls; a class of chemicals previously used in manufacturing that remain in the environment for many decades, accumulate in living creatures, and pose health hazards to humans, wildlife, and fish.

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Organisms like fish have died due to the contamination of PCBs.

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People are cleaning up the PCBs in the Hudson River by dredging.

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A humpback whale was spotted in the Hudson River. The cleanup of the river has made it a more habitable place for whales to live.

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The Hudson River is extremely polluted with trash and industrial waste.

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Companies like General Electric greatly contributed to the pollution of the Hudson River.